What Is Audio Visual as a Service (AVaaS) and How Can It Benefit Your Organization?

Equipping your workplace with cutting-edge AV technology is one of the best ways to streamline and futureproof processes. However, implementing a high-quality, reliable solution can be a challenge for some organizations. Budget constraints, knowing what technologies to invest in, and limited capacity for maintenance can result in an inefficient solution that decreases productivity and negatively impacts business.

Fortunately, AV as a Service (AVaaS) can help. Keep reading to learn more about AVaaS and how it can benefit your organization.

What Is AVaaS?

AVaaS is a subscription-based service solution organizations use to implement, manage, and maintain their AV solution. With AVaaS, a single monthly subscription can give businesses access to everything they need for the best possible AV/VC setup. This includes:

  • Technology upgrades
  • Flexible lifecycle terms
  • On-demand support
  • KPI tracking

As a subscription-based service solution, users can consistently modernize, have full protection, train their team, and have all the tools they need to achieve their business goals.

Benefits of AVaaS in Business

AVaaS is the perfect formula of freedom, flexibility, affordability, convenience, protection, and peace-of-mind. With AVaaS, businesses have access to:

  • Technology that is consistently refreshed as new products become available.
  • Support staff to resolve issues and repair/replace equipment.
  • Collaboration with technology experts who can help you plan and achieve strategic business goals.
  • Cash flow savings that can be used for other strategic initiatives.
  • Protection from natural disasters and unpredictable events.

Regardless of industry, company size, or business goals, AVaaS can help organizations create more collaborative spaces that allow teams to work more efficiently and effectively.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Working with an AV integrator who offers AVaaS can help create a custom subscription service that meets your technology and support needs. This ensures you have the best solution in place for your current (and future) situation.

IVCi’s EVOLVE subscription service is a user-inspired room life-cycle solution. It offers flexible technology and term options for our design, deployment, and support services that includes an adoption and utilization in-room QR code support application. It’s a no-worry break-fix, end-user focused package. Contact us today to see how EVOLVE can transform your business.

/0 Comments/by

Four AV Technology Trends to Transform your Healthcare Facility

The pandemic has driven drastic change in the healthcare industry over the past few years and technological advancements have completely revolutionized the patient and provider experience.

While your facility may have already adapted to changes caused by the pandemic, technology continues to evolve to meet new patient expectations, streamline operations, and facilitate the ongoing education of healthcare providers. Here are four AV technology trends to help you perfect your patient and provider experiences.

Virtual Waiting Rooms. Virtual waiting room solutions deliver safer, more efficient patient experiences for both in-office and telehealth appointments. Allowing patients to check in, complete a wellness survey, and wait in their own vehicle prior to their appointment time significantly decreases their risk of exposure to germs, viruses, and other communicable diseases. A virtual waiting room solution also lets the provider streamline and digitize waiting room processes, like collecting insurance information, copays and payments, and updating medical information. Digital registration through virtual waiting rooms makes medical information easily available to both patients and providers. This gives medical groups a sustainable method for collecting patient information.

Waiting Room Automation. A little automation can go a long way in saving time, simplifying processes, and increasing efficiency throughout your facility. There are several different ways you can incorporate automation to streamline processes like cleaning alerts, intelligent disinfection, occupancy management, wellness checks, and room/building controls. Automating these tasks not only increases efficiency, but it also helps deliver a better standard of care for patients.

Teleconferencing. Teleconferencing quickly became the norm during, and well after, the height of the pandemic, reshaping patient care in the process. This once underutilized method of care continues to bring ease, comfort, and reliability to both patients and medical providers. Teleconferencing lets providers easily retain patient-physician relationships from anywhere. It also cuts down on time and infrastructure costs, further increasing the efficiency and productivity of your practice.

Virtual Reality. VR is quite literally changing the game for the healthcare industry. It provides safe, immersive environments for medical education and even some forms of patient care like rehabilitation and pain management. Although it can be a costly investment upfront, VR has transformative potential and incremental benefits.

Technology can make all the difference when it comes to patient and business outcomes. At IVCi, we focus on the technology so you can focus on what truly matters. Contact us to get started today.

/0 Comments/by

How to Bring Artificial Intelligence into the Office

The past few years have forced businesses across virtually every industry to rethink the way they operate. The quick shift from in-office to fully remote workspaces has changed the way businesses manage their day-to-day operations, making technology and artificial intelligence (AI) more important than ever. In fact, a June 2021 report from the IDC reported that organizations will spend around $656 billion on future-of-work technologies.

AI is a key pillar in the future of work as many organizations continue to offer hybrid and even fully remote work options. Here are some ways you can bring artificial intelligence into your office.

Virtual Assistants. Virtual assistants and chatbots have become part of our daily lives. Whether we’re asking Siri for directions or chatting with a customer service representative while online shopping, virtual assistants simulate human interaction using AI to recognize contextual patterns and learn how to provide the appropriate responses. In the workplace, virtual assistants and chatbots offer employees support and assistance, automating many of the tasks that they might have previously done manually. These tasks include taking notes, scheduling meetings, setting reminders and more. In addition, chatbots help employees find the support that they need as it pertains to company policies and benefits, or even tracking goals and job performance.

Office Automation. Employees expect their office environment to be as high-tech as the rest of their lives. Office automation makes processes more efficient and effective, saving your business more time, money, and resources. Automating things like resource allocation, assignments, payroll, PTO, and data management gives employees more time to focus on what they do best.

Meeting Scheduling. Remote and hybrid workspaces can make scheduling meetings a bit more difficult, especially now that the days of the typical “9-5” are gone. Meeting scheduling tools help facilitate meeting planning by enabling users to input their availability so that attendees can select meeting times that work best for them. This eliminates the need for several emails trying to lock in the perfect time that works. Syncing up with their calendars, these tools save tons of time and frustration as they streamline the entire meeting scheduling process.

Collaboration Devices and Technology. Employees aren’t always going to be in the same place at the same time–they may not even be in the same time zones. This means an engaging, collaborative environment, backed by the appropriate devices and technology, is critical to ensuring your organization has the appropriate video conferencing solutions and AV technology in place. Collaboration devices and technology utilize the power of AI to integrate multiple tools in one location, increasing productivity and employee engagement. With this technology, employees can create workspaces with workflows across multiple individuals or teams. For example, if an advertising agency is working on creating a digital ad, they can build a workflow that includes all of the necessary tasks that need to be completed in order to get that ad from concept to completion. The great thing about collaborative technology is that all the context for each conversation, task, and meeting is carried throughout the workspace. This helps team members get a pulse on a specific project, or pick up where a previous team member left off–whether remote or in the office.

Social Distancing and Cleanliness. When coming into the office, employees want to know that the environment is safe, clean, and compliant with current COVID-19 guidelines. There are several AI-powered technologies that organizations can take advantage of that help keep employees feeling safe, confident, and comfortable while at the workplace. Social distancing technology alerts employers of the number of employees in specific locations based on Wi-Fi and occupancy-setting devices. Space-planning software and tools help employees make smart planning decisions about when and where to be in the office, especially when it comes to scheduling meetings or time in the office for remote or hybrid employees.

To learn more about integrating AI into your organization, contact us today–we’d love to help you get started.

/0 Comments/by

How Universities Can Use AV as a Service to Stay Ahead

The current generation has changed the college admissions landscape; this technology-reliant crowd isn’t settling for anything less than cutting-edge technology that transforms their skillset. As such, colleges and universities are incorporating AV technology wherever applicable to attract this new generation of digital natives, and stay ahead of the curve.

To keep up with the changing technology and stay one step ahead of the game, universities should take advantage of AV as a Service solutions, like IVCi’s EVOLVE subscription service. EVOLVE is a user-inspired subscription service that offers flexible technology and term options for our design, deployment, and support services. It offers a multitude of benefits for universities that want to adapt to the technology tide, boost admissions, and deliver a “wow” factor to students.

Upgrade technology at any time. It’s no secret that technology changes by the minute, and oftentimes it can be tough to keep up, let alone stay ahead. EVOLVE makes it easy for your AV technology to upgrade and expand as technology evolves, without the stress.

Cater to student demands. AVaaS makes it easy for universities to expand their AV technology offerings and deliver the technology that students want, without the stress. As research and technology evolves, so do student demands. Having the flexibility to pivot and make changes quickly makes a huge difference.

On-demand support. All hardware and software is monitored and supported by an in-house team, preventing and solving problems at record speed. Quicker response time decreases downtime and gives faculty peace of mind knowing that when they are ready to use it, the equipment is going to work perfectly for them.

Not sure where to start? Contact us today and we can work together to build a strategy that fits the specific needs of your institution.

/0 Comments/by

Five Tips for Creating a New Hybrid Workspace

Employees in a variety of job sectors are looking for more flexibility in their workspaces. For many, the freedom of being able to choose where and when they work outweighs many traditional benefits once praised in the business world. As more organizations opt for a hybrid approach to daily operations, here are five tips to keep in mind while transforming your workspace.

Listen to employee needs and develop a plan. There isn’t a one-size-fits all approach to creating a hybrid workspace, as employees across different industries and job roles each have different needs. Meet with your employees to learn about their pain points and what they need in order to be successful and productive both in and out of the office. Maybe they are used to multiple monitors in the office, but do not have the same setup at home. Maybe they need a higher resolution webcam for remote team meetings. Once you’ve surveyed your employees, develop a plan that touches on their needs and ensures they are set up for success.

Implement solutions that facilitate collaboration and engagement. How will in-office and remote employees communicate and collaborate? How will you ensure that employees are staying engaged throughout the course of the day? How will you keep track of employees’ in-office and remote day scheduling? How will meeting spaces be reserved? Hybrid workspaces have many moving parts. Consider your employees’ needs and evaluate which collaboration tool(s) might work best for keeping everything running smoothly.

Create a variety of video conferencing-ready meeting spaces. It is imperative to ensure fluid collaboration between those in the office and those working remotely, and redesigning your office space accordingly. Gone are the days where the entire team heads into the conference room for a meeting; some employees may be in the office, while some are remote and maybe even across the country. Consider this when thinking about your meeting spaces. Instead of utilizing a few large meeting spaces, create some smaller spaces, as well. And, since many team members may be remote during meeting times, ensure that all meeting spaces are equipped with the appropriate video conferencing equipment.

Make the office a safe space with touchless technology. Employees should feel confident that the office is a safe space. Incorporate touchless technology wherever possible–from smart hand sanitizer stations to contactless entry and even dining experiences.

Offer ongoing education. While some employees may be comfortable switching back and forth between different technologies, others may need a bit more support. It’s important to build employee confidence and offer support for using equipment correctly, adapting to new technologies, and even training for remote employees. Consider building out a library of training videos that employees can leverage as they see fit.

There’s a lot to consider when creating a new hybrid workspace, especially when it comes to AV technology and equipment. Contact us today and discover the power of collaborative environments that make meetings happen, wherever you are.

/0 Comments/by

Creating Interactive Experiences with Digital Signage

Advertisements and signs are all around us, but which ones usually catch our eyes? Regardless of your industry, innovative and interactive screens can allow us to engage more directly with the message and each other.

Digital signage that sparks interaction can help increase customer loyalty, fortify brand recognition, and collect data on customer trends. See how the following industries utilize digital signage to create more memorable impressions.

Advertising

Whether you’re advertising for a new product, a social event, or standard brand awareness, digital signs are an incredible way to grab the attention of your target audience. Interactive videos on billboards and marquees have the power to captivate audiences more effectively than traditional static images. Increased interaction leads to more customer attention and (hopefully) higher sales.

Business & Finance

Almost any executive working in business or finance would agree on a common goal: use innovation to maximize return on investment. Business offices can use digital signage in many dynamic ways. For Example, digital signs next to doors of meeting rooms can display schedules and allow team members to request room access for specific times quickly.  Additionally, finance executives at banks and credit unions can incorporate interactive screens in their lobbies and drive-thrus so their customers can communicate with financial experts in a more engaging way.

Education

Take presentations and lectures to the next level by deploying digital signage. With digital signage in classrooms and campuses, students, faculty, and staff can feel more connected to each other and their surroundings. In addition, digital signage can aid both students and instructors as they collaborate and produce thought leadership in a variety of educational fields.

Healthcare

As the concern for patient care continues to rise, healthcare facilities are relying more and more on digital signage. Medical facilities can use digital signage in elevators, waiting rooms, and wall displays to improve wayfinding for patients and visitors navigating the medical facility. Digital enhancements can also allow physicians better quality of medical simulation observation. Additionally, digital screens can be used to improve telehealth screenings for individuals who may require strict social distancing or who may not be able to travel to a hospital.

Restaurants

Imagine going to your favorite eatery and being able to customize your order directly from the table! With digital signs in restaurants, customers can select items, customize service, and pay for their order from the convenience of a digital device. These devices can be customized to fit several needs, from fast food to fine dining, giving flexibility and interactivity to a fun night out!

Retail

While online shopping and e-commerce continue to grow, many consumers still relish the nostalgia of a trip to the mall. Now, your favorite stores can utilize digital signs not only to advertise new products, but to create an interactive purchasing window. Digital signage can allow customers to shop for customized items that may not be available in stores so they can enjoy the best of both worlds!

Visitor Management

Travelers use maps and information kiosks in a variety of settings. Malls, hospitals, amusement parks, museums… the list could go on! Guests deserve the highest level of service at the touch of a button (or screen). Enhanced AV technology in interactive maps and kiosks can allow visitors and guests a more engaging way to navigate their surroundings. Some technology can even connect with live support teams in real-time to assist on-screen or over audio.

What’s Next?

When it comes to making work and play more fun, the possibilities are endless! Contact IVCi today if you want to see where your digital signage journey can take your business.

/0 Comments/by

Attracting New Clients with Improved Communications

Our current business landscape is a sea of constantly changing information. If organizations are not careful with how they manage their information, it’s likely that their reputation may suffer in the eyes of prospective clients. To prevent getting lost in the mix, it’s important now more than ever that businesses offer adaptive solutions to meet their clients where they are.

If you are looking to attract new clients, a great first step is improving your organization’s meeting and collaboration tools. By enhancing your AV equipment, you can improve communication with your teams and make the client prospecting and onboarding process a smooth and seamless experience.

Here are just a few of the communication tools you could incorporate in your business that could convert a “maybe” client into a preferred partner.

  • Digital Signage–One of the best visual marketing tools you can use is an interactive digital sign. Your business can advertise what sets you apart from the competition and make a visually-pleasing first impression.
  • Elevator and Wall Displays–If you are meeting with potential clients in-person, offering wayfinding assistance in your building with elevator or wall displays can help communicate that you are a thoughtful and detail-oriented organization.
  • Digital Whiteboards–Spruce up any client meeting with a digital whiteboard. This technology brings collaboration to the next level while allowing your team and clients to share strategies in real-time.
  • Teleconferencing–For your clients around the globe, digital cloud video conferencing allows you an interactive way to communicate with potential clients in easily accessible ways, no matter where they are. This allows you to serve more people and spread your organizational mission.
  • Virtual Training Rooms–A state-of-the-art virtual training room allows your team to be more prepared to assist client needs. The investment you make into enhancing your training capabilities will pay off handsomely in customer satisfaction and retention.
  • Touchless Meeting Rooms–For clients who may require more careful handling of equipment for health related concerns, touchless meeting rooms allow you to control the meeting environment with voice controls rather than high-touch surfaces.
  • 3D Modeling for Visually Representing Space–The best way to demonstrate your capabilities to a potential client is through interactive modeling. Creating 3D models that show exactly what you can offer will better help your clients see the added value in your expertise.

Meeting client expectations can be a tall order to fill. With varying budgets, timelines, and strategic goals, effective communication is key. When you’re ready to choose the right equipment and provider for your business, consider IVCi!

IVCi is your user-inspired technology partner. We offer seamless AV integration that starts with identifying goals and objectives to form a clear vision of where you want to go and the clients you’d like to assist.

Whether you’re creating a future-proof huddle space or a state-of-the-art audio visual meeting room, we will create an integration plan that maximizes your AV technology experience and attracts new business. Contact us today to see how we can collaborate!

/0 Comments/by

How to Prepare your AV Technology for Corporate Relocation

The business sector has seen tremendous change over the past two years. Where some industries are downsizing their overhead costs with more remote employment, others are expanding to newer locations. No matter your company’s strategic goals, a corporate relocation entails careful planning and execution.

One of the biggest aspects of a corporate relocation is how to address your current AV technology needs given your new space. Moving to a new office is the perfect time to reinvigorate your space while offering employees necessary upgrades to enhance productivity. If a corporate relocation is in your company’s future, here are a few things you can do to prepare your AV tech to run as smoothly as possible.

  • 1. Survey Your Staff
    • Before choosing new systems, always ask your staff their opinions on the current AV technology and solutions your company uses. Are there any “must-haves” that should follow to the new location? How about any weaknesses that could be filled with new and improved equipment? Asking your staff will ensure your organization is prepared while also building trust among your team that their input is valid and heard. Once you have an understanding of the needs of your staff, you can begin to create a strategy that benefits collaboration.
  • 2. Understand the New Space
    • New offices require new AV design and equipment. While balancing the needs of your employees and your company, it’s important to have a full understanding of the new space. Consider things like window placement, office circulation, and the size of the team that will occupy the space. All of these considerations will have implications on the types and designs of AV technology you will need. For example, where will be the best place for a remote-meeting room? Or how much space will you delegate to a virtual training room? Assessing your needs against the space you have to work with will aid in your strategic planning, resulting in more efficient uses of your time and monetary resources.
  • 3. Plan for the Future
    • While it may be easy to get caught up in the “here-and-now” of your corporate relocation, it’s equally important to keep an eye on what’s soon to come. For example, are there any big initiatives you can see launching in the next few years? Investing in upgraded AV technology now could save you the time and hassle of future renovations.

Corporate relocation is an exciting time for any business. It’s an opportunity to assess the old and the new while breathing new life into your organization. Between balancing in-person and remote teams, you have enough on your plate! Let an innovative partner like IVCi spearhead your new location’s AV technology.

From digital signage and wayfinding systems to electronic room scheduling displays, IVCi offers advanced collaboration tools that ensure sustainable and truly connected, remote teams. To learn more about our products and solutions, contact us today!

/0 Comments/by

Helping Faculty Adjust to New University Technology

As more and more students enter college campuses expecting the latest and greatest technology, faculty are often left to adjust to the changes with little to no guidance. This process is made even more strenuous when some faculty members actively oppose embracing new technology in the classroom.

When faculty or staff have a hard time adjusting to new technology, there are simple steps your university can take to help them acclimate on their own time and in ways that foster collaboration. Here are some of the ways you can develop a proactive approach when upgrading your university’s AV technology.

Involve Faculty in Choosing Equipment

Whether you’re incorporating digital signage throughout campus common areas, or enhancing a stairatorium in the classroom, the faculty that use them should assist in choosing which solutions work best for them. Gaining valuable feedback from faculty and staff can help eliminate intimidation they might feel and helps establish a better, more positive working relationship and culture.

Include Staff in Installation and Deployment

To the extent possible, allow faculty the opportunity to provide input on the layout and structure of the new AV technology. Because faculty members will use the equipment on a near daily basis, they will be able to provide an incredible insight to how the technology can be set up to best work for their needs. Whenever possible, be sure to collaborate with faculty and staff to see how they work best. For individuals who may struggle adopting new technology, perhaps a mix of traditional and high-tech solutions is the best way forward.

Offer Hands-On Training Exercises

Whether the new equipment is already installed or if you are still planning to have equipment installed, it’s always a best practice to dedicate time for training. For beginners and novices alike, new technology always spurs an opportunity to educate no matter the skill level of the user. Informed users will be able to better handle the equipment, thus building trust and protecting your investment.

Follow Up

It’s likely that faculty and staff will continue to have questions and feedback even after planning, installation, and training. Make it a habit to regularly check in with faculty to see how the new equipment is working. Collecting this feedback will ensure that faculty members’ voices are heard while also creating a system to find what’s working and what could be improved.

Choosing the right equipment for your faculty is critical to ensuring employee satisfaction and comfortability in their roles. Plus, with hybrid-remote options continuing to expand, faculty members will need to remain adaptable for the future. If the process seems labor intensive, that’s where IVCi steps in!

IVCi offers strategy, products, and training that ensure your university not only has the most up-to-date AV technology, but that your teams are equipped to adopt and use the technology effectively. We believe that nothing has a bigger impact on the success of the technology, than the team’s ability to work and thrive within it! Contact us to learn more!

/0 Comments/by

Prep for Success: Developing a Long-Term Security Plan for Remote Staff and Faculty in Higher Education

One positive we have all discovered over the last few years is that we have digital capabilities at our disposal that can allow us to collaborate more than ever before. But with these enhanced collaboration tools comes more risk of technology failure, haphazard strategy, and potential cyberattacks.

As universities incorporate more hybrid or fully-remote positions, administrators must assess their collaboration tools and long-term procedures to ensure their remote employees are safe. Not sure where to begin? Here are a few simple steps to help get your college or university on a successful path to safe and secure remote work.

Step 1: Develop a Strategy

When universities suddenly went remote at the beginning of the pandemic, many schools did not have proper plans in place to address such a crisis. While we have learned a great deal in these two years, one certain lesson is that you can never be too prepared. If not already created, universities should develop a crisis management plan to detail each department’s role in the event of an emergency that causes extended periods of remote work. The plan should address certain expectations, guidelines, and procedures to ensure that if/when the time comes, everyone is ready to take action. The time you invest in developing a strategic plan will make for a smooth deployment and ease stress for faculty and students. A crisis should not compromise learning and growth. With a proper strategy in place, universities can minimize interruptions in the classroom.

Step 2: Improve Security Measures

After a deployment strategy is in place, universities should also consider improving security measures across the remote platforms they use. With more and more staff and faculty members working from home, that means more internet connections logging into university systems. This increase can mean the risk of potential hackers gaining access to sensitive files also increases. Assessing your university’s cybersecurity will help keep faculty, staff, and students safe. Not to mention, enhanced security measures will protect the university’s brand image from any public relations nightmares involved in cyberattacks.

Step 3: Modernize Remote Technology

As the demand for remote work continues to climb, universities will need to utilize systems with larger bandwidth and more advanced equipment. Universities must incorporate technology into their long-term security plans, from internet servers to file management software. Technology must withstand large numbers of students and faculty working from home. Modernized video conferencing allows instructors to provide students with more in-depth, interactive learning in a safe environment.

Planning for remote work takes careful considerations into strategy, security, and technology within higher education. But it’s vital to ensure that staff members feel safe and university systems are running smoothly.

Let IVCi know how we can help your university plan for the unexpected. We offer modern collaboration tools and strategic solutions for the next generation of inspired learning.

/0 Comments/by