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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?…

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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.

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