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New Technologies and New Opportunities

newtechnewoppfeatWhile you’re at InfoComm, take a look for technologies that are NOT typically associated with the AVL market but have clear in-roads for systems integrators: networking, cloud computing and storage, automation technologies (and not just AV automation) and even Bluetooth Low Energy.

The trends that look beyond thin displays, LED lighting and new levels of DSP audio processing may be harder to spot, but the opportunities are there for the savvy systems designers to usher in new ways of integrating technology for clients. In the church space, Bluetooth Low Energy is a possible trend given the incredibly low cost and high value. I’ve written about what’s possible in this month’s Trends article and think it will stir up some tradeshow conversation well beyond the ‘newest, lightest or brightest’ staples.

And then there’s Big Data. Seemingly an incongruous line of thought when it comes to the house of worship market — or even AVL in general, the reality of aggregating useful data for decision-making is true with any level of organizational leadership. The opportunity to jump into the world of business intelligence as part of a larger automation solution, is one that’s just begging for smart manufacturers and integrators to tackle head-on. The old sales trick of providing a list of desired features and benefits to overcome purchase barriers may still work with some church leaders, but the Internet has taught consumers a thing or two about what is offered and what they really want. To justify the expense, churches need metrics from real data. That’s the theme of this month’s Future article, and I hope it kicks off some discussions about next-level business opportunities for a market that tends to focus too narrowly on the latest and greatest iteration of existing technology (sorry, InfoComm — you’ve become a casualty of your own success in this area).

Are you thinking and planning strategically about new things or focused more tactically on maximizing what you already do? I’m not saying one is right and the other is wrong, but I am saying it’s a worthy discussion in a time of commoditization of both products and services.

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