CTCI Technology

6 Reasons to Invest in High-Quality Audio Visual Systems for Business

6 Reasons to Invest in High-Quality Audio Visual Systems for Business

For companies today, technology is foundational to a business’s ability to operate. The better your technology solutions are implemented and managed, the more smoothly your business can run. High-quality audio visual systems in particular are crucial to office operations, productivity, collaboration, and culture. Here are six reasons why you should consider investing in premier AV systems and solutions for your business. 1. Efficient Meetings One of the benefits of equipping your office with high-quality audio visual systems is how AV technology promotes efficiency in meetings. With a first-rate audio visual system in place, presentations and meetings can be executed smoothly and quickly for maximum efficiency. 2. Increased Engagement Not only do high-quality audio visual systems promote efficiency—they also help keep your team invested in meeting content. Without the distraction of technical difficulties, and given the support of beautifully rendered slide decks and other supporting content, presentations will be much more effective and engaging. 3. Exceptional Video Conferencing When you have a well designed and a properly installed AV system in your workplace, video conferencing no longer has to be a pain. Enjoy crisp audio, clear video, and flawless connectivity that make video calls an enjoyable and collaborative experience. 4. Hybrid Connectivity Today’s workforce is dispersed in homes and offices across the globe. With great AV tech and videotelephony such as Zoom, it’s easy to keep hybrid and international teams connected. This connectedness benefits not only work output but company culture as well. The exceptional quality of video calls, as described in point #3, will help keep your team in sync. 5. Simplified Trainings High-quality audio visual technology is a fantastic resource for employee training and development. Your company’s AV systems will allow you to effectively utilize videos, webinars, Zoom calls, and more to support training sessions. This creates a positive onboarding and training experience for new hires and makes it fun and easy for existing employees to keep their skills sharp. 6. Improved Synchronicity When implemented correctly, audio visual systems have the potential to massively improve a company’s synchronization. The ease with which AV equipment can allow for collaboration, conferencing, training, presenting, meeting, and sharing of information helps to keep everyone on the same page. Upgrade Your Business’s AV With Commercial Technology Commercial Technology is a premier technology integrator with nearly 40 years of experience serving the greater New York Metropolitan area. Our team designs, implements, and services custom IT, AV, and security solutions that equip our clients to Connect, Collaborate, and Create. Our signature Zoom Rooms, video presentation systems, and training centers are only a few of our many corporate AV offerings. If you’re ready to invest in your business by upgrading your office’s audio visual technology, you can reach out to a member of our team to get started.

Why PoE Lighting Matters in Pharmaceuticals R&D

Why PoE Lighting Matters in Pharmaceuticals R&D

Pharmaceutical R&D is responsible for a very important job: the research and development of new medicines. In order to ensure that this process goes smoothly and isn’t tainted by any outside interference, there needs to be certain technology capabilities in place, including smart lighting.Smart lighting allows you to gain control over your laboratory lighting, which can provide several significant benefits to your teams as they continue to expand on their important work. In this article, we’ll help you understand what PoE lighting is and how it can be a major contribution to your R&D teams. What is PoE Lighting? PoE lighting stands for Power Over Ethernet lighting. It’s a smart lighting system that uses an Ethernet cable to carry both electrical power and network data to connected devices. Ethernet lighting can then use the power of your network to give you smart lighting controls like dimming, colors, sensors, timing, and more. PoE lighting systems allow power to be delivered to more areas without the need for an electrician to install more electrical infrastructure, which helps cut down on the downtime of your buildings and allows you to maximize on the use time of the building. It also gives each connected device a unique IP address to customize the controls on that device without advanced rewiring or additional lighting schemes needed. Why Pharmaceuticals R&D Needs PoE Lighting If you work in pharmaceutical R&D, you understand how important it is to optimize your time and get the most out of your hours in the lab. A PoE lighting control system can help you take advantage of technology to improve your processes and lab lighting. Cost Savings Having electricians come in to rewire your electrical grid to allow for more traditional lighting can be costly and time-consuming. It can potentially shut your lab down for construction and delay your research and development needs. Using PoE lighting helps you avoid this downtime and reduce the amount of up-front costs for cabling and configurations. You can also reduce the amount of money spent on new bulbs, updated light fixtures, and outages. Energy Efficiency Another one of the great tech capabilities of PoE lighting is the energy efficiency provided. Smart lighting optimizes lighting levels and doesn’t rely on high-energy wattage in order to provide light and the other associated benefits. This cuts down on your overall energy consumption and creates a better working environment not just for your lab, but for your community as well. Longer Operating Lifespan The use of an Ethernet cord means that your PoE lighting devices aren’t reliant on your connected Wi-Fi system, which could be unstable, or the power system, which can also experience outages. This, combined with the fact that smart lighting like PoE lighting has a much longer lifespan, gives you more value for your investment and increases the operating lifespan for each device in your lab. Advanced Analytics PoE lighting does more than power your connected devices and give light to your lab. It can also help you uncover information about your laboratory. By gathering data and using advanced analytics, your PoE lighting can help you learn more about your lab, such as which hours are using the most energy, how often your devices are in use, and who is using them. This can be used to help you make data-driven decisions in the future. Occupancy Sensing Smart lighting can sense how many people are in a room and adjust the lighting accordingly. This helps you continue to save money on operating costs and reduces the amount of light waste that large overhead lights often produce. It also helps you eliminate the need to remember to turn on or off lights, as they adjust themselves as needed. Scheduling Capabilities You can schedule specific light timings for your PoE technology, which is a great time saver in the lab. You can automatically schedule your lights to come on at a certain time each day, or even program them for specific lighting sequences that might be needed for a project being completed in the lab that day. Discover the Power of PoE Lighting with Commercial Technology At Commercial Technology, we understand the need that people in the pharmaceutical industry have in regard to their lab controls and lighting. That’s why we provide essential PoE and property technology solutions that help you gain control over your systems and optimize your time. To learn more, book a free consultation with us today and see how Commercial Technology can take you to the next level of connectivity.

How Audio Visual Systems Can Improve Student Learning & School Safety

How Audio Visual Systems Can Improve Student Learning & School Safety

When you install the technological infrastructure to support advancing audio visual systems, you unlock a variety of valuable AV functions that can benefit your school and its students. AV systems can facilitate announcements, assemblies, and classroom instruction, as well as improve school safety and security. For these reasons, schools can benefit enormously from high-quality audio visual systems. Let’s review the beneficiary applications of audio visual systems in educational settings. How AV Systems Support Student Learning Classroom Instruction Visual aids are a favorite instructional tool for many educators and have been for eons. When you were a student, did your schoolteachers wheel out hefty TVs and VCRs on carts to show you supplementary learning materials? Did they use a projector or cassettes? The technology has changed from generation to generation, but teachers will always appreciate the ability to incorporate visual and auditory assets into their lessons. This is because these aids promote student engagement and appeal to multiple learning styles, allowing teachers to more effectively teach all of their students at once. Interactive whiteboards and smart TVs are today’s slide projectors, with immense potential to augment student learning. Teachers can use these technologies to present slide decks, display images, play videos, and more. AV systems in classrooms are a tool for teachers to augment their instruction, keep students engaged, and cater to a variety of educational needs. Other School Functions Audio visual systems enable educators in a variety of capacities. PA systems empower administrators to make announcements and share information. AV systems in spaces such as auditoriums can support school assemblies to better inform students of critical issues facing their communities and peer groups. Students enrolled in after-school activities can utilize the school’s AV systems for their meetings and events. Across the board, audio visual technologies in schools see incredible amounts of use. How AV Systems Support School Security & Student Safety Audio visual technology and IT infrastructure not only benefits student learning—it also improves the reliability of school security systems. IT infrastructure enables video security systems by providing the operational basis for cameras and video feeds. PA systems can be utilized to notify school occupants of threats and instruct them on how to proceed. IT infrastructure in schools can also be used to install emergency points across campus, which are tall metal poles with intercoms that allow students to contact security personnel if they’re in danger. Additionally, AV technology, such as digital signage, can be leveraged in drills to help students with direction and prepare for potential emergencies. AV technology makes it easy for administrators to bolster their school’s security measures and disseminate information regarding school safety and security to teachers, staff, and students. How Commercial Technology Supports Learning & Safety Commercial Technology is the premier progressive integrator of customized IT, AV, and Security Solutions in the New York metropolitan area. We work with institutions of learning at all levels to design and implement custom solutions that promote education and safety. To find out what we can do for your school, contact our team.

Top 4 Benefits Of Equipping Your Office With a Sound Masking System

Top 4 Benefits Of Equipping Your Office With a Sound Masking System

Equipping your office with a sound masking system can be enormously beneficial to your company, your employees, and your operations. Before we review the top four benefits of equipping your office with a sound masking system, let’s learn what sound masking is and how it works. What Is Sound Masking? Sound masking is manufactured low-level ambient noise that’s continuously emitted in order to reduce distracting sounds. Sound masking doesn’t actually make a room quieter, but can make it feel that way. So how does it work? The ambient noise generated by sound masking systems is engineered to match the frequency of human speech. By raising the ambient noise level in a space and matching the ambient noise to the frequency of human speech, you can create a dampening effect that limits how far sound can travel. The Benefits of Sound Masking Installing a sound masking system in a corporate office, especially in an open floor plan office, is highly beneficial. Let’s explore how! Improved Focus Offices are constantly filled with sounds—friendly chitchat, client calls, coworkers clacking away at their keyboards, pens clicking, chips crunching during someone’s break time snack across the room. When you’re in an open office space, there’s very little to dampen those noises, which means every sound echoes throughout the entire room, making it audible to everyone in the vicinity. For many workers, this constant cacophony of background noise is disruptive. With a sound masking system in place, employees won’t be able to hear everyone’s noise and can consequently enjoy improved focus on their work. Increased Productivity Related to improved focus, another major benefit of sound masking is that it allows employees to be more productive. By eliminating distractions and improving worker focus, employees are able to generate higher-quality work at a faster pace. This increase in productivity levels can have far-reaching benefits for the company because of how improved productivity translates into increased profits and a superior customer service experience. Enhanced Privacy When you have a sound masking system in your office, it can do wonders for employee privacy. Without sound masking, two employees having a quiet conversation in a corner can be heard by everyone in the room; lunch hour phone calls made to family members can be easily overheard; management may try to discretely redirect an employee and accidentally embarrass them. Both professional and personal conversations happen in the workplace, and many are best when kept private. Sound masking helps to ensure that the people who hear what’s said are only the people who are supposed to hear. Strengthened Culture Sound masking can make a surprisingly material difference to company culture and office relationship dynamics. Without each other’s every noise serving as a constant source of distraction, coworkers will have less cause for resentment or conflict. Staff will appreciate the greater level of privacy that the office sound masking system affords them. Improved productivity can be great for employee confidence, morale, and job satisfaction. On the whole, sound masking can materially improve culture and promote harmony. How Commercial Technology Can Help Commercial Technology is a premier IT, AV, and security integrator with nearly 40 years of experience serving customers in the New York Metro Area. We install and service top-of-the-line sound masking devices and are available to install one in your office. For more information, please contact a member of our team.

How Digital Signage is Revolutionizing Communication in the Workplace

How Digital Signage is Revolutionizing Communication in the Workplace

In today’s digital age, communication in the workplace is no longer a one-way street. With the emergence of digital signage technology, employers now have an effective and engaging platform to communicate with their employees in real time. From providing news and events to displaying vital information about safety protocols, digital signage has revolutionized how companies reach their workforce. This article will explore how this innovative technology is transforming communication in the workplace and making it easier for employers to stay connected with their staff. The Concept of Digital Signage and it’s Potential to Transform Communication in the Workplace Digital signage is revolutionizing the way businesses communicate with their employees and customers. By utilizing digital displays to broadcast content, companies are able to quickly and easily disseminate up-to-date information in an engaging manner. This has the potential to not only improve communication within the workplace but also increase engagement, resulting in higher sales and better customer satisfaction levels. With its many advantages over traditional methods of communication, it’s no wonder that digital signage is becoming increasingly popular among businesses of all sizes. In this article we will take a look at what digital signage can do for your business and how you can make use of this technology for maximum benefit. How Digital Signage Can Be Used to Provide Up-to-Date News, Events, and other Vital Information such as Safety Protocols Digital signs can be used to show news, events, and important things like safety rules. They can also be used to show company branding and logos, as well as advertising. They are a great way to communicate with people in real-time and allow companies to create an attractive and engaging atmosphere for customers and staff alike. Digital signage can have a major impact on the success of any business, no matter how big or small. They can be used for everything from advertising to employee communications, and their versatility and power make them an invaluable asset. Digital signage is an effective and efficient way to communicate with customers and staff, as well as providing up-to-date news and events. On a more critical note, digital signage can be a useful tool in providing vital company information and administering safety protocols. It can be used to remind employees of the importance of following health and safety regulations, as well as provide useful information about how to remain safe at work. Digital signage is also an excellent way to communicate new policies or procedures that may have been recently introduced. By displaying these on screens throughout the workplace, employers can ensure that everyone is aware of any changes, and employees can be quickly informed of any revisions that need to be made. With the right system in place, digital signage can be a powerful tool for any organization. With all these advantages, it is easy to see why digital signs are becoming increasingly popular. The Benefits of Using Digital Signage for Employers, such as Increased Efficiency and Cost Savings  Digital signage is a valuable tool for employers, providing them with an effective way to communicate quickly and easily with staff, customers and visitors. The benefits of using digital signage in the workplace are numerous, from increased efficiency to cost savings to improved employee morale. The most obvious benefit of digital signage is its ability to save time and money. By using digital signage, employers can quickly and easily broadcast messages to all their staff members at the same time. This makes it much easier for them to keep everyone in the loop, saving them from having to send multiple emails or make frequent announcements. Furthermore, digital signage allows employers to access valuable data and analytics about how their employees are engaging with the messages, allowing for more effective communication and feedback. Digital signage can also be used to encourage positive employee behavior. By displaying motivational messages or celebrating successes, employers can show their staff that they are valued and appreciated, leading to increased morale and productivity. Furthermore, digital signage can be used to display safety protocols or other important information which will help ensure that employees are safe and productive. Additionally, digital signage software is easy to set up and configure, meaning it can easily be tailored to individual requirements and can be used indoors and outdoors, depending on the needs of your organization. Modernize, Engage and Embrace with Digital Messaging Digital signage is modernizing communication in the workplace by providing employers with a creative and engaging platform to reach their employees. Through this technology, businesses are able to easily stay informed and connected with news, events, safety protocols and more. Digital signage is an effective way to communicate with employees in the workplace and ensure both parties stay connected and on the same page By embracing the power of digital signage, companies can benefit from better communication and improved productivity. With its versatility and ease-of-use, it is no surprise that this cutting-edge communication tool is becoming the preferred platform for communicating with employees in the workplace. Digital signage has proven to be an invaluable tool for businesses and is transfiguring communication in the workplace. Discover the Power of Digital Signage with CTCI At CTCI, we understand the need of continuous communication within the workplace and the importance of consistent messaging. That’s why we provide customized signage solutions that will help you gain control over your content, ensure your employees are up-to-date on all protocols and optimize your time. To learn more, book a free consultation with us today and see how CTCI can take you to the future of workplace communication.

What is P2P+? (Download Full Article)

the future of systems integration

Here is a super interesting article that was released from NSCA and speaks to the timing of Pivot to Profit. This piece not only touches on the evolving market, but also provides insights and tips on the overall changing of the Integration Business and how to prepare and position your company for long-term success.  CLICK HERE to download the full article.

Why You Should Be Looking At Voice Lift Technology Now More Than Ever

Why You Should Be Looking At Voice Lift Technology Now More Than Ever

Check out this great article recently published by Commercial Integrator: Why You Should Be Looking At Voice Lift Technology Now More Than Ever, written by Jens Werner, Portfolio Manager Business Communication at Sennheiser. This enlightening article discusses how companies and educational facilities are looking to transition and adapt to the new pandemic requirements and how re-evaluating your AV equipment becomes crucial for communication. Click the image to read the full article.

Returning to the Office? Upgrade Your Audio Visual Capabilities

Returning to the Office? Upgrade Your Audio Visual Capabilities

Working remotely comes with an inevitable host of technological challenges. You dealt with enough tech issues while working from home and now that you’re back in-person, you shouldn’t have to grapple with faulty or cumbersome technology anymore. Of course, conversely, while working remotely, you also had the chance to reap all the benefits that high-quality technology can offer. Take advantage of what working in the office presents: the opportunity to work with the best audio visual technology possible. Audio visual technology, or AV, is far beyond what most people think of when they hear those words. If you’re looking to break the association with your high school’s AV club and upgrade your workplace’s audio visual capabilities, here are four different ways to leverage AV technology. Video Walls Working in person, you don’t have to deal exclusively with little laptop screens. Video walls are a multi-purpose digital luxury. Play branded informational videos for potential clients, make your presentations pop, and give your training videos an engaging theatrical feel. Video walls can exist in a variety of iterations, from a projector with a screen to an assortment of mounted televisions to one massive TV screen. Your company can install a video wall that suits your purposes. Digital Signage In small-scale settings, digital signage is an under-utilized branding opportunity. Beyond the branding possibilities, though, digital signs can display much more than logos. It can be useful for the dissemination of information, decoration and visual interest, or entertainment. Digital signage also offers considerable flexibility that you wouldn’t get from a standard sign. You can update the branding, the information, and the aesthetics easily, all without the same overhead you’d deal with every time you changed out a traditional sign. Intelligent Learning Centers While the most obvious application of an intelligent learning center might be an educational setting such as a school classroom or a library, they can be useful in a number of different contexts. For companies that conduct a high volume of training sessions or professional development seminars, having an intelligent learning center can make the process of conducting those events exponentially smoother and simpler. Potential features of an intelligent learning center can include a robust sound system, smart boards, and high-resolution screens. This, however, is not a comprehensive list. Any piece of technology with the ability to facilitate the learning process could be a feature of an intelligent learning center. Huddle Rooms Simplified collaboration and immersion in company culture are two of the greatest positives of the return to working in person. Having huddle rooms, collaboration centers, and meeting rooms fully outfitted with audio visual technology only serves to deepen the value of and potential for culture and collaboration. Technology like touch-screen wall monitors, abundant charging ports, and built-in speakers can facilitate a more positive meeting experience. If you’re in the greater New York area and looking to upgrade the audio visual technology in your workplace, contact Commercial Technology’s team of audio visual professionals today!

4 Security Technology Solutions to Keep Students Safe in Schools

4 Security Technology Solutions to Keep Students Safe in Schools

Anyone would be hard-pressed to think of a place where security is more important than in schools. But how can educators and administrators ensure they’re protecting students and staff as securely as possible? And how can parents trust that they’re sending their children to a safe place every day? These security solutions are designed to protect schools from external and internal threats. Cameras When asked, “how can I improve school safety?” cameras may seem like the obvious answer. What’s important is to ensure your video security system is up-to-date and is equipped to prevent dangerous incidents—not just to play the footage after the fact. Your school should be outfitted with high-quality cameras, digital IP-based video security system and offer comprehensive coverage in all lighting conditions. You should also seek a system that can stream live footage to administrators both within the school and externally, such as at the district level. This offers multiple opportunities for footage to be monitored. Emergency Points Emergency points are typically tall metal poles, perhaps with a light on top, with a phone or intercom button to call for help either from the local police force or campus security. They are common on college campuses but rarely found in the K-12 setting. However, for certain school layouts, particularly at the high school level, they can be an excellent school safety resource. Should a student observe a threat or feel endangered, they can find the nearest emergency point to easily alert nearby authority figures and ask for help. Emergency communication points on school or campus grounds secure these environments and instill peace of mind to the athletes, students, parents, faculty and visitors. Controlled Access Doors School districts looking to protect students and staff from external threats in particular must strongly consider installing controlled access doors at all entrances and exits. This allows school security staff to exert complete control over who enters and exits the school building and makes verifying the identity of any visitors safe and simple. Additionally, students can use their school-issued ID cards to gain access to specific areas and events but not areas restricted to them. Alarm Systems It’s important for schools that are endeavoring to implement a robust suite of security solutions to have an alarm system in place. The purpose of this system is to notify students, faculty, and staff of lockdowns, drills, or other hazards. It’s an efficient way to let everyone in the building know to commence any safety procedures. An alarm system can have different ways of notifying school occupants of varying types of dangers and can do so subtly, to avoid alerting potentially dangerous intruders that the administration is aware of their presence. A Security Partner In order to effectively implement sufficient security measures in your schools, you must partner with an experienced security technology integrator that can offer expert guidance, products, and service. Commercial Technology is the premier progressive integrator of customized IT, AV, and security solutions in the New York metropolitan area. Review some of our past security projects to learn more about the robust security solutions we’ve had the privilege of implementing for our clients or contact us directly to find out what we can do for you.