Click above for more information Survival on the Warehouse Front
By Joel Rollins, CTS-R Often, running an AV Rental and Staging company is a bit of a high-wire act. We have to prepare to offer the latest in services and equipment to our clients – while not plunging too deeply into costly investment avenues that don’t always pay off. We all know that the big cost factor, and thus the most important single figure to control, is payroll. But often we concentrate in other areas. Why?
We love gear.
We’re crazy about STUFF. We read about it, talk about it, and covet it. We buy it on hunches. An oft-heard phrase is “If you build it, they will come.” We probably wouldn’t be in the business (at least, most of us) unless we were pretty fond of the technology we employ.
So we love gear. So, in controlling our inventory numbers, our biggest challenge (next to maintenance and loss prevention) is how to restrain our buying. I’m as guilty as my techs at rationalizing why we MUST have that new device – that life as we know it cannot continue if we don’t have one.
And yet, maximizing return from our inventory investments is something we must do to be successful. Some of the “truths” about maximizing our inventory investments are, indeed, self-evident, but so important they bear repeating:
1. Intelligent purchasing of inventory for a rental company means that the more multi-purpose a piece of gear is, the more valuable it is. Pay attention to alternative uses for any piece of gear you purchase, and make sure you buy things that can be used (and thus rented) in a variety of ways.
2. “Right-sizing” the inventory is critical. Pay attention to the APPROPRIATE number – of anything – to have in inventory. We want to keep the inventory rented as often as possible, without placing ourselves in shortage situations that lead to increased cross-rental costs, emergency purchasing, and ultimately client dissatisfaction.
The third principle, and often the most difficult one to accommodate, is “Don’t try to build the church for Easter Sunday.” So, when you purchase a particular type of gear, pay attention to other sources to obtain the same gear on a temporary basis. Also, there are types of gear we use infrequently enough that they don’t justify a purchase – but we may need them anyway. The three sources to watch:
1. Alliances: I like to work with my “friendly competition” to make sure we buy similar types and quantities – allowing me to borrow or trade out use of additional units when necessary.
2. Manufacturers: When I purchase gear, especially high-end gear, I like to negotiate loaner or rental unit provisions with the manufacturers – allowing me to conveniently source the number of units I need when dealing with temporary high-volume situations.
3. Cross-rental firms: Over the last 10 years or so, a number of extremely high-quality firms have opened up to specialize in cross-rental of gear to AV rental companies. Many of them come from an AV-rental background, meaning that they pack and accessorize gear properly, making it easy to employ (unlike manufacturers loaner gear, which often comes in cardboard straight from their warehouse). These firms base their rates (and their services) on being accommodating to rental companies. I often involve the one I work most closely with in my inventory planning each year, ensuring that they’re planning around my needs as well as my competitors’.
Anyway, while most of this is pure logic, as I said I think it bears repeating. Over the next few months, we’ll be looking at more ways to maximize our investments, and if there are any you think we’re missing, or would particularly like to discuss, our community is here and we’d love to hear from you.
–JRR rAVe Rental [and Staging] contributor Joel R. Rollins, CTS-R, is General Manager of Everett Hall Associates, Inc. and is well known throughout the professional AV industry for his contributions to industry training and his extensive background in AV rental, staging and installation. Joel can be reached at Joel can be reached at joelrollins@mac.com Back to Top Draper to Launch Screen Aimed Specifically at Rental/Staging Markets Dubbed the StageScreen and planned for an InfoComm launch, Draper is making a play for a leadership position in the Rental/Staging market with a “transformable” screen. Draper claims their new StageScreen will save setup time and money, and will offer a better return on investment. Here’s why:
With the StageScreen there’s no need to purchase multiple projection screens. The StageScreen allows you to build different screen formats and sizes with different combinations of the same parts. The more additional viewing surfaces and pieces you buy, the more sizes you can build.
Draper goes on to claim that because of the flexibility of their modular design, the StageScreen’s 8-inch truss system is stronger than traditional truss, with virtually no deflection even in large sizes. Truss segments attach quickly, easily and securely end-to-end. There are no parts to unfold, and no hinges to pinch fingers. Draper’s proprietary screen attachment system works without snaps, making it easier to attach the screen surface. Draper says that in less than 10 minutes, two people can have a 17’ x 20’ screen fully assembled and ready to fly.
It's not up on Draper's Web site yet, but it will be here when it is: http://www.draperinc.com/ProjectionScreens/ScreensMain.asp
You can also see it in their booth at InfoComm. I’m taking a look at this first thing on Wednesday. Can’t wait. If it works, it’ll be neat.
–JRR
Back to Top Extron Debuts Pro-Grade Surround Sound Processor Earlier this month, Extron debuted their new SSP 7.1, a high-performance, five-input surround sound processor designed to provide up to eight channels of surround sound targeted at ProAV installations. The SSP 7.1 automatically detects and decodes audio content in various Dolby and DTS formats from DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and HDTV broadcasts. It also offers Dolby Pro Logic II/IIx and DTS Neo:6 processing to provide surround sound from two-channel stereo. The SSP 7.1 features coaxial and optical digital inputs, plus an analog balanced/unbalanced two-channel input. For hotel rentals where the client insists on “Surround Sound” now you have a solution that’s pro-grade in the SSP – and in a tiny package.
To read all the SSP 7.1 features and specs, go to: http://www.extron.com/product/product.aspx?id=ssp Extron’s move into sound over the last couple of years has been fascinating. The products all fill a niche… Extron’s gained some good ground, and I can’t wait to get a look (or a listen) at this.
–JRR Back to Top CBI Adds Butt-Kicking 64-Channel Snake System! This is a stager’s dream. Check this out: CBI has added the “Ultimate SP-64” 64-channel snake system to its existing line of pro grade Star Performer audio snakes. Look at the picture to the right!! The new system compliments CBI's existing StarPerformer series that features 40-56 channel audio snakes. Available in rack mount or stage boxes, these pro units include a 14-gauge rolled steel box with "hammer-tone" black baked enamel finish inside and out. The “Ultimate SP-64” utilizes CBI 66 pair cable, Neutrik locking XLRs, isolation transformers and ground lift switches. All new M201 Tourline circular disconnects are engineered to withstand a heavy work load as well as being dropped from heights, driven over by vehicles, subjected to rough handling on a regular basis. These connectors are expected to provide continuous reliable performance.
The M201 connector is the “definitive” solution for touring (PA) or outdoor broadcast (OB) environments. Thicker wall section coupling nuts and shells give increased impact resistance. Rolling pins in the coupling nut allow for easier mating and increased mating cycles. M201’s are configured in the same 201 contact positions as many 200/201 systems in use today.
You can read all the details at: http://www.cbicables.com/
Analog audio snakes continue to get better, getting ready to do battle with the onslaught of new digital systems. Tried and true vs. new and cool. We’ll see.
–JRR
Back to Top Planar Systems to Announce New Clarity-Branded Narrow Bezel Display at InfoComm Although they won’t release specific details, Clarity plans to release a — you guessed it — 46” narrow bezel LCD monitor following NEC, Barco and Samsung’s announcements last month. With a 7.3-mm image-to-image gap, the display is to be called the Clarity Matrix and will feature redundant power supplies, built-in networking and what Clarity claims are commercial-grade LCD panels.
As details become available, you will see them at: http://www.planarcontrolroom.com/
Back to Top Sharp Electronics Extends Warranty on ALL XG and PG Model Rental Projectors Sharp took a step ahead of the rest of the pack with their announcement last week that all XG and PG model rental projectors now carry a 3-year ER Express Repair Warranty. This became effective June 1st . Although extending warranties aren’t a big deal normally in the ProAV market, it makes a big deal in the rental market so we wanted you to be aware of this since it could (and should) affect your buying decisions in the future with LCD and DLP portable projectors for rental.
All of Sharp’s Warranty Statements can be found here: http://www.sharpusa.com/products/FunctionWarranties/0,1075,9,00.html
Back to Top rAVe To Report LIVE from InfoComm via Twitter For the 2nd year in a row, we will use the popular micro-blogging site Twitter to report LIVE from the show floor. Last year, we sent out over 100 “tweets” (messages) and reported on new products we saw, new technologies and even sent photos via Twitter to our “followers” anyone who was subscribed to receive our messages via text message, Twitter clients, email, etc.
We will do it again this year! So, whether you’re AT the show or can’t attend you NEED to subscribe to our TWITTER feeds. To subscribe, go to: http://twitter.com/ravepubs
• Why subscribe if you are AT the show? Well, we’re invited to all sorts of pre-show product previews and will report on those – so that you can actually plan your day at the show. For example, last year, we were THE FIRST people to see Da-Lite’s 3D screen technology and twittered about it three minutes after our demo. Thirty minutes later, Da-Lite had a line of people at their booth who saw our Tweet about it. So, subscribe.
• Why subscribe if you ARE NOT at the Show? This will be the ULTIMATE way for you to get news IMMEDIATELY from the show because as soon as we see something we will Tweet about it! We promise. And, unlike those other ProAV pubs out there, we are NOT just reporters re-hashing what a manufacturer tells us. We are giving you OUR observations – from people who have worked in this industry for over twenty years!
So, subscribe to our FREE Twitter feed at: http://twitter.com/ravepubs
Back to Top For all you REGULAR readers of rAVe Rental [and Staging] out there, hopefully you enjoyed another opinion-packed issue!
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read how we are — we are 100% opinionated. We not only report the news and new product stories of the rental and staging industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions — in this case, it’s industry-veteran Joel Rollins' opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that’s why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
Don’t like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.
To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter — instead, write directly to me at gary@ravepubs.com or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter, rAVe ProAV Edition. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004. rAVe Rental [and Staging] launched in November 2007. rAVe Ed [Education] launched in May 2008. rAVe DS [Digital Signage] was launched in January of 2009.
To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to https://www.ravepubs.com
Back to Top Copyright 2009 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 510 Meadowmont Village Circle, Suite 376 – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – (919) 969-7501. Email: sara@ravepubs.com
rAVe Rental [and Staging] contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors. |