David Keene

about 3 years ago

Thanks for hosting SANJ. So many important issues and challenges. In no particular order:

• Not on the people side per se, but important: Margins/commoditization in AV. Many AV customers can just buy a simple collaboration stack on their own, so how to convince them that there is so much more to AV and experiential and production, and more.
• “Back to the Office” is only about half way there (for knowledge workers in the U.S.– I don’t have stats on other regions… does anyone here?). How do we support messaging that shows how the ideal office is not what many think, but empowers people to new levels wherever they are – but with an emphasis on new generation offices not WFH. Recent research says that people want to return to the office, but only to one that is not 2019-level but much more– and our industry has the tools to build those offices.
• Labor shortages (for lack of a better term) in AV: How do we better attract talent to our industry, and keep them here? Broaden the reach, to be more inclusive; Then broaden opportunity for advancement and mentoring and more, both at trade conferences and throughout the year– that last part is the huge challenge: we of course want people coming in person to the Trade events, but DEI is very much about reaching out to people, not just waiting for them to come to you… AVIXA is doing a great job but the challenge is still a big one and more hands are needed on deck.