Pros and Cons of In-House Vs Outsourced Audio Visual Rental Company

So you have an event coming up at a new venue that has their own in-house audio visual company and you are wondering "Should I use the in-house company or search for my own event audio visual rental firm? Many meeting and event planners wrestle with this question and the answer isn't always so obvious. Here are the Pros and Cons of both options and some resources you look to for additional help.

SITUATION: You need to replace broken equipment immediately.

In-house AV companies usually have the edge here because they are always on-site however, some event audiovisual rental companies bring spares (at no charge) so you need to ask. Additionally, if you bring in your own equipment or you rent from a firm that is just dropping off and picking up equipment, the in-house company will not touch that equipment if it doesn't work properly.

SITUATION: You need the most up-to-date equipment.

Event Audio Visual Rental Companies are constantly purchasing state-of-the-art equipment to keep their clients happy and keep their competitive edge. Once a venue purchases equipment, they are likely to hold onto that equipment for up to 3 years, regardless of what is happening with technology.

SITUATION: You need certified personnel with specific expertise in maintaining and setting up the equipment.

There is no clear cut winner here; this is where you are going to have to ask a lot of questions. Is the staff certified? How many times have they set up this equipment? How long has the staff been with the organization? The edge usually goes to the outsourced firm, but not always.

SITUATION: Your event is in a remote location, far from any outsourced firm.

In-house AV is going to save your budget on this one. If you have to pay for outsourced technician's mileage, meals, time and accommodations, this can add up in a hurry. Especially for small out of the way meetings, in-house may be the way to go.

SITUATION: You need a partner for my event, someone you can truly depend on.

Event Audio Visual Rental Companies step up the level of service because they want you to become a repeat customer. Ricky Robichaud, CMP, Event Marketing Manager at Texas Instruments said "Bringing in outside AV can increase the level of service you're providing tenfold. Essentially, they become an extension of your staff and enable you to focus your attention on your job, rather than worrying about oversight of another vendor."

SITUATION: You need to negotiate cost because you have a limited AV Budget.

Event Audio Visual Rental Organizations usually have the edge because they offer better rates than the in-house firm. Usually the in-house AV rates are set with little room for negotiation, where the sky is the limit with outside firms. In addition, labor is often the biggest expense when contracting AV, so if you negotiate that up front and have it in writing, you are more likely to keep your budget in tact.

Christy Lamagna, CMP, CMM, CTSM, Chief Strategist for Strategic Meetings & Events summed it up best when she said, "I cannot imagine using in-house exclusively for my clients. Their meetings are just too important for me to take that chance and my time is too valuable to re-educate the AV team with each new program I do."