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Consultants vs. Vendors: Choosing AV Equipment Suppliers for Your Business

Summary:

• AV consultants offer strategic guidance and long-term support. They’re ideal for companies that want to build human-centric meeting spaces people love.
• AV vendors mostly sell and ship equipment, but may offer limited support before or after the sale. They’re better for one-time purchases and short, simple projects.
• To find a reliable supplier, look for verifiable, relatable experience, total transparency around pricing, and a strong reputation for success. Shared values, strong support options, and clear-honest communication lead to stronger partnerships.
• Working with a strategic partner like ET Group that provides end-to-end services is the best way to guarantee success. You get access to AV design, procurement, logistics, testing, staging, installation, and dedicated project management.

AV consultants and vendors both help clients procure and use technology, but the way they serve their clients is very different. If you treat them like they’re interchangeable, you may end up disappointed with the level of service you receive.

Getting to know what each type of business can provide is the best way to set realistic expectations about what they can do for you. Below, our experienced technology consultants at EV Group help you learn about the pros and cons of each approach so you can make the best possible choice.

What to Expect From AV Consultants

AV consultants are the best choice for companies that need more than just a display or two with a quick setup. They become strategic AV partners who design, integrate, and support AV systems to solve the specific business problems your organization faces.

What AV Consultants Do:

• Identify collaboration challenges and technical obstacles.
• Offer strategic advice to align AV with business goals.
• Design meeting spaces around how your teams actually work.
• Address unique needs like compliance, mobility, or remote collaboration.
• Adapt AV systems to your physical space and company culture.
• Plan for scalability, flexibility, and future platform compatibility.
• Provide hands-on training, testing, and user adoption support.
• Adjust systems after rollout based on real feedback.

When you hire ET Group for technology consulting, we also handle sourcing, sales, shipping, and installation directly. Other options might partner with third parties for some or all of these services—so it’s important to vet potential partners carefully.

Learn more about ET Group’s AV Installation Services

Pros:

• More comprehensive support for enterprises and large organizations.
• Essential for mission-critical environments where downtime isn’t an option.
• You get long-term support and guidance as your needs evolve and change.
• The risk for costly mistakes is lower because they get it right the first time.
• Systems are purpose-built, making them more scalable and future-proof.
• Strategic planning and design typically results in stronger ROI.
• Full-lifecycle support and guidance (planning, install, training, monitoring).

Cons:

• May not be necessary for one-and-done projects.
• Longer development timelines—good AV design takes time.

There’s also a myth that working with consultants like us requires a higher initial investment—but when you weigh the costs of getting your AV setup done right the first time against the costs of buying the wrong technology over and over again through vendors in a time-consuming piecemeal process, it’s often much more cost-effective to invest in this kind of strategic guidance up front.

Bottom Line:

Choose AV consultants if you need a trusted partner who can work closely with you to build systems around your people, workflows, and long-term vision. You’ll get better results that bring real value to your teams without wasting money.

What to Expect From AV Vendors

AV vendors sell essential AV hardware and other related products. Much like a warehouse, they’re mainly focused on sales—not helping you figure out the best way to leverage it, manage it, or make it work. For the most part, your relationship with them ends once you purchase a product.

What AV Vendors Do:

• Sell you new AV hardware—like speakers, microphones, and displays.
• Help you license software, like Microsoft Teams Rooms (MTR) or Zoom Rooms.
• Let you shop for equipment from specific brands or product lines.
• Ship hardware to your location or individual offices around the globe.
• Provide limited access to warranties or basic post-sale support.

Most vendors will be happy to help you explore your options because it wins them sales, and a few also offer post-sale support. But in most cases, you’re more or less on your own once the deal is closed.

Pros:

• A fast way to buy AV hardware—as long as you already know exactly what you need.
• Cost-effective for one-time purchases/standardized kits.
• Useful for businesses with in-house AV design teams.

Cons:

• No real strategy, AV design, or workflow alignment involved.
• Little to no help with integration, training, or end-user adoption.
• If something breaks, you’ll need to call in a specialist to fix it—and incur extra costs.
• The risk for poor or unequal user experiences is higher.
• Limited or no real regulatory or compliance awareness.
• Lack of strategic guidance lowers ROI long-term.

Bottom Line:

Choose an AV vendor if you already know what you need and don’t need anything other than a place to buy equipment. Just be sure you’re aware of what you’re getting and what you’ll need to sort out on your own.

How to Choose a Reliable AV Supplier

Finding the right supplier starts with understanding of your needs. You don’t need to spend a ton of time on this or develop a business-level proposal for how you’ll use the AV, but you should at least have some idea about what you’re trying to achieve.

Take some time to think about the role both the company and the AV itself will play. Chat with the people who will use it daily and key shareholders and ask them what they’d like to see, if there are any budget constraints, and if you need to adhere to any other limitations.

Once you have these basics nailed down, it’s time to start exploring your options. Look for traits like these first:

• Verifiable Experience. Look for case studies, project examples, or long-term client relationships that show they’ve delivered results. If you can’t find them, the company might be too new, not yet fully established, or questionable.

• Related Experience. Companies that already work in the same space, province, or country are more likely to understand how these factors influence business. If you’re doing business in Canada, it’s best to choose a Canadian provider.

• Total Transparency Around Pricing. Trustworthy suppliers will be happy to discuss the cost of installation, licensing, and ongoing support. It’s okay if they need a bit of time to work up a quote, but be cautious if they try to rush you into plans right away. 

• A Strong Reputation. Read reviews and testimonials on the company’s website, social media accounts, and Google. Take them with a grain of salt, but look for patterns like repeated mistakes or complaints.

• Shared Values. Feel really passionate about sustainability, hybrid work, or diversity? Look for providers who share your values. This helps solidify the working relationship so both sides are working toward the same goals.

• Easy-to-Access Support Options. Suppliers should have easy-to-access support options available by telephone and email. Ticketing portals, dedicated account reps, and static points of contact add value by giving you more options. 

• Clear, Honest Communication. “I don’t know, but I’ll find out” is honest and truthful. Dodging the question, giving vague, evasive answers, or taking weeks to respond is a red flag—and won’t likely improve later on.

When you find a provider that looks promising, ask for a quote, demo, or discovery call. Treat it like a job interview and pay close attention to how they respond to points like your budget and technology goals. That’s the best way to find the right fit.

The Benefits of Working With ET Group

Businesses that partner with ET Group get more value for their money, enjoy better outcomes, and experience fewer hassles along the way. We’ve spent over half a century helping clients across some of the most complex industries in the world design and leverage AV, and we have the awards and customer success stories to prove it.

When you partner with us, you’re getting more value for your money because we’re agile enough to handle everything:

• Strategic AV design tailored to your workflows, security needs, and long-term goals.
• Procurement and logistics including sourcing, storing, and managing equipment.
• Staged and tested deployments that reduce mistakes and unnecessary downtime.
• Project management to keep your largest and most important projects on track.
• Expert installations by people who make seamless integration a priority.
• Support services to keep systems optimized and online.

It’s this all-in-one approach that allows us to deliver the kind of long-term value you won’t find at piecemeal vendors and shops. Because smart AV investments aren’t just about what you buy or how much you spend—they’re about getting it right the first time and keeping it there.

That’s what makes ET Group such a smart investment for businesses. We manage your project end-to-end so you only pay for what you actually need, meaning you run into fewer surprise expenses, pay less for AV over time, and need to overhaul your AV less often.

Find the Right AV Solution For Your Business With ET Group

Working with the right AV partner means fewer risks, better results, and systems that support the way your team works. At ET Group, we don’t just sell equipment—we help you align your technology, teams, workflows, and culture into a cohesive and unified system.

Ready to take a smarter, more value-oriented approach to AV? We’re ready, willing, and able to help. Book your discovery call today to learn more.

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