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IN THE TRENCHES I BY CYPH SHAH AV INSTALLATIONS 1O1 W e’ve talked about instal- lation proj- ects in this magazine be-
fore, but just like any venture, there’s always a painful plethora of subcontext under the surface that isn’t so straightforward. This month, I’m going to skip the basics and jump straight to what I wish I knew before I was the installation foreman for As- tro AVL in Glendale, California. FIND THE HEAD OF THE SNAKE. First things first, it’s always important to remember: The bigger the project, the more cooks will inevitably be in the kitchen. And it can get messy. If you’re lucky, there’s a general contractor who’s recep- tive to your needs and follows through. But, more often than not, there are numerous sub- contractors sharing the space. There are specialized AV, electri- cal, HVAC and/or any number of other trade crews that may not match the same attention to detail as you, nor care to make the effort. It’s critical from the outset to establish the point person from each subcontractor. Identify who has the decision-making power and represents their company on the ground floor, but also has a direct line of contact to the
heads at headquarters.
what your expectations are as their performance is going to play a direct role in your suc- cessful system launch. Be able to mutually manage the client by collaborating on presenting the best avenues that meet both of
the teams’ needs and reflect the customer’s interests. It’s best to be chummy and create rapport on this level. We tend to bend more for individuals we like to work with. Remember that favors are going to be needed
Establish a protocol for trans- parency by having a one-on-one to address how you operate, share the information you were given, as well as the plans and schedule you’ve created. Define
28 I MUSIC INC. I NOVEMBER 2025
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