When to Change Your AV Partner

You're not looking for a dramatic breakup. You're looking for fewer apologies after the event.

If your current AV company leaves you explaining technical failures to your board, it's already costing more than the invoice.

Warning signs

• "Not our fault" is the default answer when something fails
• Radio silence between the deposit and load-in
• Surprise line items that never appeared on the walkthrough
• Everything is "figured out on site" — no run-of-show, no rehearsal
• One quote template for every room, every agenda

What staying costs

Staff time spent babysitting vendors. Guests who couldn't hear the ask. A livestream that dropped mid-keynote. Those don't show up as a rental line — they show up as reputation.

How to switch without chaos

1. Write down what failed (and what worked) on the last two events
2. Share the real agenda and venue constraints with the new team early
3. Overlap one walkthrough if the old vendor still holds site knowledge
4. Require a written run-of-show and a named lead before you sign

What a better partner sounds like

They ask about cues before they ask about brand of console. They bring backups without making it a sales pitch. They tell you when something on your wish list will hurt the room.

If you're done translating excuses to stakeholders, start the handoff while you still have calendar room — not the week of the gala.