Why Hotel Needs AV Contract

Viable and profitable option in many hotels.

Hotels that encounter high demand for their venue services will frequently have an agreement with an AV company that provides “exclusive” AV services and staffing to the hotel in exchange for a hefty commission– usually around 50% of the revenue from AV services for each event. Hotel contracts may attempt to deter you from bringing in your own AV but you have options. Before you sign a hotel AV contract, negotiate out any terms that require you to use their AV services or pay fees for not doing so.

You always have a choice

You have a choice between using the hotel’s AV provider or bringing in your own. Don’t be pressured or misled by catering contracts and overly aggressive AV salespeople. You are the customer and you have power. Hotels’ main focus is on room rentals and catering sales. AV is an added revenue stream for them. Hotel contracts may attempt to deter you from bringing in your own AV but you have options. Before you sign a hotel AV contract, negotiate out any terms that require you to use their AV services or pay fees for not doing so. Leverage your event business value to the hotel against binding AV terms and win your freedom to choose. This keeps your options open and pushes the hotel AV provider to be more competitive. After all, it’s your event and you should be able to choose who you work with.

Cheapest Option Isn’t Always the Best A/V

When you have multiple bids in hand, don’t assume that the cheapest option is actually the best deal. Not every quote is going to include the same range of products and services, so a lower number may mean you aren’t getting something that you could secure with another provider. You want to select an AV provider who can meet all of your needs and offers a fair price for their services. In some cases, the winning bid will be with the hotel’s AV provider, and that’s fine. But, if it’s not, you do have the right to make your own decision, ensuring your event has exactly what it needs to meet your needs as well as those of everyone in attendance.

Budget Killers

Power, rigging, and internet costs can kill your event budget if not considered during facility and AV contracting. Be sure to get the facts and figures before you book your venue and contact your AV provider.In some cases, in-house AV providers will even charge for unexpected items, like plugging into the venue’s wall-based standard power outlets, which would be unheard of with an outside vendor. However, the site does have a lot of control over the services, which is why it is important to negotiate a contract with them that does not force you to use their AV partner.

Understand costs

Before you sign a contract with any company, regardless of whether it’s the hotel AV provider or an outside vendor, you need to know exactly what is and isn’t included, and how much each service or piece of equipment costs you. You also want to see what fees are involved and what any “service charges” are covering.The audio visual company pays commissions to the hotel to be in-house and have access to hotel guests.Whether you pay one bill to the hotel or you pay the hotel and the in-house AV company on separate invoices, the breakdown between them is the same. The problem is the customer is the one who pays in the end. It seems easy and convenient to just use the hotel’s AV service.Outside AV providers can do just as good if not better of a job with your event as the in-house and potentially cost less. Do the math and figure out what works best for your event and budget.

Added Fees and Service Charges for A/V

Service charges of 20% and higher get added to your AV bill at some venues. The hotel’s AV rental and labor rates could run higher than outside AV providers’ rates. There are a lot of AV providers out there. Choose the one that is right for you and your event. It could be the hotel’s in-house AV or your own provider. Just be sure to get the best rate before signing your hotel AV contract.