7 Red Flags to Watch for When Hiring an AV Partner
- Feb 24
- 4 min read
Most people don’t fully understand AV and that’s not their fault.
Our industry has a habit of making things sound more complicated than they need to be.
Acronyms. Gear talk. Technical jargon. Conflicting opinions.
Proposals that feel like another language.
So when you’re sourcing an AV partner, it can feel overwhelming.
You’re trying to compare companies,But you’re not even sure what you’re comparing.
And here’s the reality:
You’re not hiring someone to bring speakers and screens.
You’re hiring someone to protect the outcome of your event with tools you may not fully understand.
The clarity of your message.The confidence of your leadership.The energy in the room.The way your brand is experienced.
That’s a big responsibility.
Over the years, we’ve seen the difference between production that feels controlled and intentional and production that feels reactive and stressful.
If you’re evaluating AV partners, here are seven red flags worth paying attention to.
1. They Jump Straight to Gear
If the first conversation is about projectors, LED tiles, screen sizes, and speaker counts, something’s missing.
A real production partner starts with questions like:
What does this event need to accomplish?What does leadership need to communicate?What does the audience need to feel?
Because the gear is easy.
The strategy is not.
Equipment should support the outcome - not define it.
2. The Proposal Feels Like a Rental Order
There’s a difference between a solution and a shopping cart.
If the proposal feels like a list of items without context, no explanation of flow, no mention of leadership onsite, no clarity around how the room will function that’s a red flag.
You don’t need to know every cable being used.
You do need to understand:
How the show will run
Who’s responsible for what
What level of coverage you’re getting
Where the pressure points are
Clarity builds confidence. Vagueness builds stress.
3. There’s No Clear Leadership on Show Day
Events don’t fall apart because a speaker failed.
They fall apart because no one was clearly in charge.
Before you hire an AV partner, ask:
Who owns this show?
Who is my direct contact?
Who is making real-time decisions onsite?
If that answer feels blurry, it probably will be onsite too.
Great events feel calm because someone competent is quietly steering the ship.
4. Rehearsal Isn’t a Priority
Here’s something most planners learn the hard way:
It’s not if there will be mistakes.It’s when.
The clicker won’t work.The wrong version of slides will load.Walk-up music will be too loud.A speaker will freeze.
Rehearsal is where those mistakes happen privately so they don’t happen publicly.
If your AV partner doesn’t proactively talk about run-throughs, cue timing, slide checks, and transitions, they’re relying on luck.
Luck is not a strategy.
5. Labor Feels Like an Afterthought
This one matters more than people think.
You can have the best equipment in the world and still have a mediocre experience if the crew isn’t strong.
The technicians running your show aren’t just button-pushers.
They’re interacting with your executives.
They’re adjusting microphones on presenters.
They’re cueing emotional moments.
Skill matters. But so does presence. So does personality.
If labor feels like a cheap line item instead of curated talent, pay attention.
6. They Don’t Talk About Redundancy
Technology fails. That’s reality.
The question is whether your AV partner has already planned for it.
Are there backup playback systems?
Spare microphones?
Redundant audio paths?
Redundant processors?
You may never see those systems and that’s the point. They’re there as a peace of mind not as the mainstage presenter.
Good production feels seamless because the safety nets are invisible.
7. They’re the Cheapest Bid - By a Lot
Everyone has a budget.
We respect that.
But if one proposal is dramatically lower than the others, it’s worth asking why.
Often, what’s missing isn’t obvious upfront.
It shows up later as:
Reduced staffing
No rehearsal coverage
No redundancy
Surprise change orders
“That wasn’t included” conversations
Cheap production rarely feels premium.
And it rarely feels calm.
This is one of the reasons our team at Stratum presents proposals from a statement of work framework.
We provide what will get the show done with a series of “Yes” built in to ensure that the program moves forward and you don’t have to worry about change order after change order for simple things.
One More Thing: Do They Feel Invested?
This one is harder to quantify.
But you’ll know it.
Do they ask thoughtful questions?
Do they challenge assumptions?
Do they care about your brand and your audience?
Or do they just send a quote?
You don’t need a vendor.
You need a partner who treats your event like it matters because it does.
At the end of the day, great AV should reduce stress.
It should make you feel more prepared. More confident. More in control.
If you’re walking into your event feeling uncertain about the production team, that feeling is telling you something.
Trust it.
If you're looking for an AV production partner. We might be a good fit. Let's find time to connect and see if we can make a difference for your program.