What is the real point of meetings? To communicate a message, which is accomplished via presenters. Audiovisual and event technology services come into play as the conduit between those presenters and the audience. In order to make the best use of AV and event technology while keeping an eye on costs, the following is recommended:

• Conduct a site inspection prior to the event. Talk to your audiovisual or event technology provider and ask questions during this critical inspection. Are you using a different company than the on-site AV provider? Find out what the venue's policy is regarding use of an outside provider. Is there a penalty? Have your event technology provider contact the on-site event technology provider to discuss any additional charges so that an estimate of total charges can be calculated. This should be done well in advance of your event. 
• If you are using an outside production company, check the venue's access and space availability. Is there easy access through the freight elevator? Is there a place to store your equipment the day before - and your equipment cases during - your event? If space is unavailable, you may need to rent an extra room.
• Take your AV salesperson's advice. For example, if s/he recommends that you take a setup day or more time to get the room ready, do so. If you don't build enough time into your schedule you may be setting yourself up for failure. Also, by talking to your AV salesperson you may be able to preset equipment during the initial setup versus changing an entire room around from a general session to a dinner event. This especially comes into play when there is a limited amount of time between events. (When possible, always get your meeting rooms on a 24-hour hold; this will save you money by not having to pay labor reset fees each day.)
• Ask for a detailed estimate of charges so that you will know what's coming when you're on site. This will help you in budgeting and providing a full understanding of your event.
• Research the labor policies at your venue. Is the venue or the in-house provider union or non-union? Each union has specific parameters and if union labor is mandated, the planner needs to have a clear understanding of turn-around time, meal penalties, when and how overtime is calculated, what is the charge for work on weekends and holidays … all factors that play into how union labor - and in some instances labor - is charged. Unions have different charges for each position and in most cases a union steward is needed for large crew calls.
• Block out a setup day. You can begin your setup at 8 a.m. and plan for your rehearsals that day as well. Start your meeting at 9 a.m. or 10 a.m. and you'll avoid the morning double time. Even if your meeting extends to nine or 10 hours, it's cheaper to pay time-and-a-half after eight hours than to pay double time. 
• Discuss your Internet needs with your AV and event technology provider. Costs depend on what is being done with the high-speed access. Is streaming video being used? Video conferencing? Heavy downloads? Do you need a Virtual Private Network (VPN), an encrypted certificate that gives you secure access to your company's network? Do you need static IPs (Internet Protocol address)? Some venues require you to have special IPs set up when you are using their Web server. Would your group benefit from a cyber café? Knowing how many attendees will require and use Internet access will determine the total amount of bandwidth required for your event. The speed of your connections is based on the amount of bandwidth that is available at the venue and shared with the other users. Consider requesting dedicated bandwidth for your event. These considerations must be addressed before you arrive at your meeting location. 
• Do your best to control electrical charges. You can save money by avoiding late night or weekend set-ups, the most costly time to employ an electrician. Electrical power should always be ordered in advance to avoid any on-site challenges and/or additional costs such as late electrical fees, rush charges, or higher electrician labor fees. Electrical issues become much more complicated in a convention center setting. The general session may have major power requirements, and in some venues you need to order power in every room. In some facilities, the electricians control everything from the wall to the equipment, and they set every power cord. In some convention centers, the electricians deliver and set up anything that draws power in all meeting rooms and exhibit floors. Check in advance.
• Plan as far in advance as possible. The earlier you can share your technology expectations and requirements, the more time you and your technology provider have to come up with a creative solution that maximizes the communication impact while respecting the event's overall budget.

° Andrea Doyle is Convene's senior writer.

Convene's Innovative Meetings series is sponsored by PSAV and AVHQ. PSAV and AVHQ, part of the world's largest audiovisual and event technology company serving North America and Europe, will help provide revenue-generating solutions for your meeting, conference, or event. Call (888) 369-9761 to learn how to generate more revenue for your group or go to www.avhq.com.