As much as supplying AVL gear to those who design churches, Irving, Texas-based Sound Productions seeks to supply customers with peace of mind. "Our goal is to exceed customers' expectations through the entire buying experience, from start to finish," says Joshua Curlett, the company's CEO.
The whole start-to-finish approach is critical in the church market, where designers deal with a plenitude of building and worship space configurations and architectural anomalies--as well as church technical directors and building committee members with oftentimes very specific goals and ideas on how to reach them.
The combination of understanding churches' particular needs and having set out a process to professionally meet them may be one of Sound Pro's biggest assets in helping church designers help churches.
Church.Design: Tell us what's part of Sound Pro's start-to-finish approach.
Curlett: We have the largest inventory in the Southwest, with same-day shipping until 5 p.m. CST, and a state-of-the-art training and demo room in our facility. We host workshops, trainings, and new product demos, specifically designed for our house of worship customers. [Our demo room] allows customers to hear and test out the equipment before purchasing.
Joshua Curlett, CEO, Sound Productions, Irving, TX
We offer our customers full after-sale support on the products purchased from us. To ease in our Prosumer (professional consumer) buying process, we have streamlined our sales, shipping, and tracking to make it as seamless as possible. At the time the order is finalized, our customers receive an email with their Sales Order PDF. Within the hour of a store-stock order being placed, tracking information is also emailed with a hyperlink for visibility. After the sale, your account manager will follow up to make sure everything was received as expected and working properly. We are always available to answer technical questions or help facilitate exchanges or returns, but our goal is to always help you buy right, the first time.
Church.Design: What are the top three products that church specifiers and integrators should know about?
Curlett: It’s hard to narrow it down to three specific products because there are so many key components to a successful production. However, these three products are fundamental pieces of equipment that can really elevate [the] worship experience. All of these products are available at varying price points from several different brands, so no matter what your budget is, you can find the one that best serves [your client] and their congregation size.
- Digital mixers - They are the heart of your production and a main component of your PA system.
- Wireless microphones – This has become the standard in the house-of-worship market. Hard wired mics limit movement, but with a wireless mic system the pastor and praise team have the ability to walk around freely and interact with their congregation. This contributed to an evolved worship style that sparks high levels of engagement. Another clear benefit is that a wireless system keeps your stage clean and organized.
- DSP –System processing is a great way to tune your PA to the room and a cost-affordable way to maintain full control over different zones throughout your sanctuary. This product caters to multi-room environments.
Then there are the "honorable mentions" ...
It is also worth mentioning that video walls achieve an outstanding visual experience, particularly for larger spaces.
Ellipsoidal lights, lighting controllers, and wash lighting are huge sellers because they create ambiance and direct focus, which improves the overall experience for any size worship center.
Church.Design: Leading into 2019, what new pro AV products--or categories, if you prefer--do you anticipate will be the most sought-after for church specification, and why?
Curlett: Honestly, it depends on the size of the church. There are so many great technological breakthroughs … I could list multiple products. However, generally speaking, I believe that digital wireless microphone systems, video walls and AV streaming (4k), and more Dante-enabled devices will be leading products for the house-of-worship market. The advances in networking and meeting spaces will change how we worship over the next decade.
Church.Design: Designers know that church clients have special needs. You know that too. So why is partnering with the right AVL dealer so important for church projects, and how do you fill that need?
Curlett: Partnering with the right dealer and building a long-term relationship will help establish an understanding of how to get the most out of your equipment, maintain functionality as technology evolves, and scale as your church grows. Most importantly, make sure the dealer has the ability to help you ask the right questions to drive the success of your project.
"Most importantly, make sure the dealer has the ability to help you ask the right questions to drive the success of your project." Joshua Curlett, CEO, Sound Productions, Irving, TX
We are lucky enough to have one of the longest tenured sales teams in our industry, with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Our expertise in production and installation makes it easy to answer all of your questions and provide additional support. We make our customers feel confident that they are making an informed buying decision, every time. Of our new customer growth [in 2018], 53% came from customer referrals, and that speaks for itself.
"Of our new customer growth [in 2018], 53% came from customer referrals, and that speaks for itself." Joshua Curlett, CEO, Sound Productions, Irving, TX
Church.Design: And finally, what new product or service offerings should specifiers and end-users expect to see from Sound Productions in 2019?
Curlett: We have doubled our inventory and expanded our education and training opportunities to over 40 events this year, with no plans to slow down. In 2019 we plan on adding team members, on multiple teams, so that [customers] always have the SoundPro Experience. As we grow, we reinvest our profit to improve internal education, systems, stocking levels, training/events and ways to invest in our community and industry.
