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What Does AV9000 Compliant Mean?

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By Mario J. Maltese, CTS-D, CTS-I, CQT

This is the third in a multi-part series from the Association for Quality in Audio Visual Technology (AQAV) and its push for everyone in AV to adopt the AV9000 standard for quality management. Read the first article here and the second article here.

What is “AV9000 compliant” — and how can I participate?

The larger the organization, the more difficult it is to manage quality, and the more difficult it is for the organization to obtain full ISO9001:2008 Certification.

But let’s say your company has been following along with the movement, has invested in the necessary AV instrumentation and has initiated the tests at Staging and Commissioning that the AV9000 calls for in all its projects. Is there some recognition for that paradigm shift, to let your customers and prospective customers know that their system will indeed be installed on-time, complete and according to the best industry practices?

Certainly, it trumpets a policy of quality, and adds credibility to a prospective buyer that management is serious about delivering a system that is consistent with what the customer ordered.

In an effort  to provide a “stepping stone” for organizations to reach certification, AQAV has begun to recognize AV Companies that have worked at least the Staging and Commissioning battery of tests into their processes, and to measure performance. The details for applying are found on the AQAV website.

What are the advantages?

  • Significant drop in costs, from several areas. Speed improves, as the team becomes more systematic, and tends to do things “right” the first time. Call-backs to the jobsite drop considerably when jobs are not only “done,” but “done-done.” Less equipment ordered for a job that will never be installed because it is the wrong equipment.
  • Special consideration from technology managers and buyers, who recognize that vendors who can manage their quality drop their hidden costs on projects, and revise their procurement practices according to the total cost of procurement rather than price tags.
  • A shift in morale from a mindset of fixing blame to one of organization-wide continual improvement.
  • Satisfied customers become a highly effective sales force.

More information can be found on the AQAV website.

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