CAN’T TOUCH THIS

How installers can help dining establishments meet operational best practices during COVID by leveraging the features of affordable AV-Over-IP distribution systems. Taft Stricklin, Just Add Power, Sales Team Manager, explains.

Today, you’d be hard pressed to find a modern bar or restaurant that isn’t wallpapered in displays and videowalls. Sports bars (especially) are known for their extensive investments in digital screens, which bring in patrons eager to drink and eat while watching the game in the company of fellow fans. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been difficult to witness the incredible strain this vertical has been under. To help the industry regain its foothold and assure patrons who wish to return, installers can look to deploying AV-over-IP streaming technology. This can mediate some concerns and enable accepted best practices for dining in this new era.

The increasing use of AV-over-IP streaming technology has presented new opportunities for both the installer and the customer. The most flexible network video distribution systems allow restaurants and bars to grow the number of displays or sources infinitely with very little labour or costs, while providing guests with a satisfying, multi-source, ultralow latency viewing and listening experience. In addition, these systems integrate with popular control touchpanels, which make operation intuitive for the various staff and managers tasked with overseeing the system in a day. This includes providing one-touch on/ off control, setting the volume, and selecting the source. For establishments with a litany of screens, this can be a welcome benefit as it only takes seconds rather than minutes per a screen using a traditional remote control.

Unfortunately, multiple staff members handling the same touchscreen controller throughout the day isn’t the best idea — unless there’s a bottle of hand sanitizer at the ready. This is where an AV-over-IP system can be of further value. Those systems with automation and scheduling capabilities baked-in or that integrate with control systems featuring calendar-based scheduling create an affordable way for bars and restaurants to schedule these tasks, essentially enabling contactless operation.

For years, system automation has been a nice-to-have feature in this industry. Now it’s a must-have as integrators partner with businesses to help them build healthier, operational best practices. As staff open the joint, jobs like turning on the TVs, changing the channels on cable or satellite boxes at a certain time, or selecting the sources for screens can be done automatically. Throughout business hours, the scheduling system can continue to automate channel selection and more. At the end of the day, it can shut everything down.

It’s probably unreasonable to assume that additional changes won’t need to be made here and there. But instead of going to the touchpanel, this is where a mobile device app shines. Not only is it convenient to make these changes from their phone at moment’s notice, but also staff can use a controller mobile app without worrying about touching the main touchpanel and minimising shared contact.

MORE TRENDS

Another trend is the prevalence of outdoor dining. It is a way to get customers through the proverbial door while ensuring natural airflow and less contact between parties. The downside is that it’s not always possible or within the budget to install screens permanently outdoors. To remedy this, integrators can look to a number of different strategies, including building out an affordable display solution that’s mounted to a rolling cart. It can be pushed outside at opening, only requiring a power cable to the display and a network cable to the receiver. Using the same gear as the other displays within the bar’s arsenal, these displays offer the same touch-free control experience while providing much sought-after entertainment. It also has the added benefit of keeping the moving screens secure inside the premises when the venue is closed.

These screens can also double as a loudspeaker system when there isn’t a larger audio system available. Integrators simply need a video-over-IP system capable of supporting multichannel audio formats. It’s a great workaround for enhancing the environment of makeshift outdoor dining spaces.

As technology experts, installers can counsel businesses on how to leverage the equipment they may already have or can have installed with very little investment to meet arising safety protocols and preserve a memorable, enjoyable experience for patrons.