Want a New Year’s Resolution? Put the “Professional” in Pro AV
You do all these things because you’re supposed to be a responsible adult but so many of you still look and sound terrible in every video call. I can’t tell how many times I’ve witnessed an executive level person of an AV related company or organization sound and look terrible during an industry interview or podcast. It’s so bad that it’s unusual when they do it well.
I would argue that you are tarnishing your value as a supplier, client and coworker if you don’t get the basics of sound and video correct on a personal level.
Here is a list of things that I don’t want to see or hear including my nicknames for each:
- Only one half of your face because the rest is out of frame. (Abstract Art)
- Only one side of your face because you’re not looking at the camera. (The Profile)
- A dark face because you’re poorly lit. (Witness Protection Mode)
- Way too much space above the top of your head. (Kilroy Was Here)
- Your chin. (The Uppercut)
- An empty conference table with you at the far end. (The Bowling Alley)
- Your laptop microphone. (Speakerphone Mode)
- Your videobar 25 feet away from you. (1/24 Scale)
Face it. Literally. Your laptop camera and microphone look and sound terrible. Your lighting is non-existent. Why are you using the built-in $2.00 microphone and $10.00 webcam to try and sell someone on the need to invest $100K in their conference room?
Promote the value in a quality audiovisual investment starting at your desk – convey your professionalism one-on-one.
I know this can be a vanity issue for some of us. We don’t think we look good on camera, so we turn the camera on only because it’s expected. Speaking as a lifetime member of the Introvert Club, I get it. But as a fellow coworker and introvert said to me, “Preparedness is the best medicine for nerves, so it all began with a simple thought, ‘If I upgrade my webcam, maybe I’ll feel more confident on camera.’” For him it started with a camera that’s popular with content creators. That lead to research on lighting and then what elements were in view of the camera frame. After that came the audio. He now has the best looking and sounding rig in the entire company. Plus, he and his wife started doing podcasts! He’s not even in the Pro AV division, he’s in IT. I might have the edge on him on the audio side, but he absolutely smokes me on the video side.
Lesson: If your IT person looks and sounds better than you, you seriously need to up your game.
Remind yourself that we are in Professional AV and more importantly, that we are in a relationship business. You wouldn’t visit your client in person knowing that you had bad breath so why are you practicing virtual bad breath with every video call?
Camera, lights, microphone and look up the “Rule of Thirds” for subject framing. It’s a “system” not unlike all the various components we put together for a client’s “system”. While it may be on a smaller scale it should be no less professional than the experience we’re promoting.
While we would love to work with you on your next $100K project, we’re no less interested in helping you look more professional on a personal level. This is the AV industry – we’re all in this together.
If you enjoyed this blog, check out Tom’s “Choose Quality AV” blog for more insights.
Tom Kehr
CTS-D, CTS-I, Network+, LEED Green Associate, ISF-C, ATD Master Trainer
In-House System Designer and Trainer
Supported Applications: System Design



In today’s interconnected world, every meeting room, collaboration space, or presentation environment demands a complete and integrated AV solution. These can be very simple or quite complex. By asking all the right questions and offering all of the best solutions accordingly—you provide customers with a reliable, user-friendly experience that meets their goals and budgets. For resellers and integrators, this approach not only drives sales but also solidifies your role as a trusted partner in delivering cutting-edge AV solutions.
What equipment is needed for a Teams meeting?
Exertis Almo offers a range of devices that meet these needs, such as the
For example, the
The
Let’s say Robbie Van Winkle, aka Vanilla Ice, wants to revive his singing career and plans to have Teams meetings with record producers across the globe. Maybe he needs a PTZ camera that offers tracking via Artificial Intelligence so that the far end will see his expressions as he paces the meeting room. Perhaps he needs the camera to focus on him and not his entourage in the background. Maybe he needs a simple, clean audio solution with a fantastic mic array and excellent speakers mounted on the wall. I would be happy to help Robbie’s AV integrator select the right materials for the job. AND if Robbie wants to join our meeting, that’s excellent too.
While we offer MTR licensing, we are aware many have a solution in place. Keep in mind, we can tailor a complete MTR solution, including Teams Room licenses to fit the budget and needs. Regardless of where you acquire your solution, do you have the right hardware to make for the best meetings? A camera and audio are a great starting point, but we can help you further. Do you need to share content with the participants in the room even when not using a conference solution? Do you need to capture these meetings for later playback? Has a touch control panel been considered? Or perhaps an interactive display?
2. Time Efficiency
With more companies embracing hybrid work environments, it’s crucial for conference room technology to integrate well with both in-office and remote participants. Solutions must offer clear, reliable communication, both in terms of video and audio, and should seamlessly connect with common conferencing platforms. Simplicity here is key: the technology should accommodate this hybrid style of work without any additional effort on the part of the user.
This is where Barco’s
For larger spaces where an “all-in-one” solution is not practical, the simplicity and reliability of ClickShare can still play a central role by providing a unified experience for content sharing and collaboration. And when those larger spaces demand more customized A/V setups, Exertis Almo is here to help integrators design full-scale solutions to meet any need.











