The 3 Things You Should Know Before You Rent AV

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Galina Drankovich

Head of HR at Rent For Event

Galina Drankovich

Head of HR at Rent For Event

We offer audio visual rental, event support, and full AV production at Rent For Event, and we provide these services across the country. Our aim is to support businesses or event planners in having the best events possible. To assist with it, only cutting edge solutions are used by our qualified team.

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June 17, 2019
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Whether you are renting AV equipment for your party or a corporate event, it’s important you understand certain aspects of how audiovisual equipment works and what you need. For many event and party planners, AV can sometimes be confusing. If you are new to renting AV equipment and are looking for a brief guide on what you should know before you do so. As an audiovisual rental equipment company in US, we’ve been asked a lot of questions in regards to AV. Below are some we think you’d benefit from knowing about.

1. Process

When it comes to exploring your AV rental company options, you want to be paying attention to their availability and how they approach working with clients. For example, if a company is extremely busy and has a complex process for -ring you get started then they may not be the best option if the sweet 16 you need those speakers for is in 3 days. Pick a company that will best meet your needs based on the timeframe of when you need the equipment by, what you need and how fast you need it done. Another thing to consider with the process is payments and deposits. Many companies require a deposit before the event that can often be around 50%. Consider their payment terms, cancellation fees, refund terms and whether or not it may make more sense to rent the equipment more long term to save on the rental costs. Pay attention to their process.

2. Equipment

The equipment you choose should match what type of experience you want your attendees to have at your party or event. Do you need screens and projectors or just speakers for music? How big is the venue and where will the equipment go? There are so many questions to consider when it comes to equipment. The first you should start with is what do you need? What are your core essentials? Maybe speakers, projectors, microphones, etc. Does the AV company your considering have those core essentials? If not, then they are not going to be the best fit. You should only focus on companies that have what you need and ideally have what you’d like to use if possible as well. One of the best ways to know this going in is to write out a list of your must-have items and another with your nice to have items. Take the time to research and understand what is available and commonly used in the marketplace for people with needs similar to yours. It’s good to be somewhat educated on what type of equipment you’ll need so when you communicate with the AV company, everything goes much smoother. Once you find a company that has both what you need and want, request more information and a quote.

3. Responsibility

There are a few different types of agreements you will have to make with your AV company, some of which will come in the form of signed documents. Responsibility is about understanding what you are responsible for, what the AV company is responsible for and establishing solid preparation for the event or party with clear lines of communication. Questions to consider when it comes to responsibility include but are not limited to; Will I be returning this equipment somewhere or will the company pick it up? Will there be an AV operator on site at all times or are we left to manage during the event/party? and What happens if something is damaged or destroyed? It’s important that you carefully read through your rental equipment agreements and get clear on what you are and aren’t responsible before renting the equipment. By taking the time to understand this you prevent any miscommunication or issues in the case of something happening with the equipment or any other issues that may arise.
Knowing these 3 things before you rent your AV equipment will create a better experience for you, the AV company and your party or event guests.

Knowing the process of what you need to be done and what AV companies may be a fit for that ensures you meet your timeline and can have a great experience with them. Being clear on what equipment you need, would be nice to have and what’s available out there ensures you are well informed and make the best choice. Also, being clear on who is responsible for what when it comes to the AV equipment your renting, whether it’s lighting rentals or projector rentals, ensures that everyone is clear on accountability. We hope this has given you a better idea of what you need to know before renting AV equipment. If you are based in US or anywhere in Southern California, feel free to reach out to us, we’d be happy to see how we can best support your event or party.