Regardless of the industry, most consultants have one consistent message. “Every successful business model is scalable”. Whether you’re providing a service, manufacturing a widget, or leveraging the Internet of Things, being able to sell beyond your own capacity and/or support the capacity shortfalls of others is a measurable performance indicator. Here are 2 easy ways to make your business scalable.
1. Stick with industry-standard equipment and packaging. Avoid the temptation to reinvent the wheel for your typical application … there are reasons industry standards exist! Standardized equipment and packaging are easier to find when you need more and sell when you have too much.
2. Standards related to labor should also be followed. Standardizing position titles and rates makes it easier to work between companies without “special situation” exceptions. In Television, a Technical Director (TD) is the person operating the video switcher. For corporate events, the TD is the primary technical and crew resource for all departments and doesn’t usually operate anything. That’s an important distinction to make before arriving onsite! Compensation should also follow industry norms for consistency throughout the market. The annual Lasso Position Bill Rate Survey is a great resource for our industry.
Bonus Scalability Tip. Be transparent! If another company is out of resources and relying on yours, let them know what you can provide directly and what you’d outsource. There are few things more frustrating than calling several vendors, choosing one, then seeing the others’ resources (equipment and/or labor) onsite. Transparency allows your customer to make an educated decision and not feel like you misrepresented your capacity to earn their business. Trust is earned but shouldn’t be taken for granted … always give them the choice.
These 2 easy ways to make your business scalable aren’t unique to the Production industry. Sticking with standards leads to scalability and being transparent develops trusting relationships.
At Encompass, we have unique backgrounds that situate us perfectly to produce high end and complex offerings. We’ve worked in broadcast television, touring entertainment, live sporting events, and countless convention facilities across the country.
We have technical design experience and a disciplined process in place that allows us to easily scale events and shift from in-person to virtual without angst. There isn’t much that’s beyond our scope and we love the intensity of putting on events!
If you’re a planner working to create an event, seeking help with virtual event technology, or simply want to learn more … we can help! Sign up below to receive our updates (we promise to keep your contact information secure and won’t “overshare”).