Top 10 AV Mistakes Coworking Spaces Make in Oklahoma City
Coworking spaces have become essential hubs for collaboration and productivity in Oklahoma City. However, many facility managers overlook critical audiovisual infrastructure during setup and upgrades. These oversights can significantly impact user experience, productivity, and your bottom line. Here are the ten most common AV mistakes we see—and how to avoid them.
The 10 Most Common AV Mistakes
1. Wrong Speaker Placement
Many coworking spaces install speakers without considering acoustic dynamics. Placing speakers in corners or against walls creates dead zones and uneven sound distribution, making conference calls difficult and presentations unintelligible.
Solution: Work with AV professionals to perform acoustic site surveys. Strategic speaker placement at appropriate heights and angles ensures even coverage throughout your meeting spaces.
2. Skipping Acoustic Treatment
Without proper acoustic treatment, sound bounces off hard surfaces, creating echo and feedback. This problem intensifies in open-concept layouts popular in coworking environments.
Solution: Invest in acoustic panels, bass traps, and sound-absorbing materials strategically placed throughout your space. Professional installation maximizes effectiveness while maintaining aesthetic appeal.
3. Buying Consumer Gear Instead of Commercial Equipment
Consumer-grade AV equipment lacks durability for commercial environments. These devices fail prematurely under constant use and don't integrate well with professional systems.
Solution: Specify commercial-grade equipment designed for 24/7 operation. Yes, upfront costs are higher, but reliability and longevity provide better ROI.
4. Failing to Plan for Expansion
Installing AV systems without scalability in mind creates expensive problems when your coworking space grows or needs upgrades.
Solution: Design systems with future growth in mind. Use modular equipment and proper cabling infrastructure that accommodates expansion without complete reinstallation.
5. Ignoring Lighting Design
Inadequate or poorly designed lighting undermines video conferencing quality and creates eye strain. Lighting directly impacts how your space appears on camera.
Solution: Implement layered lighting with dimmers and proper color temperature controls. Professional lighting design enhances both in-person experience and video presence.
6. DIY Installation Failures
Well-intentioned in-house installation often results in improper cable runs, incompatible connections, and systems that don't perform as intended.
Solution: Hire certified AV professionals for all installation work. Proper installation ensures optimal performance and prevents costly future problems.
7. No Maintenance Plan
Many coworking spaces install AV systems then neglect regular maintenance, leading to degraded performance and unexpected failures.
Solution: Establish a preventative maintenance contract with your AV provider. Regular checks, firmware updates, and component inspections keep systems running optimally.
8. Choosing Wrong Equipment for Space Size
Undersized systems struggle to deliver adequate coverage, while oversized systems waste money and create unnecessary complexity. One-size-fits-all approaches fail in diverse coworking layouts.
Solution: Conduct professional site assessments to match equipment specifications to room dimensions, capacity, and intended use.
9. Not Considering Oklahoma City Noise Ordinances
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