Justworks, a rapidly growing HR technology company providing access to corporate-level benefits, payroll, compliance and HR support to the small business community, recently relocated their headquarters to a larger, 100,000-square-foot office space in downtown Manhattan and hired New York-based systems integrator, Colortone Audio Visual, as their A/V design and integration firm. Colortone tailored A/V solutions for 25 rooms, including on-premise cafés, large and medium conference rooms, and large and small training rooms.
To control the A/V equipment in these rooms, Colortone selected Mira ConnectTM control appliances from Aveo Systems, specialists in easy-to-use control products for A/V and collaboration systems. Twenty-two (22) Mira Connect Classic tabletop units were to be used, as well as three (3) Mira Connect 10 touch panels with backboxes for in-wall installation. Mira Connect was used to provide control for initiating and managing Zoom Rooms PC conferences; video content selection via Kramer VS-44H2A video switchers; and control of Sharp video displays. Colortone also installed microphone arrays, loudspeakers, and other essential A/V equipment in the rooms, including QSC DSP processors. Mira Connect was an ideal solution for these spaces as it scales seamlessly from the smallest to the larger rooms while providing a consistent user experience in all environments.
Just as the installation was about to commence, COVID-19 struck New York City particularly hard, and the subsequent lockdown delayed the project until the installers were allowed access to the customer’s site. A growing concern about touching shared surfaces triggered Aveo Systems designers to contemplate additional control options for Mira Connect users.
“As COVID-19 began making headlines, we started thinking how we could provide more flexibility for users and make conference rooms safer when our customers came back to their offices,” says Craig Richardson, CEO of Aveo Systems. “We discussed several concepts with Colortone for implementing touchless control to see what would be of interest to their client.”
Concurrently, Colortone continued their project implementation planning and discussed desired post-shutdown changes with Justworks. “Very prominent on the customer’s minds was the need for employee health and safety once they returned to work,” says Colortone VP of Sales, Steven Grosskopf. “When we shared Aveo’s plans for touchless control for Mira Connect, they enthusiastically embraced this concept.”
Aveo Systems’ Richardson further states, “By leveraging our existing Mira Connect remote control browser-based solution for help desks, we were able to create a user-centered, browser-based solution for participants in the room. With our Mira Connect Me solution, users now can simply control their system from anywhere in the room using their own personal devices – also referred to as BYOD or Bring Your Own Device – without having to touch the room controller.”
The Mira Connect Me touchless control feature can be enabled or disabled with one click by the integrator or an authorized administrator in the behind-the-scenes management platform for Mira Connect. Once activated, a unique and frequently-changing QR code appears automatically on the Mira Connect screen that can be scanned by a user’s camera or QR reader on their personal device, such as a smartphone or tablet. Laptop users can open a special web page in a browser and enter a one-time passcode which appears below the QR code on the Mira Connect display.
“Like many businesses around the world, Justworks is navigating through this pandemic with a mission to keep its employees safe,” said Anthony Sylvester, A/V Engineer at Justworks. “Colortone and Aveo Systems have been very responsive to our mission and concerns throughout the entire installation, taking the time to ensure all of the equipment is aligned with the unique characteristics of our new building.”
Colortone completed the project in September 2020, and Justworks implemented their internal safety protocols to best support their staff for a safe return to the new headquarters. Using the Mira Connect Me touchless control feature is a part of this protocol. “It is clear that video conferencing will continue to play an integral role in how businesses operate,” Sylvester said. “Justworks’ Zoom Rooms with their new Mira Connect controllers put us on the cutting edge of this technology and ensure that the end-user has a simple, seamless and safe experience when joining a meeting. Usability became our second priority after safety, because at the end of the day, it’s the average employee who will be utilizing this equipment the most—not us tech nerds.”
“Our client is very pleased with the Mira Connect control solution, and we’re delighted that Aveo Systems worked closely with us to best serve our customers,” says Colortone’s Grosskopf.
Aveo systems’ Mira Connect is an easy-to-set-up and easy-to-use audio-visual touchscreen and control system for conference rooms, huddle spaces, lecture halls, and other spaces. It offers one-touch audio & video dialing; launching of Zoom, Cisco, and Poly video calls; integration with Office 365 calendar for one-touch dialing of upcoming meetings; volume and muting control (with optional LED lighting bars for a more pronounced visual cue); display, projector, and camera control; video source selection; select Lutron lighting control, and more. For more information on Mira Connect and the Mira Connect Me touchless control feature, visit https://aveosystems.com.
