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This Girl Loves Football-Watching… OUTSIDE. My review of 3 local spots and what makes them great. Or not.

by | Jan 22, 2020 | Uncategorized

The playoffs this year are just incredible.  Last week, watching KC come back and beat the snot out of Houston was nothing short of epic.  Imagine being at that game!  As a long suffering Dolphins fan it’s been a hot minute since I was able to attend a playoff game (and I was pulling hard for Tannehill yesterday, but KC means business).  As a very happy and fortunate South Floridian, I settle for what I consider the next best thing, watching other teams play post-season games at my local outdoor bars and restaurants.

Earlier this season, I went to the new hot spot sports bar in town to watch my beloved Florida Gators take on the South Carolina Gamecocks.  It was mid-October, while most of the country is enjoying colorful foliage and crisp afternoons, Fort Lauderdale is still pretty hot.  Still, I will always choose an outdoor or at least open-air venue when I’m out with friends for a serious afternoon of football watching.  Much to my dismay, the newest, hottest spot for outdoor football watching lacked the one thing that is pretty critical to the football watching experience… DISPLAYS!

Check out all of that prime real estate that’s going completely unused!  Install a few 55” or 65” Peerless-AV UltraViewTM UHD Outdoor TVs on those white walls and I’d be at this bar every weekend for the games.  The restaurant manager wouldn’t need to worry about covering them or the typical Florida afternoon thunderstorms damaging them, they’re built specifically to handle the elements!  Not that anyone wants to watch TV outside when it’s negative 22° or as hot as 122° but these TVs can handle those extreme temps!  And they’re all-weather rated for direct sunlight, rain and snow.  What a missed opportunity for this restaurant, I never went back.  If there are any Fort Lauderdale integrators looking for an easy job to sell go check out Quarterdeck Fort Lauderdale and tell them they need some Peerless-AV UltraViewTM Outdoor TVs!  Let me know when the job’s done and I’ll give them another chance.

My usual spot for Saturday and Sunday sports-watching is Bokampers.  Located right on Fort Lauderdale’s Intracoastal waterway this place has 167 TVs!  Yes, you read that right.  One. Hundred. And. Sixty. Seven.  If you can’t find your game here then your team must be in terrible shape.  Even on the day I captured this shot one of their TVs was on the fritz and still it was an ideal football watching day.

Sometime in mid-November, Bokampers opened a new location, Bo’s Pub Las Olas.  It’s a spot right on what I like to call the Rodeo Drive of Fort Lauderdale, where all of the hot restaurants and boutique shops are.  I forget what this place was before they turned it into a sports pub, but adding the dvLED wall made me a total fan.  With lots of TVs mounted throughout the downstairs and this awesome video wall, you won’t miss a single play when you come here to watch a game.

If you have ever met me, you know I’d be remiss if I didn’t throw in one last establishment… Heather’s Hut!  It’s by far my favorite spot ever to watch a game.  The food’s amazing, the drinks are always cold, and even if it’s just me and my pups, the company cannot be beat, even if my team is!

Drop a comment and let me know your favorite spots to catch the game and why.  I could use some recommendations for my upcoming travel schedule.

You Don’t Need a New Year’s Resolution to Work Towards Earning Your CTS

by | Jan 9, 2020 | Uncategorized

It is that time of year again.  When every gym across the country is busier than usual and banks see an uptick in people who want to “finally” start saving money. It also happens to be nearly 3 years to the day that I was first interviewed and then hired for the role of Business Development Manager at Almo Professional A/V!  So, while I have a great deal of respect for anyone who takes steps to better themselves, I also have become adversely against making New Year’s Resolutions.  Let me explain why.

Simply put the idea of delaying something until January 1 baffles me, but especially when that something involves making better choices to positively affect ourselves.  Our happiness and overall growth should have no “launch date” and whether it be personal or professional goals we have, the sooner we take action the sooner we see results.  Just this past year I experienced one of my biggest victories as I finally obtained my CTS Certification. This achievement was significant to me for many reasons.

First, I started 2019 by taking and NOT passing the CTS on January 6.  Talk about a lousy way to start a new year!  Next, in February I began reporting to a new boss who promptly asked me what my goals were for the year.  Almost immediately, I blurted out “I want to have my CTS by end of 2019.”  This was substantial to me because I have now vocalized my goal to my boss who I know will rightfully hold me to it and not accept anything less.

For the remainder of 2019 I made it a focus to constantly be preparing in some form or facet for the exam as well as continue to discuss it with others.  The more you say it, the more you “will” it into existence.  Having been the BDM for our Harman  since 2018, I found that my audio and control systems knowledge had increased and I began feeling more comfortable than I did in January when I first took the exam.  Not to mention one of the most helpful tools, Harman University, is an extensive online library of courses, both web based and live, where the content is very easy to comprehend even if you are 1 day old to the industry.  Since I have never been the greatest “book learner,” the courses through Harman were really the cherry on top of my preparations.

While I had hoped to take the CTS Exam in October, life struck a different cord and my father was suddenly hospitalized at the end of September.  While I am overjoyed to say he is doing much better now, it was quite the rollercoaster for 30+days, least of which involved me delaying the CTS because family will always come first.  While I continued to receive the support of my management and colleagues, I worked even more behind the scenes to do whatever I could to prepare for the exam, which was now on December 5.  The day finally rolled around and as I previously mentioned, I passed!  The mental “high” from passing this exam led me to complete more Harman University courses and complete the DSCE certification for digital signage because I simply wanted to continue my growth.  That is the lesson to be learned- Never delay your own development, start TODAY!  If you want to get healthy and feel better, join the gym today and do not procrastinate.  Start putting a few extra dollars away TODAY rather than next month. Lastly, if you truly want to be happy in your career start taking steps TODAY whether it be signing up for Harman University, registering for your CTS, or applying for that promotion you did not think you were qualified for.  Here is to 2020 and NOT setting a New Years Resolution because you have been taking steps to improve all along.

 

Rob Voorhees
888-420-2566 x6547  |  [email protected]

Zoomtopia 2019 – Out of this world

by | Nov 12, 2019 | Events, Uncategorized

This past week, Zoom hosted their annual user conference in San Jose, California.  The reported number of registrations for the event was double that of last year and was listed at 2600. From employees dressed as Astronauts to Snoop Dogg, this event was in a world of its own. Read on to hear one man’s journey to Zoomtopia.

New Tech Unveiled

Zoom’s CTO revealed some new features already available and some currently in beta.  We will soon be able to convert speech to text while conducting a video conference call and have that text be searchable.  This is not new technology and has limited use in my opinion.  Another feature that will soon be available is language translation.  In real time you can speak to a colleague from another part of the world and both speak in your native languages.  They provided a demonstration of this with English, French and Spanish speaking guests all communicating together.   I was impressed with this feature until the demonstration when they showed two additional individuals on the active call who were human translators.  I don’t think I want a total stranger on my calls, live-translating my business dealings.  Another feature relates to virtual backgrounds.  This functionality exists today, though soon you’ll be able to add a motion-enriched virtual background. The demonstration of this was an individual with a beach scene behind him.  At first the waves and palm trees were still images, and then once activated the waves began to crash onto the beach and palm trees sway in the breeze.  Personally, I think all virtual backgrounds look like an elementary school aged child’s first attempt at Photoshop.  This feature in action is even more distracting! The Zoom Phone was also a heavily discussed topic as it attempts to disrupt the traditional VOIP phone market.  A new feature demonstrated included an employee who received a call on her Zoom phone, placed the call on hold, transferred it to her cell phone, then found an available Zoom room and once she entered the room transferred the call to that system and continued on with their discussion.  This sequence of events may seem simple as I’ve described it, however nothing is simpler than stating, “I’ll call you back from the conference room.”

Workshops and Conferences

After the keynote and several hours of working the joint Avocor/Almo booth, I jumped into a session labeled, “Deep Dive into the Future of Zoom Rooms.” The description did mention a guest speaker from Poly, Tim Root and Zoom employee Jeff Smith, but no one else.  A representative from Neat was added last minute, which turned this into a 45 minute sales pitch on Poly vs. Neat.

The troubling part of this was that Poly had been promoting their partnership with Zoom for months leading up to the Zoom user conference and Neat hadn’t even been announced until the opening keynote a mere 4 hours earlier.  The heavy investments made by Poly, Logitech, Crestron and others appeared to be dismissed for this new brand which Zoom has invested into.

I attended a session titled “Going advanced with Zoom Rooms for ProAV,” where I was joined by several supporting audio visual integrators.  If you’ve been in the AV industry for any length of time, you would have been able to teach this course.

Discussions included panel and camera placement, the need for confidence monitors and table top mics vs. ceiling mics.  This did not accurately represent ProAV.

I anticipate those who began to read this have since stopped and moved onto another article or dove back into their inbox.  That’s ok. They’ll not be at next year’s Zoom conference, but if you’re still reading, I hope you will consider attending! For as harsh as I’ve been about this conference, it included some amazing interactions. While demonstrating Avocor’s 65” & 75” displays with Zoom kits including Logitech, Huddly, MXL mics, Lenovo and JBL, I was engaging with high level execs from Fortune 500, oil & gas, universities and various startups in tech and biomedical.  In addition, many of AVIXA’s top integrators were in attendance to better understand how to engage with this fast growing company.

In Closing

Zoom may not have released a fancy new widget or enhancement and that’s ok.  Those are not the reasons why this platform has been so rapidly accepted.  It’s been adopted because it just works as expected! For new users, there is very little instruction needed to get up and running.  Of course, if you are looking to deploy a Zoom Conference Room, you will need the assistance of a Professional Audio Visual Integrator.  Many of the end users I spoke with complained about the all-in-one solutions on the market as having a bad camera, mic or insufficient audio enhancement for their space.  Although Zoom is sending mixed messages to end users about the need for our industries expertise, end users seem clear on what they need.  They want Zoom and they want the best display, mic and speakers for their specific space.  Sure, some customers will look to deploy Zoom Rooms themselves, but there will always be DIY end users.  Almo has prepared kits with Zoom certified hardware for various room needs and sizes.  These kits come complete with all the essentials and allow our integrators to purchase all brands from a single source.

While still relatively small, Zoom managed to draw an impressive crowd to this user conference.  The size allowed for sufficient engagement and there was genuine interest in expanding this platform across the globe. Zoom is expanding into various global markets like Central and South America, Europe and Asia Pacific.  To be successful, they will need Professional Integrators to deploy professional enterprise solutions that can all be found at Almo!

What Happens in Vegas……Is Powered by JBL

by | Nov 4, 2019 | Uncategorized

The JBL name carries a lot of weight in the A/V world.  Quality, craftsmanship, and powerful are just some of the adjectives that can be used to describe the JBL product lineup.  So it should come as no surprise that an event hosted by JBL and Harman would be any less than amazing.  Welcome to the 2019 JBL FEST.

Starting in 2017, JBL and Harman have assembled some of the best musical acts, most popular audio equipment, celebrities, and forums into one location – LAS VEGAS!  The 2019 edition was no different and Almo Professional A/V was proud to send Josh Taylor, Mac McKay, and Leo Merizalde to experience the sights and sounds.   From the moment you arrived to the Aria Hotel you will notice that an entire wing of the hotel was decorated top to bottom with JBL graphics and promotional marketing.

You are truly “living” the brand at that moment.  You have options to experience an oxygen bar, some of the best food you can imagine, and possible celebrity sightings and then you remind yourself that the party hasn’t even really started!  The day ended with a special performance by Run DMC and hosted by Shaquille O’Neil, which was made all the more special considering the group only does 2 concerts per year now and this was held at an exclusive outdoor venue.

On the 2nd day of JBL Fest there was a Tech Forum in which the keynote speakers were Paul Zikopoulos, VP of Big Data Cognitive Systems at IBM and Robert Herjavec, Founder of Herjavec Group and star of Shark Tank.  The discussion of the forum centered around the topic of “Is the World Ready for Intelligent Technology?” and how collaboration amongst partners and even competitors will unlock the full value of data in the business world.  Definitely a thought-provoking discussion to kick off the day!  After the Tech Forum concluded we were surprised to be able to attend the “gifting station.” As if the opportunity to be in Las Vegas with JBL wasn’t enough we were able to design custom backpacks and received Maui Jim glasses and JBL Bluetooth headphones!  WOW to say the least.  The fun didn’t stop there as we next went on the e-sports arena tour that was held at the Luxor.  For anyone who is even remotely into gaming this is a bucket list item!  Being able to experience the behind the scenes action and what makes the arena function was definitely an eye-opener.  The evening was capped off with an event at Club JBL at the Jewel Nightclub where Bebe Rexha and Armin Van Buuren kept the energy at a peak.  The final day of the event was no different.  Although a bit more relaxed, there were various game stations set up where you could win prizes, a DJ Masterclass with Armin Van Buuren in which he showed you how he mixes and creates some of his greatest hits and a private concert area set up where JBL Brand Ambassador, KHALID, closed out the week.

There aren’t many opportunities where you can experience a true “once in a lifetime” event but I would place JBL Fest in that grouping.  Throughout my time working with Harman I have come to expect the best of the best and it is safe to say that they extend that mantra to their events. I cannot wait to see what the 2020 version has in store.  Whether you are a JBL fan such as myself or you simply love A/V of all kinds, put JBL Fest on your list for next year and experience the sounds and sights of one of the top audio manufacturers in the world!

Thank you to our contributing co-author, Mac McKay, ALMO National Business Team, for sharing his perspective from the event.

 

Work hard, play hard, and build relationships in-between.

by | Sep 19, 2019 | Uncategorized

We have all learned the importance and value of building key relationships with our customer base within the PRO AV Industry.  And there are the typical guidelines… communicate, exceed expectations, be available, listen, ask questions, etc.; but, at the end of the business day, what is it that matters most to both you and your customer? Does a fair price fare well with poor service and lack of trust?  TRUST is the key differentiator in any relationship.    Your relationship with your customer should be no different.

At ALMO Pro AV we pride ourselves in building that trust with our customers, not only by providing them all the business acumens referenced above; but, by building one-on-one personal relationships, with people.

As the ALMO Business Development Manager dedicated to LG, I recently had the pleasure of attending a reseller “thank you” event at a Toronto Blue Jays game with a valued customer.   As I engaged with everyone attending, I had the opportunity to see our sales rep interact with this customer.  He knew everyone!  REALLY KNEW THEM!  He knew their names, their children, their likes, their business style, and more.   The collaboration between ALMO, LG and the reseller meshed as easily as wind guiding a sail.

So what was the key to future business opportunities aside from “business conversation”?   FUN!  We were engaged.  We talked, we laughed, we smiled, we relaxed, and we let our guard down. If for only a few hours, the stress of the traditional business model was removed, leaving us such a great opportunity to sell.  To sell our company, sell our products, and sell ourselves.  And that built trust. Trust is not meant to be given, it is meant to be earned.

As a business community, we are focused on goals, measurements, and ROI.  All be it important to your bottom line, some things just can’t be measured in clear metrics.  It is important to understand when unmeasurable activities create measureable results.

Trust is a long term investment.   Customers put their faith in people, not just the companies that they choose to do business with.  Trust is a clear path to success and long term business relationships.  And if they eventually turn into friendships (as many do) everyone wins!

Corinne O’Rawe
888-420-2566 x6220  |  [email protected]

Fresh Air. Good for You. Great for Driving F&B Revenue.

by | Jul 30, 2019 | Hospitality, Uncategorized

This year, Almo Hospitality is debuting its first ever outdoor collection; the Cape Soleil Contract Collection of outdoor hospitality furniture, made by Agio. The collection is designed to help hoteliers create better outdoor customer experiences for guests, while giving operators great designs that are affordable yet durable. Oh yeah, it also sets the stage for more food & beverage sales too.

Why? Outdoor living is now essential to many travelers, both on balconies and in outdoor areas around the hotel. In fact, getting closer to nature is a major consumer demand driver for hotels. Take the idea of biophilic deign in hotels. That’s the idea of bringing the outside, inside hotels.

In residential, outdoor living has become increasingly important to the consumer. According to Global Market Insights,  The Outdoor Furniture Market will cross US$23 billion by 2024 as “rapid socializing trends, including dining at gardens, rooftop restaurants, grilling & barbeque events in the garden, or in the backyard area are the factors propelling the product demand.”

So, it’s no surprise hoteliers are seeing increased demand for more outdoor experiences from customers. In fact, the hotel business is seeing increased demand for nature related elements inside too! According to a report from Terrapin Bright Green, guests will spend on average 36% more time in hotel lobbies that have biophilic elements such as living walls and water elements. Also, guests will pay up to 18% more for rooms with a great view.

Now imagine taking that philosophy outdoors by creating an outdoor living experience through partnering with Almo Hospitality to help you create memorable outdoor experiences that drive sales food and beverage while simultaneously setting the stage for increased loyalty.

Hospitality.net notes that properties utilizing rooftops for F&B experiences saw a whopping $13 increase in revenue-per-seat to $68.20. In comparison, other properties saw an average of only $55.22. And that’s just one area within the hotel ripe for possible transformation.

Almo Hospitality has partnered with Agio to expand into the hotel business after finding success in the residential outdoor residential furniture market for more than 25 years.

“Hotels, restaurants and resorts rely on outdoor furniture to provide the best experience for guests by creating a calming, relaxing and inviting space that they can enjoy and remember,” said Apryl Lamberti, director of business development, who also noted this creates an additional revenue opportunity for Almo affiliated resellers.

Created specifically for hoteliers and their guests, the Cape Soleil Contract Collection is designed to be indoor or outdoor and can be mixed and matched as desired. It features what Almo says is comfortable furniture that requires minimal maintenance and is constructed from lightweight materials that provide strength, weather and rust-resistance for long-term durability. In addition, Cape Soleil furniture uses UV-resistant contract fabrics from Sunbrella and Phifer to protect against fading and stand up to rigorous use in commercial environments.

The Cape Soleil Furniture Collection is available in a wide range of styles, finishes and materials that can be stand alone or be paired together. The Cape Soleil line includes tables, dining chairs, lounge seating, sofas and side tables and a variety of complimentary outdoor living essentials like fire pits, umbrellas, patio heaters, outdoor fans, misters, combined with outdoor TVs, mounts and sound bars from Peerless-AV.

To view the complete collection, click here

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