48 Questions to Ask an AV Company Before You Book

AV is often one of the largest lines in a conference or gala budget, and the hardest to compare, because every quote bundles gear and labor differently. Start with the venue: ask what in-house AV it requires and what it charges outside companies, using our questions to ask an event venue. Then send every AV company the same scope, ask the questions below and compare the answers side by side.

1. How many events like ours have you produced in the past year?
2. Have you worked in our venue and these rooms before?
3. Who will be our main contact before the event, and who leads the crew on site?
4. Can we see photos, a video or a plot from a recent event of similar size?
5. Can we speak with a recent client who ran a similar event?

1. What sound system, microphones and speakers do you recommend for our room size and audience?
2. How many wireless microphones are included, and do you bring spare batteries?
3. Do you recommend projection or LED screens for our room, and why?
4. What lighting is included for the stage, and is any audience or uplighting extra?
5. Do you own the equipment, or will you rent some of it from another company?

1. How many technicians will be on site, and what does each one do?
2. Do you provide a show caller, or do you take cues from our stage manager?
3. What are the crew's call times for load-in, show and load-out?
4. Are union or venue labor rules involved, and how do they affect the quote?
5. How do you handle crew breaks and meals on a long show day?

1. Does our venue require its in-house AV for anything, such as house sound or rigging?
2. Will the venue charge a patch, access or house sound fee if we use you?
3. Will you coordinate directly with the venue's AV and engineering team?
4. Can you connect to the venue's in-house speakers and screens, or do you bring your own?
5. Who pays for any venue labor needed to support your crew?

Power and rigging problems surface late, often at the site visit. Total the AV load with the rest of the event in the event power calculator and share the numbers with both the venue and the AV company.

1. How much power do you need, in amps or circuits, and where?
2. Do you need dedicated circuits or a power distribution box from the venue?
3. Will anything be hung from the ceiling, and who certifies the rigging points?
4. Do you need ground-supported truss instead, and how much floor space does it take?
5. How will cables cross walkways, and who tapes or covers them?

1. What stage size and height do you recommend for our program?
2. Where should screens go so every seat can see them?
3. What screen size and aspect ratio should our slides use?
4. Where does the front-of-house tech table go, and how much space does it need?

1. Can you stream the main stage, and to which platform?
2. How many cameras and operators are included for recording or streaming?
3. What internet speed do you need, and will you test the venue connection in advance?
4. Do you have a backup if the stream connection drops?
5. When will we receive recordings, in what format, and who owns them?

1. How much rehearsal time do you recommend, and is it in the quote?
2. When do you need final slides, videos and walk-up music?
3. Will you run a technical rehearsal with presenters before doors open?
4. How do you manage presenter laptops and slide changes during the day?

1. Can you break the quote down by equipment, labor, delivery and fees?
2. What is your overtime rate, and when does overtime start?
3. What deposit do you need, and when is the balance due?
4. What is your cancellation policy, and what happens if you cancel on us?
5. What changes after signing would increase the price?

1. Do you carry general liability insurance, and can you send a certificate naming the venue and our organization?
2. What backup equipment do you bring for microphones, playback and the mixer?
3. What happens if a key technician is ill on the day?
4. What is your plan for a power failure or a weather delay outdoors?
5. Who on your team can make decisions on site if something goes wrong?

• A single lump-sum quote with no equipment or labor breakdown
• No site visit or venue call before quoting a complex show
• Vague answers about who will be on site on the day
• No certificate of insurance, or reluctance to name the venue on it
• No rehearsal time in the plan for a show with awards, video or several speakers
• No backup gear for microphones or playback
• A quote far below the others with the same scope, without an explanation

Put every quote into one table before you decide. Fill in each line from the written quote, not from the sales call, and mark anything missing as a question to send back.