Engineering success
Nov 1, 1997 12:00 PM
The contracting business is rarely predictable. From the point at which a proposal for an installation first passes across your desk, the challenges standing between you and the completion of that project begin to mount. In some ways, the technical aspects of a given project are often the easiest factors to consider. The dimensions of a building, the amount of available electricity, and the distance from the speaker to the intended audience are all quantifiable figures, and consequently, overcoming related obstacles is rather straightforward. In fact, solving the necessary equations may indeed be a welcome activity compared to dealing with the other headaches that may arise.
Such headaches may rear their ugly heads in the most unlikely of places at the most unwelcome of times. Restrictive spending constraints will limit equipment and personnel decisions. The client's desire to keep a high-performance sound system from being a distraction to the audience can make life doubly difficult, especially after demanding certain power and coverage specifications. In addition, there may be delicate political matters that require immediate attention, thereby drawing you away from equally pressing concerns. Worse, tight deadlines will compound any pressure inherent in a specific project.
You may, however, take solace in the notion that everyone in the sound and video contracting business has either faced such challenges or will find himself doing so in the near future. In whichever category you may find yourself, there is wisdom to be gleaned from the following pages. By reading about the successes of others, you will be able to find new ways to overcome the challenges that await you in your next installation. If, perhaps, you have already met similar challenges, you may discover a better way of handling them when they resurface in the future. Finally, it is very possible that you have already found your unique manner of leaping over the hurdles that lie in your path, but there is always some margin for improvement. Whether your next installation takes you to China, Greece, or to the local sports arena, you can never be completely prepared for every possible difficulty. You can, however, learn from the triumphs of others. The problems they faced may never greet you in exactly the same manner, but by learning the methodology of their solutions - the engineering of their successes - you will be better equipped to dispel any headache that awaits after you accept your next contract.
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