Let me ask you if you’ve ever experienced this scenario: you’ve been working on a project, specifying every detail and researching and locating the products to meet the project requirements. You’ve quoted the client, and you’re waiting on funding or their next signature. The buyer receives the information, and you learn that they placed the order with another supplier due to lower cost.

Unfortunately, I’ve had that experience with over 25 years in this industry. I want to provide you with a recommendation designed to help minimize these scenarios for the future.

One of the most powerful, and often underutilized, tools available is project registration.

What is project registration?

Project registration is a process that allows a reseller to inform manufacturer (leveraging your Almo team) about a specific opportunity or project. This process provides numerous benefits to both the reseller and the manufacturer, including transparency, pricing protection, forecast of needed products and more.

Let’s dive into the benefits of registering your projects.

Why does project registration matter?

First and foremost, project registration is a simple and effective way to protect your profit. When a project is registered, you’re able to secure your pricing and provide yourself the opportunity to make more margin.

James Calandrillo, Vice President of Almo Pro AV Sales, detailed the importance of project registration, especially with prices on the rise.

“In today’s unprecedented times with price changes due to tariffs, it’s more important than ever to register as many projects as you can, as often as you can,” he explained. “And as pricing changes, active registrations are covered to the end of that, whereas there’s no pricing guarantee if you don’t register the project.”

When you register a project, you’re not just receiving reliable pricing, you’re creating awareness about the intricacies of your project with the manufacturer utilizing your Almo team. Consider it a win for both the reseller, distributor and the manufacturer. The reseller enjoys pricing recognition provided from the manufacturer while both the distributor and manufacturer gain knowledge their products for future forecast.

Taukia O’Donnell, Director of Bid Operations at Almo Pro AV, provided additional details on the importance of project registration in a recent conversation.

“Project registration is a critical tool that empowers resellers to maximize profitability and strengthen partnerships with manufacturers,” she explained. “This not only safeguards margins but also fosters transparency, enabling manufacturers to better understand project needs and market demands.”

Along with pricing recognition, project registration separates the reseller from a simple box sale. Instead, they’re viewed as an actual design-build integrator.

“Project registration elevates resellers from mere transactional vendors to strategic design-build integrators,” Taukia said. “This distinction enhances credibility and deepens manufacturer relationships, creating a competitive edge.”

“If you’re registering projects, it shows the manufacturer that you’re really doing the work,” James added.

Why should resellers leverage Almo for support?

Oftentimes, sales representatives choose not to register their projects simply because they don’t have the time to do it. When dealing with a variety of brands, they don’t have the bandwidth to reach out to vendors themselves and explain their plans.

“Partnering with Almo Pro AV simplifies the process, offering expertise and access to multiple vendors who support registration at low quantities,” explained Taukia. “This support is invaluable for sales teams managing diverse brands under tight schedules.”

Along with expertise, Almo Pro AV is here to ensure an efficient registration process.

“I encourage all resellers to prioritize project registration to protect profits, streamline operations, and position themselves as trusted partners in the supply chain,” said Taukia. “Leveraging Almo’s resources can make this process seamless and highly rewarding.”

I realize we are all very busy, our time and resources are limited. This is definitely one area to take the extra few minutes to register your projects when you’ve spent time to specify the project for your client.  It’s like offering yourself a little added protection from the “last minute low-ballers”. I’m not saying you will do away with the competition, however this process will definitely assist in minimizing the risk for you.

The project registration process is usually quite easy – simply provide the details to your Almo Sales Rep and they will work directly with the manufacturer utilizing Almo’s Bid Registrations. Your Almo sales representative will be happy to assist you in collecting the information to register your projects.

If you have any questions or would like to request to have a project registered on your behalf, please reach out to Almo Sales or myself for assistance.

Angie Greene | DSCE

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Panasonic Connect

Over the past few years, Esports has transformed from a niche activity into a global phenomenon, with large audiences, sponsorships, and college programs dedicated to competitive gaming. While Esports is rising in popularity across many universities, the term can still be a bit of a mystery for those who aren’t immersed in the gaming world. Simply put, Esports focuses on competitive video gaming, where players and teams participate in organized tournaments, often with large audiences watching online or live at arenas.

In a recent article about the rapid expansion of Esports, rAVe’s Clara Mello details the large market potential for competitive gaming. Thanks to its expansion into college programs, the gaming market was valued at $187 billion with 335 million players and viewers when rAVe’s article was published.

But it’s not just about the games — there’s a long list of audiovisual technology that helps bring these epic events to life. Let’s take a deeper dive into the world of Esports and discuss how AV solutions are driving this industry.

In conversation with Keith Vidger, Engineering Manager for Pro Video and Audio at Panasonic, we discussed the key factors that contribute to a successful Esports setup. First and foremost, it’s important to differentiate Esports streaming from broadcasting.

“There are many rules and procedures used for broadcasting at conventional sporting events,” he explained. “These rules do not apply when you’re not broadcasting over the air, so there’s no need for delay.”

While the government requires that traditional broadcasts insert several seconds of delay, these rules do not need to be followed when streaming. Instead, streams should have one frame or lower latency. And in competitive Esports, latency and lag are major concerns. With each game requiring split-second decisions, even a few milliseconds of delay can cost players the game.

“Certain applications do not care about lag, but [in Esports,] 3-microseconds versus 2-microseconds of lag could be the difference between winning and losing a game,” Vidger said. “[Traditional] broadcasting caused an unnecessary delay that was detrimental to the game players.”

Additionally, the growing popularity of Esports wouldn’t be complete without the rise of platforms like Twitch and YouTube. Many Esports events are streamed live on Twitch, where millions of fans tune in to watch the action unfold in real time. Pre-recorded events are frequently uploaded to YouTube, where they can be revisited by fans after the event is over.

So, how does the right AV gear enhance an Esports event? Here are a few necessary products that are designed to help these competitions run smoothly and efficiently.

PTZ Cameras

Panasonic’s AW-UE150 and AW-UE160 cameras are excellent choices for Esports events, as they provide crystal-clear images and capture fast-moving gameplay. For smaller setups or more budget-friendly options, the AW-UE30 and AW-UE40 are also great choices.

Explore the Panasonic PTZ Camera lineup.

Displays

While the players often have access to their own personal monitors during an Esports event, large displays are an essential component of an arena. These displays show the competition to large, in-person crowds and give attendees a close-up look at key moments.

Looking towards the future of competitive Esports, Vidger finds that the largest point of change is in the organization of the sport itself, as there are many different leagues that can employ players and drive revenue. He expects that the scope and reach of these leagues continues to expand, with more university campuses requesting these audio-visuals systems to host competitive Esports events.

Overall, Esports is a fast-growing segment for the AV industry. In my opinion, it’s a very interesting topic, especially if you are not really involved in playing any games. If you’re looking to experience an Esports event, I’d recommend going on Twitch to watch an online stream. This is an area that brings opportunities for all of us to provide equipment for these events. Additionally, Esports also presents itself as a rapidly growing business segment, which will only bring even more discovery of products and services.

This was an educational and eye-opening process for me, and I’ll share some useful links and resources so you can peruse them, too!  With any questions, please reach out to me, your Exertis Almo representative, and/or your Panasonic TAM for assistance.

Resources for You

• Want to read more? Check out “Esports on Campus: The Role of ProAV in Competitive Gaming“
• For more details on the market potential of Esports, visit rAVe’s article, “How to Get into Esports“
• To learn about AV’s influence on Esports, watch this video from InfoComm.

Angie Greene | DSCE

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Panasonic Connect