Frequently Asked Questions

We have an AV or Technical Director. Why do we need a design team? Someone who knows you and the inner workings of your organization can be invaluable in the planning process, but knowing how to operate the equipment is not the same as knowing how to design a complete system and how to install it properly. Look at it this way, hiring a great building engineer does not mean that he is also an architect. Consider our team to be the architects of your systems for your technical staff to help direct in what you need those systems to do for you.

I have an architect. Shouldn’t they design the technology systems? Architects specialize in building designs and layouts, not in technology. Our team works every day with systems all of types and sizes, so we are more abreast of what technology is out there and how it is used. Our team members have all worked in technology environments, so they not only know how to design the systems, but what it is like to use them on a regular basis. We would not be the best architect to design the structures of your building, but we know the best ways to design your technology to complete that building.

My architect has a design firm that they work with regularly. Should I use them? That’s up to you, but consider where the loyalties lie when talking with them before agreeing to use them over an outside company like Gear Systems. The technology budget is often one of the larger portions of the budget, so this can be a very significant amount in the planning. Our loyalty is to you as our customer, not to anyone else. If you want a company that will be most concerned with your technology systems then we can help.

Isn’t online pricing always the lowest? No…if fact it rarely is the lowest. The reason is that to control the price wars the manufacturers have started to issue what is called Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP). By law they can not tell a dealer what they can charge for items, but they can establish a policy limiting how low of a price can be advertised. We don’t consider this a benchmark for what we should charge as the online stores do. Our pricing is based on the fair market value in order to offer you the best that we can provide.

Can we use equipment that we already own? We like to make the best use of any resources that you already have. If you can provide our team with what equipment you have available then we can utilize whatever is appropriate to save you money.

Do you offer training services? Absolutely! In some cases there are free services offered by the manufacturers. There are also some great resources that others have posted and we are happy to point you to those as well. But that is not always enough. We work together with manufacturers and some of the best technical teams in the country and can provide you with the best training services available today.

What Level of service do you need?

I know what I want the results to be, but I don’t know what I need. We love to help you reach your vision. We have built our business on finding solutions. Contact us and we can work through your ideas to find the results that you want.

I just need to buy some equipment. Contact us for your best pricing. We can walk you through the options to make sure that you get what you need, and help you to land the best price.

I know what equipment I like, but need help completing the plan. Even if you don’t see something that you want on our online store, we very likely sell that too. Not all manufacturers allow us to sell online, but we still offer their products and often at the best rates that you will find. Contact us for specifics.

We are starting a project and need to bid it out to multiple vendors. Our bid department can help! We specialize in creating plans and documents to send a project out to bid. From start to finish we can produce your ideas and bring them to the market and help you select a vendor. Whether you want us to do the install or not, we can help you in finding your best options.

We are building a new building and need everything. Our design team can walk you through your options and find the systems that work the best for you. We work with your architect and planning teams in putting together the concepts and budgets. It doesn’t matter how large or small the project or the budget, we can walk you through things at your level and get you the results that you desire.