Driving performance with NIAVAC – dynamic audio visual systems

Eleanor McGillie goes to Porsche Centre Belfast with NIAVAC boss James Conlon to uncover the power of audio visual technology in this state of the art £6million showroom. Here’s our cover story for January’s edition of Business First magazine.

MODERN corporates, government departments and public sector organisations are driving their ideologies forwards in order to ramp up their focus on how best to maximise the efficiency of the space which surrounds them.

One place which showcases this is the newly opened £6million Porsche Centre on Sydenham Road, Belfast.

It is what you imagine – it’s slick, minimalist and is everything you expect from a showroom housing some of the world’s finest automobiles.

As someone who has always appreciated beautiful machines, as well as being fascinated by advancements in technology, it was a pleasure to step inside this centre which showcases a fine display of cars and audio visual screens which tell the story of a world class brand to its customers and its team.

With me was James Conlon – the boss of NIAVAC – a Belfast based company which has been in business since 1956. James joined the company in 1985 and became the sole owner 1995. It is widely regarded as Northern Ireland’s leading audio visual installation company. It has the engineers, the designers, the sales staff and the aftercare support to deliver major projects for businesses and organisations who appreciate customer service, a highly skilled team, competitive pricing and buying local.

So, when the opportunity arose to work with Porsche, NIAVAC worked hard to confidently secure a contract to co-ordinate all services as well as delivering the installation of the most advanced and dynamic audio visual systems in this state of the art showroom.

It’s this team which competed to provide Porsche Centre Belfast with a minimalist and discreet installation while proving their commitment to delivering high end customer service. NIAVAC has been instrumental in making the best use of this vast space while ensuring the dealer maximises the efficiency of the centre by installing the most interactive technology available in terms of audio visual.

Sitting in this relaxed and welcoming environment, James Conlon and his senior product sales manager, Ross Wylie, talked us through why this significant investment in technology is making an impact and how they came about securing this deal.

James said: “We had previously developed a relationship with the Syntner Group and we are always keen to build on existing relationships as well as develop new relationships.

“We knew we would be competing against companies from across the water, but, as a local resource, we were confident in our provision of any back up services required because we are a just a few miles up the road.

“Keeping business local is important to us so we delivered a presentation reiterating the opportunities and benefits of using a local company. The team at Porsche Centre Belfast wanted the comfort of working with an organisation they know can deliver, they know our skillsets, they know our commitment to a project and they know we are competitively priced.

“So we were delighted to secure the contract. The delivery of this project was a full team effort. We worked closely with the architects, furniture installers, electricians and the main contractor in order to deliver what Porsche set out to achieve. Our team included design technicians, engineers and customer support teams.

“What we have delivered for Porsche is a comprehensive audio visual marketing tool which demonstrates how technology is changing the way the corporate world operates. We have built a business based on how, through the advancements of technology, businesses and organisations can drive performance.

“Anyone visiting the Porsche Centre Belfast can not only admire the stunning selection of Porsche models but they can also get the most up to date information through audio visual displays.

“Internally, the team now have an 86inch interactive, clever touch screen in their training room which is used for training the entire team regardless of which site they operate from.

“The team also has different sized screens throughout the showroom which are used to tell the story of the brand, the services and parts.

“Back of house the engineers use the screens for workflow while front of house staff and customers can immerse themselves with the most up to date information.

“These dynamic audio visual systems are a significant investment for Porsche. This is a very unique project for us because we were allowed to improve on the original spec by providing additional functionality.

“NIAVAC’s audio visual systems empower businesses, they make life easier, they deliver key messages, internally and externally.”

Carl Russell, Centre Principal at Porsche Centre Belfast, said: “This state of the art centre shows our commitment to the Porsche brand in Northern Ireland. That commitment is exemplified by the investment which we know will benefit customers while providing an excellent environment for our fantastic team to operate in.

“This is a £6million build. We want the best of the best for our customers and our team.

“NIAVAC is local company and they are well established and they have provided for us before. We received bids from other businesses in the UK but NIAVAC were competitive in their price. Additionally what they could offer for us though is the back-up customer service and this means a great deal to us.

“What NIAVAC have delivered for us is a comprehensive communication tool which allows us to do complete Group training which will be delivered from our training room with our training manager. Team members across the group can participate in these sessions from the comfort of their own showrooms while feeling as though they are sitting right here in our boardroom.

“The rest of the screens around the showroom are connected in loop sessions from Porsche UK which showcases accessories, wheels, parts, exclusive news and events. The feed is information driven so it’s very valuable for our customers and our team. NIAVAC advised us on everything including the sizes of screens around the showroom and we have taken their advice.

“The team at NIAVAC work to a very high standard and it’s the ability to have back up, so close by, which is vital for us. You couldn’t get that from England.

“This is a significant investment for Porsche Centre Belfast and we are delighted with how sophisticated our audio visual systems are.

Ross Wylie, who was key in the management and implementation of the project, said: “We are delighted to have been involved in this state of the art showroom. The screens are so powerful and so useful for what this team want to achieve.

“But, no matter what sector you work in, the impact of audio visual communications has a positive impact on productivity and it goes beyond the installation of technology. The design is vital to how your space looks and feels and the installation must fulfil your purpose to allow for collaborations and communication.

“A huge thank you to the team at Porsche Centre Belfast and also to our team here at NIAVAC for delivering on our commitment to installing the most advanced and dynamic AV systems to meet our clients’ needs.”

 

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