StriveAV, along with trusted partners Promethean and Loxit, are giving one lucky school the chance to win a new technology packed classroom setup.
How to run successful remote appraisal and training sessions
With appraisal season upon many companies, this year more than ever will be a challenge both when it comes to feeling able to accurately review an employee’s work when you may not have been in the same room as them for most of the past 12 months, and choosing a platform on which to conduct the conversation.
COVID-19 update: Business as usual
With the second coronavirus lockdown due to come into force across England on Thursday, we’d like to take this opportunity to reassure customers that StriveAV will continue to operate as normal, utilising all our COVID-safe working practices. All planned jobs will be continuing as scheduled and we are still open and taking orders.
Growth in virtual events leads to launch of StriveAV Live
Just 12 months ago, a virtual event wasn’t something many event organisers and marketers would have considered an essential part of their offering. While webinars were becoming ever more popular, these would be smaller in scale, shorter in time and narrower in scope than the ever-popular in-person conferences, awards and tradeshows that littered many industries’ calendars.
Fast forward to mid-2020, however, and virtual events have taken on a whole new level of importance, offering a way to futureproof a business and maintain contact with stakeholders despite the changeable times.
Our Response to COVID-19
The health and well-being of our clients, business partners and colleagues is always our number one priority – and never more so than now, during the Coronavirus outbreak.
How to create the perfect huddle space environment
The most accepted definition of a huddle space is a small, private and comfortable meeting area designed to accommodate 2-6 people and equipped with teleconferencing and collaborative tools. Their size and the technologies typically housed within them makes huddle rooms ideal for both scheduled and impromptu meetings, offering a quieter space for people to work without having to reserve time in a large meeting space or boardroom.
The benefits of managed services in an education environment
When you think of the convergence of AV and IT, the first sector that springs to mind is probably corporate. There’s no denying that this market has been impacted heavily by the IT-ification of AV and the move towards software over hardware, but it’s certainly not the only area in which the benefits of convergence can be reaped.
Take education, for example. Higher education in particular has undergone major changes in recent years, especially when it comes to how estates are managed and by whom. In many institutions, IT is the driving force behind the AV teams, even in those where AV comes under the Facilities Management or Estates sections. This isn’t without its challenges, however, and while some institutions have managed to merge their teams and make a success of this, others are ‘de-merging’ again.
How AV managed services can add value to your business
Managed services have grown in popularity across the AV sector as users want to ensure their systems operate as they should for the longest time possible with the minimum downtime.
However, there has been some confusion about what is covered by managed services and what users should expect from any agreement. In short, AV managed services devolves the management and maintenance of AV to the service provider. This can include everything from lifecycle design/build, to onsite support and analytics.
As this is quite a wide-ranging definition, to get the most out of any managed services agreement, it’s important to understand the scope of the deal and how it will benefit your AV inventory. Read more
Interactivity in the AV industry
When you think of interactivity within the AV industry, the first thing that springs to mind is likely to be a touchscreen. However, true interactivity is much more than this, to the point where often the user has no idea they are interacting.
What is good audio?
Audio is an often-overlooked element of audio-visual system design; displays, screens, videowalls and the many ‘visual’ elements of AV are often front of mind when people consider the kind of system they want. However, without good audio, many of these solutions will not be fit for purpose.
Take conferencing for example. While, the screen will most likely take centre stage in the room, without high-quality audio any meeting is likely to be ineffective at best and abandoned at worst. Read more
StriveAV sponsors AV News Awards
StriveAV is a Gold Sponsor at the 2019 AV News Awards. The event, held on the first morning of ISE, sees some of the most influential people in the AV industry gather for breakfast, networking and the all-important awards presentations. Read more
StriveAV accepted onto UK Digital Outcomes framework
StriveAV is pleased to announce that it has been successful in its application to join the Digital Outcomes framework.
Part of the UK government’s Digital Marketplace initiative which aims to transform the way the public sector commissions digital and cloud services, by making it simpler, clearer and faster for them to buy what they need, Digital Outcomes is a modern framework for non-technical businesses that want to engage with the market to help them realise a strategic aim. Rather than buy an off-the-shelf service or specify a set of products, Digital Outcomes allows buyers to describe the end result they want to achieve, and it is up to the marketplace to design a solution, present it in a meaningful way to the customer and win the business. Read more
StriveAV wins place on G-Cloud 10
StriveAV is delighted to be a confirmed supplier on G-Cloud 10, the latest iteration of the Government’s Digital Marketplace, which went live on 2nd July 2018.
G-Cloud is a Government framework set up to enable the public sector to procure cloud-based services easily. G-Cloud 10 is fully EU compliant, saving customers the time and money associated with conducting their own procurement exercise. Through the competitive tender process and regular benchmarking, the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) ensures customers have access to the most competitive deals.
StriveAV supporting Wave mentoring
Blog post from Toni Barnett – Oringally posted on linkedin
As someone who’s long been passionate about encouraging and developing the next generation of AV professionals, I was thrilled to learn about the Women in AV (WAVE) Mentoring Programme that was launched in July and even more thrilled to be able to share my knowledge and experience as a mentor on the programme.
AV Awards 2018 StriveAV sponsors Manufacturer of the Year
StriveAV is proud to announce that it is sponsoring the coveted Manufacturer of the Year category at the upcoming AV Awards, to be held at Grosvenor House, London, on 28 September.
StriveAV expands with new office in Scotland
StriveAV expands today and has announced it has opened a new office in the city of Glasgow. The move is designed to strengthen StriveAV’s presence north of the border and better serve its clients in Scotland.
UK Health Show StriveAV’s Meeting Spaces of the Future
StriveAV will be returning to the UK Health Show in September, this time showcasing their offerings under the banner Meetings Spaces of the Future alongside Clevertouch.
StriveAV awarded ISO 27001 accreditation
StriveAV has been awarded ISO 27001 accreditation. ISO 27001 was developed to “provide a model for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining and improving an information security management system.” It includes details for documentation, management responsibility, internal audits, continual improvement, and corrective and preventive action.
Experience the Google Jamboard at UC Expo
StriveAV will be making its UC Expo debut next week, partnering with BenQ to showcase the latest display and collaboration technology, including the Google Jamboard, on stand D103. In association with BenQ, who are exhibiting on stand D101, the StriveAV team will demonstrate how the cloud-based Jamboard can be used to collaborate with other Jamboards, enabling teams to share content and ideas, deliver presentations and brainstorm in real time.
Academies Show London – Join StriveAV
StriveAV will be exhibiting at the Academies Show at London’s ExCeL on 25th April, alongside BenQ and XSign. Visit stand 882 to see the latest display technology and cloud-based content management software enabling users to easily create, schedule and display engaging content.
AV Awards StriveAV named Reseller/Integrator of the Year
StriveAV has won the prestigious Reseller/Systems Integrator of the Year award at the AV Awards 2017. The announcement, which was made at a ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel in London on 29 September, recognised StriveAV’s work over the previous 12 months, including projects such as the unique Explore Floor at Kensington Prep, meeting spaces at UCAS HQ, and the use of innovative techniques to ensure quick and smooth installation of new technology in multiple spaces at Goldsmiths University. The company’s commitment to customer service and the desire to always deliver excellence were also key factors behind the AV Award.
Don’t Wear out the Carpet – Getting the best ROI from Remote Monitoring
Resolving 60-70% of your AV issues without a technician setting foot in the room is difficult but possible, however it requires a good investment in tooling, people and process. The cost per incident when a technician has to be dispatched rises significantly and in a large building, university campus or office with remote sites, the return on investment for a good remote monitoring and management system can be very high.
The same is true of incidents where the power or data cables have been disconnected, or equipment powered off inappropriately. While monitoring kit can’t in itself prevent that, it will help you see when it goes offline, and perhaps a pattern of regular room users will emerge to help find the culprit. As a side-note you can also achieve significant energy savings using a remote monitoring tool as it will tell you which equipment is being left on, and in many cases will let you remotely power off too. Read more
University Students Demanding more from AV Components
Look out for the latest issue of University Business, for an interview with StriveAV’s Very own Spiros Andreou, our newly appointed Service Delivery Manager. As part of Publication from Univerisy Business, Spiros discusses the security issues universities have with AV devices and how they can overcome them:
Digital transformation in Supply Chain
Travelling back from a recent holiday highlighted to me the challenges we’re faced with on a daily basis, whether it’s in our personal lives or at work solving a problem to make our company run more efficiently, save costs and increase productivity. New ideas and solutions to problems are ever present – some we adopt and others we ignore, occasionally at our expense. One of my favourite, but madly absurd, ideas was the announcement by one airline in 2010 and another just this year; both want to offer standing room only on their short-haul flights, which sounds ridiculous! Passengers want comfort surely? But for the budget airlines it would be a big thumbs up, maximising capacity and increasing profits with every single flight. Staying with the transport theme I began thinking about how new Read more
Junior AV Engineer – Day in the life
Hello! Firstly my name is Sean Copeland and I am a Junior AV Engineer with StriveAV. I joined StriveAV about 7 months ago with the intention of using this role as a learning platform to build a career within the AV industry. Prior to this I worked in AV as a warehouse technician for an events company but I wanted to move into the installation side of things. To set me up for a career in AV I spent three years at Southampton Solent University where I gained a Bachelor’s degree in Live and Studio Sound, which gave me a solid foundational knowledge of the equipment used within the AV world. This blog will follow a day-long hall install we recently completed at a primary school in Norwich and describe what an average day looks like for me.
Put on your customer goggles! What is your company saying?
Many of my LinkedIn connections are aware that I recently landed a new role with a leading AV integrator which I am very excited about. In moving from one environment to the other it has highlighted more than ever the importance of corporate communications and how powerful and effective it can be for sharing information among teams and managers, delivering key messages and content to screens around our office locations.
StriveAV shortlisted for Education Project and Reseller of the Year at the AV Awards
StriveAV has been shortlisted for two AV Awards by AV Magazine including Education Project of the year for its work at Kensington Prep, and for Reseller Integrator of the year.
Encouraging edtech uptake
Despite the fact that technology is more readily available in classrooms and lecture theatres than ever before, there are still concerns that some teachers are not using it to its full potential. The reasons behind this are relatively well known: lack of time to reach the necessary level of proficiency, lack of confidence in their ability, or a lack of resources to invest in either the ideal tech solution or the ongoing training and resources needed to ensure it is used for many years to come.
Fighting for the future of education
With so many social and political issues on the agenda at the moment, it can be easy to forget that schools and colleges continue to face major budget cuts. Earlier this year the Institute for Fiscal Studies highlighted the fact that schools in England are set to endure the first real-terms cuts to their funding since the mid-1990s. Spending per pupil is set to fall 6.5% by 2019-20. Sixth Form students are faring particularly badly with spending per further education student falling by 6.7% between 2010-11 and 2015-16, and a further drop of 6.5% expected over the next few years. It means that funding for 16- to 18-year-olds is no higher than it was almost 30 years ago.
How to benefit from BYOD
We all know that children are owning and using mobile devices from an ever earlier age and younger generations expect to be able to connect and access content anytime, anywhere. It’s also undeniable that the BYOD phenomenon is of some benefit to educational institutions – bringing technology into the classroom without any significant financial outlay to the school and ensuring students are working with a platform they understand and that they can take away with them to continue learning. However, there are also some potential pitfalls that need to be considered before introducing BYOD into the classroom, such as network access and security. Educational institutions must ensure these logistical issues are covered while also having clear fair usage and device requirement policies in place to make sure both teachers and students benefit from BYOD.
StriveAV shortlisted for two InstallAwards
StriveAV is pleased to announce that is has been shortlisted for two InstallAwards by Installation magazine.
The rise of interactive flat panels in the education sector
As teaching practices change and students move towards more collaborative learning practices, what role will IFPs play in education and can they ever truly replace projection technology?
StriveAV Wins Education Project of the Year at AV News Awards
We are delighted to announce, live from ISE 2017 in Amsterdam, that we have been crowned as the winner of AV News’ Education Project of the Year award!
Bett 2017: Top 5 AV game changers
A key theme of Bett 2017 is ‘game changers’, ‘an individual, event or product which results in a significant shift in how people behave or what’s possible.’ With that in mind, we take a look at five trends and technologies we think will have the biggest effect on the AV side of edtech in 2017.
StriveAV Nominated for Two AV News Awards
We have been shortlisted for not one but two AV News Awards. The shortlisted categories are 2017 Education Project of the year and 2017 AV Seller/Integrator of the year. The latter we have been nominated and successfully won for the last three years. We hope to in to win this highly coveted accolade for the 4th year in a row. The award recognises how the business continues to move from strength to strength, having successfully expanded into the Higher Education market.
AV Magazine talks to StriveAV about our award-winning work within the education sector.
We are pleased to be featured in this month’s AV Magazine.
StriveAV awarded Hampshire Maintenance Contract for a further three years
We are delighted to announce that after a robust tendering process we have again been awarded with a contract by Hampshire County Council for the support and maintenance of Audio-Visual equipment (hosted school service).
StriveAV are running Gung Ho for Cancer Research UK
We are pleased to confirm that some of the StriveAV team will be taking part in Gung Ho at Brands Hatch in Kent on Saturday 4 June. (http://begung-ho.co.uk/ )
The 5k run takes on ten of the greatest inflatable obstacles on the planet. Gung Ho is the self proclaimed “world’s largest inflatable obstacle course with the finale being Europe’s biggest ever inflatable slide”.
Toni Barnett discusses the origins of StriveAV in AV Magazine
This month’s AV Magazine features an in-depth interview with StriveAV’s Managing Director, Toni Barnett, about the origins of StriveAV and how we have evolved into the award winning business we are today.
StriveAV Gold Sponsors at SCHOMS 2016
We are pleased to confirm that we are Gold Sponsors of SCHOMS 2016.
StriveAV wins European award for THIRD year in a row!
We are pleased to announce, live from ISE 2016 in Amsterdam, that we have been crowned as winner of AV News’ Reseller of the Year Award for the third year running.
StriveAV highly commended at prestigious award ceremony
We are pleased to have been highly commended in two categories at The AV Awards 2015 on Friday night in London.
BenQ present StriveAV with Business Appreciation Award
StriveAV are delighted to have been presented with a Business Appreciation Award by digital giants BenQ.
StriveAV up for prestigious award for third year running
We are delighted to announce that we have been unveiled on the shortlist at one of our industry’s most prestigious awards ceremonies, The AV Awards 2015.
StriveAV wins worldwide award for the second year running
We are delighted to announce that we have won a global award for our work within the education sector for the second year running.