Backstage Pass: How Alford Access is Setting a Standard for AV Communications with Dave Pooser

 


Communicating with your AV team during a live event is crucial for success. Communicating effectively with your clients during the development of an install often makes or breaks client retention. In essence, communication is critical for the AV industry. However, does the platform for that communication always get the love and attention it deserves? If not intentional, companies might adjust their entire business process to match a communications platform; communications should be assistive, not demanding.

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Dave Pooser, Director of Product Innovation at Alford Media, joined us on the podcast to discuss his own company’s communication platform, one specifically designed from the ground up for Alford’s needs: Alford Access. Alford Access acts as a database that clients can use to communicate in real time with the staff and freelancers assigned to their specific show, serving as a window into the operation from start to finish. This technology, for example, lets clients share files while also labeling them as active or inactive to keep everyone on the same page. This level of communication alleviates the struggles of accessing information via email or other third party chat software.

Another reality of the industry is that during live events, many of the hands-on-deck are freelance AV professionals. Getting everyone on the same page is essential, and Alford Access makes that simple by integrating the freelancers into the development of the project from the beginning. “We want to make sure that on every show, we’re not just hiring a video engineer for their hands. We want their brains,” Pooser said.

Pooser explains all the aspects of Alford Access, and how it provides clients the ability to catch issues sooner and keep staff accountable, which makes for a better show and a better experience for everyone involved.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Pro AV Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication. A new episode of the Pro AV Show drops every Thursday.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @ProAVMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

skilled trades mentorship
Why the Modern Data Center Is Forcing Communities and Policymakers to Rethink Infrastructure
April 21, 2026

Data centers have moved from largely invisible digital infrastructure to a highly visible source of public debate as artificial intelligence accelerates demand for power, fiber, and compute capacity. The modern data center is now being built closer to population centers to support low-latency services, bringing critical infrastructure into direct contact with residential communities for…

Read More
Inside the Spot Freight Shift: How Manifold Is Simplifying a Fragmented Logistics Market
April 21, 2026

The freight market is in the midst of a notable shift. With national tender rejection rates approaching 14% by the end of Q1, freight conditions have shifted back in carriers’ favor, often coinciding with increased activity in the spot market. At the same time, logistics teams are juggling an increasingly fragmented ecosystem of portals, emails,…

Read More
healthcare 2026
Healthcare’s 2026 Reality: Growing Workforce Gaps, Tiered Access, and the Rise of AI Support
April 20, 2026

Healthcare systems are entering 2026 under mounting pressure. A growing, aging population and rising disease burden are colliding with persistent workforce shortages—highlighted by projections that new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. will surpass two million this year alone. The stakes are no longer theoretical: delays in care, limited specialist access, and widening disparities are…

Read More
Mental Health Care
Policy, AI, and New Funding Models Are Reshaping Mental Health Care Delivery
April 16, 2026

Mental health care isn’t a new problem—but it’s finally being treated like an urgent one. After years of being sidelined, the cracks in the system are becoming impossible to ignore: overstretched clinicians, long wait times, and entire communities without consistent access to care. In the U.S., the scale is striking—more than one in five…

Read More