Field Nation and Herman Integration Services partner to address the AV labor crisis

In any retail or corporate setting, it’s nearly impossible not to notice the digital displays and video walls that define modern spaces. These eye-catching displays are part of an audiovisual industry expected to surge to $402 billion by 2028, according to AVIXA. But this growth remains hampered by a critical and ongoing shortage of skilled AV technicians, a gap becoming more pronounced with an aging workforce, record-low unemployment, and few entrants into the profession.

Field Nation has partnered with Herman Integration Services, a leading AV services provider, to address this issue. Here’s how the collaboration will address the skilled technician shortage, aligning industry needs with flexible solutions that meet the demands of today’s digital environments.

Transforming how AV services are delivered 

Field Nation and Herman Integration Services’ partnership will transform the AV landscape, creating the nation’s largest network of on-demand AV professionals to address a wide variety of needs, from labor support to complex installations. 

This comes at a critical juncture for the industry, when demand is high, and the labor crisis in AV is particularly acute and getting worse. In NSCA’s most recent State of the Industry report, 72% of integrators reported that talent issues are among their top concerns, with installers being the most challenging role to fill.  Wael Mohammed, EVP of Strategy of Field Nation, explains the demand/talent gap facing the industry:  “AV and digital signage exhibit sustained growth trends driven by consumer experience digitalization, hybrid workforce, and automation.  This comes at a time when both categories are facing a structural labor shortage due to demographic shifts.  The gap between demand for services and skilled talent is sizeable and will continue to widen.”

Solving a critical problem for integrators: finding skilled installers

Installers are a sweet spot for Field Nation, which specializes in connecting companies and technical resources to complete work on-site. Today’s AV installations require IT skill sets, a strength of Field Nation’s marketplace. Not surprisingly, companies are already finding AV installer support on Field Nation. Through the partnership, Field Nation and Herman Integration Services have identified 1,400 technicians with an extensive work history of successful work outcomes in the AV space who are active and available to support simple AV service calls. Access to local resources who can be dispatched to a job within hours allows integrators to respond faster to customer demands, a critical differentiator in today’s competitive environment.    

Mynul Khan, Founder and CEO of Field Nation, expressed his enthusiasm about the collaboration: “As a long-term Field Nation customer, we’ve seen first-hand the level of service Herman Integration Services provides to clients. Herman’s expertise combined with Field Nation’s reach and scale will result in the nation’s largest and most reliable network of on-demand AV professionals, allowing service providers to respond to client demands faster at a cost-effective rate.”

Leveraging deep industry expertise to support successful outcomes

But installer coverage alone isn’t the answer. Installing and configuring AV equipment requires a distinct skill set that requires training and experience, and getting it wrong can have disastrous consequences. Over the past decade, Herman Integration Services has built a reputation for being a reliable source of labor support and has invested heavily in the skills necessary to do the job right the first time.  Now, they are leveraging that expertise to vet independent contractors on Field Nation. “As our customers’ needs evolve, we must also evolve. Our mission to provide high-quality labor support services to AV integrators nationwide has never been more important, especially as AV powers the modern consumer experience,” says Chris Bianchet, General Manager at Herman Integration Services. “Herman Integration Services’ expertise in vetting qualified talent will make it faster and easier to find AV installers you can trust to get the job done right at any site, anywhere in the U.S.”

Today, both organizations’ primary investment area includes a scalable and extensive vetting process to expand the AV skill sets accessible on-demand. These efforts already resulted in vetted technicians with both simple and complex skill sets in a dozen major markets, with nationwide availability expected later this year.  

A Strategic Investment in the Future

This partnership is not merely a response to current challenges but a strategic investment in Field Nation’s long-term strategy to address the labor crisis in field services. By offering fast access to qualified technical talent nationwide, Field Nation and Herman Integration Services are setting a new standard in the industry, ensuring that AV integrators and service providers have the support they need to meet their clients’ evolving demands.

Contact us today to learn more about Field Nation’s expansion into AV.