It seems like a simple question, yet it often goes unanswered. Audiovisual systems can cost well into the millions of dollars, but they’re often forgotten until a failure creates a problem for everyone.
These system elements aren’t just in meeting spaces. They’re everywhere in a hotel. From background music to digital signage and public-area TVs, AV technology touches the guest experience from curb to pillow.
The likely suspects
So which department is responsible for managing AV systems? And remember, management means more than use — it includes service, preventative maintenance, updating, and, ideally, monetizing the investment.
As the department responsible for internal systems, engineering may seem like the natural owner. However, most engineering departments don’t include anyone trained in sound and video systems or programming. In some cases, they may have contracted a local service provider, not the AV company handling meetings, for repairs and maintenance, but this is rare in practice.
Since AV signals often travel over network cables, IT might be another assumed owner. After all, AV gear has blinking lights, power cables and wires. However, while AV does use networks, most AV systems still operate largely in the analog realm. Plus, many hotels don’t have on-site IT staff to begin with.
What about the AV services company managing the meeting spaces? These teams use the AV systems every day — but their contracts typically state they are not responsible for service or repairs. Their role ends at operating portable event systems. The skill sets for operating events and maintaining infrastructure are not the same.
That leads to the default fallback: the department where the equipment is located. Food and beverage, spas, pools, recreation, and event teams are often left to deal with AV issues themselves even though they lack the training or support to manage it effectively.
Real-world consequences
Here’s a real example: A large convention-class hotel opened 18 months ago. Just the AV systems in the meeting spaces cost more than $1.5 million — and they don’t work.
The hotel invested in standard high-end AV systems: flexible sound and video systems that connect meeting rooms to equipment rack rooms via dedicated AV cabling. Because these systems used networked infrastructure, responsibility was assumed to fall under IT — even though IT wasn’t involved in the process and doesn’t understand the equipment like amplifiers, DSPs, control systems and patch bays.
Now the hotel’s operations team is dealing with ongoing technical issues. Background music cuts in and out. Meeting room audio is unreliable. No one on-site has the responsibility or expertise to identify or fix the problems.
Before opening, the AV contractor offered a preventative maintenance contract — but it was declined. Now, that same contractor is proposing a full-time on-site technician to handle repairs and support but at a much higher cost.
Meanwhile, the contracted AV services company — whose revenue comes from renting portable systems — wants nothing to do with the built-in systems. They’ve stopped using them entirely, citing unreliability. From their perspective, if a system fails during an event, they get blamed, regardless of ownership. Ironically, the in-house systems offer far better audio quality than the portable gear now used as a workaround.
Solving the case
Ultimately, someone on the property must own the AV systems — or at least be responsible for managing the vendor who does. It’s not financially or operationally sustainable to have different people or companies working on isolated pieces of an interconnected system. Especially with property-wide AV like background music, one issue in a single zone can impact others.
AV systems, just like point-of-sale systems, Wi-Fi networks, and access control platforms, need dedicated oversight and regular service to perform reliably and deliver long-term value.
Consider developing a comprehensive preventative maintenance program for all AV systems on the property. Engage a local, factory-authorized AV company. The agreement should include:
- Scheduled preventative maintenance visits
- Priority support for repairs
- System software updates
- Troubleshooting support for all AV systems
When evaluating proposals, be sure to understand the difference between a service contract and an extended warranty. Warranties cover hardware failures but don’t include preventative service. Service contracts help prevent problems before they happen and ensure systems remain fully functional over time.
Once you’ve identified who will oversee the AV systems, equip them with the tools to do it right. As the saying goes, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” At minimum, they need a system to track service and maintenance activity. Ideally, that same system should be used for vendor communications like submitting service tickets, issuing purchase orders and tracking costs over time.
Long-term value
A well-designed, properly installed, and professionally maintained AV system can reliably support hotel operations for 12 to 15 years or longer. While some components like projectors or control panels may need replacement sooner. Other infrastructure, such as speakers and cabling, can remain functional for 20 to 30 years or more.
But this only happens with proper management and periodic preventative maintenance, carried out by trained AV technicians. Without it, systems fail prematurely, leading to frustration, lost revenue, and even brand damage.
Jeff Loether is president of Electro-Media Design, Ltd., and a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants.
This column is part of ISHC Global Insights, a partnership between CoStar News and the International Society of Hospitality Consultants.
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