ver the past decades, particularly in the areas of professional audio broadcast and production, we have experienced immense technological advances, of which the transition from analogue to digital signal processing marks only one. Encouraged by the development of ever more sophisticated signal processing and signal distribution, as well as smart control systems, whole generations of engineers, product managers and software developers have been actively pushing the limits of technical possibility further and further.
However, the industry suffered some disillusion; the reason being that all involved had to accept that the users’ mindsets and workflows, as well as the rules of the commercial market, could not be ignored, even though inversely they spur on technological innovation. Industry manufacturers have to realise that, in audio technology, it is more important to create efficient systems than chase only technical feasibility; this also includes product-pricing efficiency.
Integration in the audio world - and beyond
With regard to efficiency, I believe that the audio industry must place a high value on integration. This is because the manufacturers of audio products and solutions must not regard their products as an end in themselves, but must develop a high degree of openness to other audio systems, and pursue integration. This openness between different product groups, with regard to audio and control data, creates the fast and efficient working practices that are demanded by the users. The broadcast market also demands this openness from audio products for integration with their modern video production standards. This is particularly important in live broadcasts from large events when, for example, sound and vision must be optimally coordinated via an ‘audio-follow-video’ function.
Quality
The latest demand on technology in the broadcast production of big events — and by this, I mean HD video — makes quality a desirable asset once more. With this new video development, the functional requirements for audio are also increased. For example, a mixing console required to provide 5.1 mixes for HD productions must also offer more channels. Any technology that does not completely support the TV pictures, or that does not handle the required format (surround sound) will, these days, no longer be acceptable to a broadcaster. A sound engineer who because of bad ergonomic quality cannot meet the high demands currently placed on audio production will not stay long in that position or stick with that product. The loss of sound during a live event — unimaginable!
So, in the long term, only those manufacturers that are willing to face up to these quality requirements will stand a chance.
Customer satisfaction
In order to establish customer satisfaction in all areas, it is crucial for manufacturers to feel the pulse of the market — and to be able to listen to existing customers and potential purchasers alike, to find out their needs and ideas and, in accordance with the company philosophy, provide products that best suit the market. Moreover, to be a manufacturer who, when it comes to important decisions, is capable of looking beyond the end of his nose! This also means facing challenges and collecting experiences. The experience Lawo gains when its products and services are used for big events — such as the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ in Germany and the Olympic Winter Games in Italy — has always influenced, and always will influence, the development of our products. The wide-ranging field tests that our equipment goes through under these circumstances always lead to significantly improved product quality. The worldfeed production of the Eurovision Song Contest is another event that will result in a further increase in quality, and even improved customer satisfaction.
Reliability and service
Increasingly faster production methods have led to increased importance being placed on reliability and service. This can be attributed particularly to the extensive digitalisation, as software-supported systems are progressively less easy to understand from a service point of view.
Thus, the manufacturer has to take on the heavy responsibility of his customers — and their customers as well. Living up to this responsibility, I feel that it demands from a company when developing a product that a high level of product reliability and functionality should be taken into account right from the start. Only in this way can every party be treated with appropriate fairness. Clients are supplied with products that fully serve their purpose, in a most convenient and reliable way, and on which they can depend. They, in turn, can satisfy their listeners and viewers, as well as the companies buying commercial airtime, from which broadcasters earn money that can be re-invested in improved quality for programmes and productions. Just imagine the loss of prestige and revenue, or even the penalties that the organisers and the broadcaster will suffer, if a worldwide live broadcast breaks down; never mind the resultant high cost of loss of follow-up work.
The manufacturer, on the other hand, will be paid the necessarily higher price so he can guarantee the high quality of products and solutions for the future. The trust of his customers also allows for future-oriented long-term company development.
When product reliability is allied with exemplary service, the basis for a high standard of quality in the audio industry is stabilised even further, thus creating greater trust between the contracting partners. It is my profound conviction that customer care doesn’t end with delivery or installation — but after this date it really becomes a factor of quality. When a company is prepared to give his client a really first-class service — fast, at anytime and anywhere, with appropriate maintenance or updates, coupled with on-site support — then the simple contract-based relationship becomes a confidence-based partnership.
Efficiency as a develop-mental factor for the audio industry
The system efficiency I initially emphasised is the synthesis of integration capability, quality, reliability and service. Only when these factors are respected will the audio industry develop, and prevent itself from losing diversity and the power of innovation because of price wars.
The suggestions from customers worldwide are absorbed into our product development so that, with a comprehensive product range of large, mid-sized and small consoles for radio, broadcast, production, theatre and live applications, we can cover all these applications. Our universal product concept is important in this respect, in that it allows us to integrate all components.
For smaller companies, it will become increasingly difficult to surmount the immense development and service effort, plus the enormous complexity, involved in professional software-based systems. In the long term, only companies who operate globally are likely to succeed.
This, again, in the case of a manufacturer who distributes his products worldwide, results in a high degree of additional efficiency for the client: with the constantly increasing globally-mobile user community, engineers can work without any problems, and after little training, on this equipment, because they are familiar with its design philosophy.
