TL;DR
Before you hire an AV and event staging partner, ask 10 questions: where your power comes from, how crew size was set, what the backup plan is, how load-in works, what happens between contract and show day, who runs your show, what the internet plan is, how changes are handled, whether they’ve solved problems like yours, and what isn’t included. The best partners have usually raised these before you ask. The real test isn’t whether they can produce your event. It’s whether they’re already thinking several steps ahead of you.
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Most AV partners get evaluated on the same three things: price, the equipment list and labor. The contract gets signed, everyone moves on to the next 47 items on the planning list, and the AV is assumed to be handled.
But the problems that blindside planners, including power, staffing, connectivity, redundancy, load-in and last-minute changes, rarely show up until it’s too late to renegotiate. So the useful test isn’t whether a partner can deliver what you asked for. It’s whether they’ve already thought about what you haven’t asked.
Use these 10 questions to find out.
Short answer: Ask whether anyone has done a load calculation for your event. Shared venue circuits are a common point of failure.
What a strong answer sounds like: The partner has already determined whether you need dedicated power, additional distribution or a generator, and has started that conversation with the venue.
Red flag: “The venue handles that.”
Why it matters: Catering, lighting, décor and a session down the hall can all draw from the same source. Nobody notices until something trips mid-show.
Short answer: There is no universal crew-to-attendee ratio, so ask why, not just how many.
What a strong answer sounds like: The partner explains who handles audio, video, lighting, presentations, stage management and show calling, and what happens if someone has to leave their position to solve a problem.
Red flag: The same crew model for every event.
Why it matters: A small meeting with multiple rooms, complex content and streaming can need more production support than a much larger, straightforward general session.
Short answer: Notice the question says “when,” not “if.” Ask what’s pre-staged, who decides to switch, how long it takes and what the audience experiences while it happens.
What a strong answer sounds like: “We’ve already planned for that,” followed by specifics.
Red flag: “We have spares in the warehouse.”
Why it matters: Backup equipment isn’t a contingency plan. A spare mic in a road case doesn’t help when a CEO’s microphone cuts out during a keynote. A full technical rehearsal is also where you test how quickly a switch really happens.
Short answer: Ask who has confirmed the dock, freight elevator, room access, security requirements and load-in window. Load-in is how equipment and crew get into the venue and set up before the event.
What a strong answer sounds like: The partner doesn’t just state when it wants to load in. It verifies the entire path, from truck to stage, with the venue.
Red flag: An assumption that you or the venue already confirmed it.
Why it matters: Load-in is often a three-way handoff among the planner, the AV partner and venue operations, and each can assume another has handled it. When that’s wrong, cabling gets rushed, testing shrinks, and problems that should have been found in an empty ballroom are found while attendees arrive.
Short answer: Ask for the pre-production timeline: when production meetings happen, when room diagrams and stage layouts are finalized, when speaker requirements are reviewed, when presentations are due and what gets rehearsed.
What a strong answer sounds like: A process that becomes more defined as the event approaches, with open questions identified and owners assigned well before anyone arrives onsite.
Red flag: “We’ll sort it out onsite.”
Why it matters: You shouldn’t have to remember every question that needs asking. Part of what you’re hiring is someone who knows which questions are coming next.
Short answer: Ask for the name and role of the person who owns the production onsite, and whether they’re dedicated to your event or splitting attention across several.
What a strong answer sounds like: A named producer or show caller who is involved during pre-production.
Red flag: “Our senior producer will be there,” with no name.
Why it matters: The person who sold the event may not be the person standing backstage. Naming the person who owns the show creates accountability and continuity, and the best handoff from sales to production is one you barely notice.
Short answer: Streaming, remote presenters and cloud-based presentations should run on a dedicated, hard-wired connection, not shared guest Wi-Fi. Attendee Wi-Fi stays for attendees.
What a strong answer sounds like: Bandwidth needs have been determined, the production connection is dedicated, venue restrictions are known, the connection is tested before show day, and there is a tested backup path with a named person responsible for monitoring and activating it.
Red flag: “We’ll use the venue Wi-Fi.”
Why it matters: Public-network congestion, jitter and packet loss can disrupt the program. Ask the second question too: what happens if it goes down? [SRI: add typical bandwidth needs for a streamed general session.]
Short answer: Ask how pricing, equipment, staffing and room plans flex, and which changes are easy and which carry significant cost or logistical impact.
What a strong answer sounds like: The partner explains those thresholds ahead of time and has already considered what a larger or changed version of the event would require.
Red flag: No clear answer on what changes cost.
Why it matters: Attendance grows, executives get added, breakouts multiply, presentations arrive late, and someone decides the awards segment needs video playback. The question isn’t whether changes will happen. It’s whether the process can absorb them.
Short answer: Ask whether the partner has solved the production problems your kind of event creates, not whether it has produced something this big.
What a strong answer sounds like: Specific examples of similar events, with details on how comparable challenges were handled.
Red flag: A portfolio that proves size but not similarity.
Why it matters: A 1,000-person lecture-style presentation can be far simpler than a 500-person corporate meeting with multiple breakouts, remote speakers, awards, video playback and an executive general session.
Short answer: Ask for a written list of exclusions. Common ones are rigging, labor overtime, additional power, internet charges, rehearsal time, added equipment and onsite changes.
What a strong answer sounds like: A clear list of what’s excluded and how each item would be priced if needed.
Red flag: “That’s all standard.”
Why it matters: This isn’t about assuming the vendor is hiding charges. It’s that “standard” means different things to different people. Five minutes of clarification before signing can prevent an uncomfortable conversation after the event.
| # | Ask about | A strong answer | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Power | Load calculation done; venue already contacted | “The venue handles that” |
| 2 | Crew | Roles explained by event complexity | One crew model for every event |
| 3 | Backups | Pre-staged, with a decision-maker and timing | “We have spares” |
| 4 | Load-in | Full path verified with the venue | Assumed someone else confirmed |
| 5 | Pre-production | Defined timeline and owners | “We’ll sort it out onsite” |
| 6 | Show lead | Named, dedicated producer | Title with no name |
| 7 | Internet | Dedicated, tested, with a backup | “We’ll use venue Wi-Fi” |
| 8 | Changes | Thresholds explained in advance | No answer on change costs |
| 9 | Experience | Similar events, not just big ones | Size-only portfolio |
| 10 | Exclusions | Written list with pricing | “That’s standard” |
None of them is really about equipment brands, screen sizes or price per square foot. They show how your AV partner thinks. Any capable vendor can respond to an equipment list and deliver a competitive quote. The better partners anticipate.
They recognize that ballroom power may be shared before you ask. They notice that the load-in window is too short, question whether the internet connection can support the program, spot a staffing gap, and ask what happens if attendance jumps. They also want to know when the CEO’s presentation will arrive, because they’ve seen what happens when it shows up five minutes before showtime.
So the question to answer isn’t “Can you produce our event?” It’s “Are you already seeing what we haven’t seen yet?” The right AV partner should answer these 10 questions clearly, and in many cases should have raised them first.
What questions should I ask an AV company before hiring them?
Ask about power, crew size and roles, backup plans, load-in, the pre-production timeline, who runs the show, internet, how changes are handled, experience with similar events and what isn’t included.
How can I tell if an AV partner is thinking ahead?
They raise issues before you do. They can describe their process between contract and show day, name the person running your show and explain their backup plans in specifics.
What is load-in, and why does it matter?
Load-in is the process of bringing equipment and crew into a venue and setting up. A short or unverified load-in window leads to rushed cabling and less testing.
Should an event livestream use the venue’s Wi-Fi?
No. Livestreams and other critical production systems should run on a dedicated, hard-wired connection, separate from attendee Wi-Fi, with bandwidth determined and tested before the event.
What should an AV quote include?
Equipment, labor and crew, and a clear list of exclusions such as rigging, overtime, additional power, internet charges and rehearsal time. Ask for exclusions in writing.
Want the deeper checklist? Download our free guide, “12 Signs Your ‘Good Enough’ Audio Visual Partner Is Costing You Time, Money, and Confidence”, for a more complete look at what separates a reliable AV partner from one that’s quietly costing you.