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Top 10 Common Sense Cost-Cutting Strategies

August 26th, 2010

For any type or size of business it’s always the right time to cut costs. Top 10 Cost Cutting Ideas It’s one of the few proven ways to improve profits despite thousands of articles about thousand of ways of doing so. You either increase income or cut expenses (preferably both, and in the right way). In four main categories – Mobility and Distance Costs, Employees and Management, Service and Utilities, and Technology – we have identified ten cost-saving opportunities and you will begin to come up with others once you start with these. Get serious about it, and you just might surprise yourself with how much creative penny-pinching you can do.

Mobility and Distance Costs

1. Maybe all of your sales calls don’t have to be done in person. Web-based videoconferencing and software like Microsoft Office Live Meeting allow you to make presentations online. Webcams are quite inexpensive compared to travel costs, by plane, train or car.

2. If you exhibit at trade shows and conferences, why pay for transportation or shipping when you can get all of your plasma rentals and other convention rentals from CRE? With locations in many cities, we can get what you need to any location, set it up and tear it down when the show’s over. Consider the same sort of just-in-time strategies in other operational areas of your company.

Employees and Management

3. Cross-training employees saves money in several ways. Instead of paying for expensive temporary help when employees are out, the less-costly alternative is cross-training employees so staff can move into support roles when needed. This is common practice among the creative pros that use CRE’s Mac Pro rentals, who know that “the show must go on.”

4. Increased efficiency is always a money-saver. Give your employees the business and software training that makes them more effective. There are loads of free training programs on the Internet, but you can also combine one good teacher with a room full of iMac rentals and educate your employees yourself.

Services and Utilities

5. Do a regular review of your core business expenses, the necessities. One example: Today’s many VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services have reduced phone costs dramatically. Do a complete comparison of ones in your area.

6. Online faxing reduces the number of phone lines by using Web-based fax services instead of fax machines – which will also save you money on paper, ink, toner, electricity, etc.

7. Whether you’re in a home office or corporate office setting, you can work with your power company to reduce heating and cooling costs. There are a lot of options you may not know about, starting with a free energy audit.

Technology

8. Every company has a Web site now. Hosting costs vary widely, and quality does not necessarily track precisely with pricing. Some so-called bargain hosts boast better offers and uptime statistics than some expensive ones.

9. Consider a “combo” communications plan. As with home service deals, business packages can offer great value.

10. Think creatively and consider every alternative to a purchase. One of the great things about CRE’s computer rentals is that you always work with the current state-of-the-art equipment, without having to tie your money up in a purchase.

Do a little creative (and critical) thinking and you can make an immediate, lasting impact on your expenses. You will also help promote efficiency in general when all employees, whether two or 200, follow your lead into this new, improved mindset. CRE’s constant mindset is to be ready with the solutions you need for the obstacles you face. Contact an experienced Account Executive or fill out the online Quick Rental Quote and we’ll put our expertise to work for you.

Is Software as a Service (SaaS) Right for You?

August 18th, 2010

Technology seems to breed acronyms like nothing else, from company names (IBM, AMD, NEC, etc.) to products and processes (MP3, DVD, VoIP and so on). There are a few newer ones floating around that are supposed to describe a new way of providing companies with high-tech tools, something like a subscription or monthly package deal. It’s got two main acronyms – TaaS (or TAAS) for Technology as a Service and SaaS (or SAAS) for Software as a Service. Check the technology service menu The idea is that you should order tech services like you order food a-la-carte – one from Column A, two from Column B and so forth – and thereby keep your IT expenses (and employee count) at a manageable level. There are many ‘technology service ‘ companies that work with their various vendors and partners to deliver affordable, tailor-made TaaS/SaaS programs to their customers - small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) that lack sufficient capital and staff resources to implement and manage their own computer, communications and IT functions. Sharing desktops over the Internet and making “videophone calls” with your webcam and computer monitor are dead simple now, and the real action is with the more involved remote services. Many companies that need leading-edge technology solutions to improve efficiency and maintain competitive market advantage now rely on these technology service firms to craft customized solutions, just as L.A.-area post-production firms and other companies rely on CRE’s AJA Io HD rentals to get the job done. By using open source software and server virtualization, these TaaS firms deliver whatever is needed to the customer locations, charging just a single monthly payment to manage and maintain the agreed-upon services. These can range from server maintenance and backups to telephony, security, loss prevention and conferencing. Staying state-of-the-art The advantages, especially for SMBs and startups, are many – and the parallels to CRE are, too. Like firms that avail themselves of CRE’s Mac Pro rentals to meet a pushed-up deadline or take on a new project, TaaS/SaaS customers are relieved of the usual ongoing ownership costs – depreciation, obsolescence, maintenance, employee resources – and typically get a performance and uptime guarantee, as well. Without adding more staff, or making capital investments in rapidly changing technology, firms save money and stay technologically healthy. As with CRE’s own technology services, customers stay up with the state-of-the-art without having to buy every new version of hardware and software that comes down the pike. Here’s a real-world example: The iMac you bought just six months ago is nowhere near as fast and powerful as the recently upgraded iMacs we blogged about recently. So you could have saved that money, arranged for iMac rentals just when you needed them and been better off, overall. This is certainly not true of every company and every situation, but it is something your number-crunchers really should spend some time considering. Everything from our computer rentals to our convention rentals help you plan ahead on your corporate budget and save a few dollars, too. CRE does for creative and production operations what SaaS firms do for IT departments – takes the load off, so to speak, in ways both technological and financial. At CRE, technology is only part of the service – solutions are the core, frankly. We offer everything from Xserve RAID rentals for those storage-intensive tasks to audio visual rentals for conferences, conventions and corporate meetings. Fill out the online Quick Rental Quote form and you will discover what “SaaS” stands for at CRE – namely, Solutions as a Service.

Event Planners Using “Speed Dating” Techniques

August 10th, 2010

Participants continue to report that some of the most animated discussions and valuable education at conferences take place during meals, breaks, receptions and other unstructured time. Taking a tip from the growing popularity of speed dating, some conference organizers are getting good results from integrating these accelerated “structured networking times” into the event schedule.

In his book Participatory Workshops, Robert Chambers presents the notion of “the buzz,” where participants are invited by speakers and session leaders to “take five” and chat with their neighbors about whatever has just been presented. This simple “learning by talking” approach is based on observed human behavior – like watching conference participants stuck in long, boring speeches champing at the bit to get out to the hallway and talk! (You should consider one of CRE’s digital recorder rentals to capture all the brilliant repartee you’ll find there.)

Speed mentoring

Speed Networking at Events Some early adopters have been using these new conference models already. One association replaced its old-style “panel of experts and keynote address” format a few years back with what it called a “speed mentoring” model. The first move was to divide the attendees into two groups, the more and less experienced managers. Worksheets were developed by having the less experienced managers list the problems or issues they were facing, while the more experienced describe three major lessons they’d learned about managing their markets.

Then, the groups stood at different sides of the room, and the inexperienced managers chose veteran partners for a discussion. After 10 minutes, right on signal, the groups would rotate into new combinations of discussion partners, with five of these rotations producing an hour of what most participants described as incredibly useful interaction with excellent results. If you equip your conference team with tablet PC rentals, they could document every mentoring session easily. Or consider polling the audience with an audience response rental to find out what they would like to discuss.

Breaks and breakouts?

The great thing about this kind of conference model is that it is quite flexible. One possible version of it could reverse the usual keynote/breakout formula where long speeches are followed by quick breakout sessions. In this model, the speechifying would be kept shorter and punchier, and the breakouts may be a bit longer but well paced to keep up the interest and the momentum. With audio visual rentals and plasma rentals and everything else you need for a great breakout session, CRE could help you organize a very successful speed learning conference. You could also introduce elements of the speed methods into your breakout session even if you are at a “conventional convention.” There are lots of ways to leverage these new approaches to learning.

CRE has experience in strategizing and equipping companies to host conferences of all sizes, or outfitting you for exhibiting or leading breakout sessions. With everything from self-service interactive kiosk rentals to all varieties of computer rentals, CRE’s got you covered, A to Z. Call or send an e-mail to an experienced Account Executive, of fill out the Quick Rental Quote form, and we’ll help your event be a success.

Cloud Computing: Ready for Prime Time?

July 27th, 2010

When the subject is as important as “cloud computing,” we want to break it down to basics for you. Defining cloud computing as “using the Internet’s storage and computing resources” is a reasonable start. And, yes, you can still call the Internet “the cloud.” We’ve talked about cloud terminology in previous blogs (specifically five technologies to watch), but since these words are now being used by marketing managers even more than by engineers, we thought it wise to revisit them.

In the 1990s, Scott McNealy, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems, said, “The Web is the computer.” The ultimate dream of the cloud boosters is people accessing files stored “in the cloud” (”on a server somewhere”) with minimalist workstations called “thin clients” – a keyboard, a monitor and a network connection. Is this really how people would work, given the chance? Many of CRE’s creative clients doing high-end work on Mac Pro rentals would probably say, “No way,” at least for now.

Local = control

More and more people are becoming cloud-savvy, because that’s where their Web sites are located, of course. Many businesses also use online storage to archive materials. There is a good business rationale for this, as well as for storing many kinds of work-in-progress in the cloud, like projects that require collaboration for editing, design and/or distribution. However, the notion that all files are “virtual” – which means “unavailable” when the power goes out – scares the heck out of many designers, A/V pros and content producers. Is this really the Big Idea that McNealy and other cloud fans want to implement?

For this all-cloud-all-the-time scheme to work, we need far greater network speed and much more bandwidth. Even when these and other sticking points are unstuck, human nature is still blocking the road ahead, holding up a big sign that says, “I have trust issues.” If you just hired some extra artists and put them to work on computer rentals to finish an urgent project, would you honestly trust the only copy to be out of your sight – rather, out of anyone’s sight? No local work copy? No way!

Step by step towards computing in the cloud

We haven’t space to cover all the security issues, but the phrase “heightened security threats” pops up a lot in cloud computing discussions. Local storage is safer than cloud storage for the simple reason that cyberspace is still a battlefield full of hackers, viruses and malware. “From the frying pan to the fire” seems an appropriate precautionary statement about moving prematurely to cloud computing – for now. So, consider Xserve RAID rentals – they are solid, tangible proof that you have your work at hand, safe and sound.

You can get acclimated to the cloud by getting a free online storage account (and actually using it). With each passing day, the Internet gets faster, safer and easier to use, but it’s still got a bit of the Wild West in it. Perhaps some people will be comfortable leaving their animation files on the cloud and using Apple’s imaginary Web app, Final Cut Virtual, to work on them (perhaps with their iPhones). Others may take a bit longer to feel safe doing that. Your mileage, as they say, may vary!

At CRE, one thing that never varies is the expertise and professionalism of our staff. Whether you need the fastest iMac rentals anywhere or a broad array of convention rentals, CRE is your one-stop shop. Call us, send an e-mail or fill out a Quick Rental Quote form and we’ll help you get where you need to go with the best hardware, software and services, bar none.

PowerPoint Presentation in Your Pocket

July 22nd, 2010

Our recent gadget blog mentioned a potent hard-drive-based media player that could connect with CRE plasma rentals to create a low-cost, high-impact presentation system. For all of you who use PowerPoint, we’re going to share some creative and cost-effective ways of bringing a presentation to your seminar or breakout session.

You could present the PowerPoint show from your connected laptop – or from a CD or DVD containing the presentation and the standalone PowerPoint Viewer application – but PowerPoint is notorious for its propensity to stutter and crash. The most dependable playback format is a universally supported video format like AVI, where you will have a smooth, flawless presentation with no glitches. With an AVI file of your presentation, you can then leverage the power of a neat piece of equipment we found in a rather unexpected place.

Convert PowerPoint presentation to video

Literally scores of applications, from freeware and shareware to commercial packages, can convert PowerPoint presentations to AVI. Most allow a trial period before buying, although they might watermark your video, so find out about that. PowerVideoMaker Professional, for example, converts PowerPoint files to AVI , MPEG or WMV formats, while PPT To Video Scout will convert to AVI and over half a dozen other formats. There are plenty of converters to choose from, and several Web-based conversion sites, as well.

Mention “karaoke” and most people think of rolling carts full of audio equipment. You can still have a big rack of karaoke gear if you want, but the high-powered, handheld Acesonic PK-6000 Pocket Karaoke Entertainment System can replace all of it. If it didn’t have “Pocket Karaoke” stamped on it, it could just as easily be called the “Presentation Player with Voice-Over.” The PK-6000, an iPod-ish media player with a 2.8-inch color LCD screen, stores 2GB of MP3 and MP3+G files in internal memory (plus up to 16GB more on a MicroSD card). It also has native support for AVI video files – and fits in your pocket.

Flexible power with AVI movie

Convert your PowerPoint file into an AVI movie and load it on the PK-6000 via USB. A touchscreen with great navigation tools offers intuitive control, and the PK’s mini-gooseneck microphone lets you speak over the program material as it runs. The device has a built-in FM transmitter so you can use it as a PA, but you won’t need to if you connect it via the included RCA cable to one of CRE’s LCD monitor rentals or other big displays. In addition to its presentation chops, the PK has a digital mixer for tweaking mic volume, echo level and tone settings.

You can make an honest case that the Acesonic Pocket Karaoke was made for presenters as well as singers. There’s nothing in the manual that says you can’t talk instead of sing, or play business presentations instead of Toy Story. At CRE, we don’t let any obstacles get in the way of working smarter as well as harder, and can offer you creative solutions to even the most daunting audio, video and post-production challenges. If you need meeting rentals, simply fill out the Quick Rental Quote form, and we will get you what you need to capture the meeting presentation on video.

Safety and Security with Surveillance Software

July 15th, 2010

Even people who keep up on surveillance technology are amazed by the Surveillance Camera latest hardware, some of which we highlighted in an April blog on security hardware. With wireless cameras the size of coat buttons and point-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras with optical and digital close-ups of 50-100X or more, the field is full of great gear. In addition to the latest miniature marvels and futuristic hardware devices, there’s a new generation of surveillance software, too, that’s nothing short of amazing.

With the right equipment and setup, a business owner can watch over his 20,000 square-foot store, the warehouse in the back and every approaching street and sidewalk, too. Early on in the computer era (back with the VCRs in the Stone Age, the 1980s) one of the first ideas for surveillance systems was to split the screen and let you see two camera views at once. That is a quaint memory now that today’s software lets you view 16 or even 32 cameras in any grouping that you like, across one, two or three monitors – even a monitor wall, if you want.

Total flexibility

There are commercial software packages that are quite capable, even bordering on consciousness, after a fashion. Then, too, there are any number of proprietary applications that are bundled with certain manufacturers’ gear, and you can always hire a programmer to create something special for your unique needs. Most of these packages will share common capabilities, and differ on the implementation, the number of cameras supported and connectivity schemes. However, they all share a common feature set.

You can record the camera feeds if you choose, and often into various formats and on various media. Gone are the days when all surveillance video feeds were recorded to VHS tapes, a costly approach and an archivist’s nightmare. Today the video can be compressed and saved to hard drives, flash memory or burnable CDs/DVDs. With the advent of Blu-ray recorders, 25 and 50GB of video can be written to single- and double-sided discs, respectively.

Compressed with quality

New compression schemes such as mpeg4, particularly Apple’s h.264 version, reduce video files to a fraction of their original size, while maintaining excellent quality. These compression schemes are called “lossy” since there is some loss of original information. There are also “lossless” compression schemes if it is important to save as much detail as possible while still conserving storage space. Remember, the former tools squeeze the files smaller than the latter ones.

You are advised to check out a variety of compressed video types to see what you will get from your system. You need to know the quality of the archived video before you can decide how to proceed. Then you can calculate just how much media you will need to save what you are recording. It may also be, of course, that you only save segments of the video stream in which there is movement or other activity. The hardware and software available today can be motion-sensitive, light-sensitive, sound-sensitive or some combination, in order to trigger the recording only when it is necessary.

CRE follows all the different high-tech trends, even for technology we don’t rent, as part of our commitment to helping you prepare for whatever comes your way. Need some PC or Mac computer rentals or Xserve RAID rentals for an important project? Simply fill out the Quick Rental Quote form and we’ll be on it right away. There’s no time to spare. The future is headed our way and it’s coming fast!

5 Great Ideas for Green Meetings & Events

July 8th, 2010

“Going green” has been promoted as responsible corporate behavior, and it is. The new model for going green, however, focuses on its ability to save money as well as resources, and you get the added benefit of the good press this can bring your firm. For convention planners, exhibitors, host facilities and all kinds of vendors, highlighted are five green, moneysaving ideas:

1. Deploy lightweight booths
2. Minimize paper, maximize wireless
3. Coordinate transportation
4. Review food service
5. Cultivate a green mindset

1. Deploy lightweight booths

You certainly don’t need to gut your marketing budget because of a recessionary economy, and it’s not wise, anyway. A new generation of lightweight booth designs can save you a bundle in shipping (and associated fuel costs and carbon footprints). New wrinkle-resistant fabrics, or plastics made from over 80% recycled material, are stretched over recyclable aluminum frames, allowing different panels to be swapped in and out to create unique looks at various events. New retractable banner stands take the same approach, and are easy to set up, recyclable and all of 10-15 pounds in weight.

2. Minimize paper, maximize wireless

Literally tons of paper are used for meetings and conferences so much that even state agencies (like the State of Virginia) are getting involved by certifying convention centers as “green.” The overriding goal is to minimize paper use as much as possible, by making online registration the preferred method for signing up, and delivering program materials via PDF downloads and other eco-friendly means. Convention centers are rapidly deploying wireless networks to capture more business, and exhibitors of all sizes are prepared to distribute even post-conference materials by download rather than in printed form.

3. Coordinate transportation

Even when a conference is held in a single location, attendees should be encouraged to carpool, walk and use alternatives to single-passenger cars. Exhibitors who use CRE for convention rentals do not have to transport any equipment to the site, as CRE can take care of delivery, setup and breakdown in most cities. Conference managers may be able to strike a deal with local public transportation agencies for discounted passes, and simply providing rate and fare information has been shown to increase the use of public transportation and cooperative carpools by conference participants.

4. Review food services

If food preparation is part of the plan, reusable dishes, flatware and glassware should be considered in place of disposables, as the American Chemical Society included in the municipal plan it did for Boston. Unserved food portions are often overlooked in planning, and last-minute notions of distributing them to food banks or missions will not pass muster with most municipal, county and state food handling laws. Check on food-handling regulations, federal and state, and remember that unserved portions must be kept separate from food waste.

5. Cultivate a green mindset

Conference participants, from presenters to exhibitors, should all be encouraged to cultivate an attitude supporting reduced waste and increased recycling. Green events do not happen automatically, but through careful planning and the cultivation of a take-charge, can-do mindset. You are doing the right thing ecologically and, even better, you are saving some green while you’re acting green. CRE can help, since we are convention experts as well as the premier source for the computer rentals, large monitors, audio-visual equipment and plasma rentals that will make your exhibit a success. Call, send an e-mail or fill out a Quick Rental Quote form and an experienced Account Executive will be on the job for you right away.

Interactive and Collaborative Tech Tools

June 10th, 2010

In every phase of your business now – from marketing and prospecting to R&D, from attending trade shows to exhibiting and making presentations at them, as well – you can avail yourself of today’s potent interactive and collaborative technologies. With wireless mobility and real-time connectivity come faster product development and better feedback from clients and prospects, which is good no matter what industry you’re in. CRE can help you leverage this technology to great benefit, no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Apple’s iPad has been getting a ridiculous amount of press, but precious little has been said about serious, productive uses (even in our own first look). Its size, about midway between a smart phone and a netbook, means it has enough screen real estate to do real browsing, writing (with a nice on-screen keyboard or a Bluetooth wireless one), reading and document handling (PDFs, photos, video, etc.). With WiFi-only and WiFi-plus-3G connectivity, you can stay in touch with one, two or 200 colleagues, customers, clients and/or coworkers, wherever you are, to accomplish pretty much whatever you need to do. When the “excitement of the new” wears off, the iPad should be standing tall, regardless, as it really can be a great tool for you, as Adobe proved this week with its release of iPad-specific publishing tools.

Tablet PCs running Windows have been around forever, it seems, and have been refined over the years. It can be argued that the humble tablet PC was a precursor to the iPad, as it combined Wi-Fi, handwriting recognition, a good bit of audio-video capability and ease of use in a mobile (if not pocket-sized) form factor.With CRE’s tablet PC rentals, conference teams or salespeople can run PowerPoint presentations, maintain contact with headquarters, stay abreast of breaking news or take handwritten notes. On site or on the go, a tablet or pad can be a true collaborative tool. Although Windows tablet PC’s typically run a special version of Microsoft Windows XP, CRE can configure your tablet PC with the ever-popular Microsoft Office, or even the Ubuntu version of Linux. CRE features award-winning tablets from Motion Computing, which can also run Windows 7 if you’re a Top Geek, like the fellow in this YouTube video.

A recent CRE blog discussed some of the new technologies finding their way into Audience Response Systems. In addition to tighter integration with MS Office applications, particularly PowerPoint, the leading ARS makers are making much more capable keypads and are allowing input from more and more wireless devices all the time, from smart phones to (yes) the iPad. There are few better methods for getting real-time input from your audience than one of CRE’s Audience Response System rentals.

Despite CRE carrying a number of interactive, collaborative devices, our interactive kiosks are the only products in the CRE lineup that feature “interactive” in the name. Standalone kiosks let you multiply your presence at trade shows, conferences or your own annual shareholder meetings. They can be set up remotely, as well, to run product demonstrations, capture contact information from interested parties, feature surveys, connect job seekers to your firm’s online employment application and 1001 other things.

When it comes to helping you meet the challenges of today’s marketplace, whether it’s with a number of iMac rentals for post-production or some audio-visual rentals for that conference or presentation, CRE Rentals is ready to help. Send an e-mail or make a call to our experienced Account Executives, or fill out our Quick Rental Quote form, and we will get you “interactivated” and “collaborational” in no time.

Green (and Good) Ideas for Events

May 27th, 2010

The 2010 Event Solutions Conference & Tradeshow, attended by event planners, show operators and industry leaders, is one of the top annual shows in the conference industry. This year, the state of the industry discussion, “Where We Are Now & Where We’re Headed,” was presented by a panel of top industry professionals addressing concerns about design trends, green events, pricing and shortened production times. In addition, educational sessions featured topics such as customer loyalty, green events, social media and more.

Trade show riches, green niches

The trade show portion of the Event Solutions Conference was, as always, overflowing with new ideas, technologies and trends. Exhibitors showcased such creative event ideas as entertainment-centric presentations, portable ice arenas, the latest display and gaming technologies, and future directions in décor and design. During an exhibitor debriefing session, many noted that new event professionals are continuing to enter the industry, pointing up the power of networking and relationship building.

The “greening of the events industry” continues to be a ‘hot topic’ and has already produced numerous money- and environment-saving practices. In addition to affecting conference planning, environmental concerns have spurred a great deal of new research into electronic devices that both use and waste less power, are easily recycled, have eco-friendly components and are not designed for obsolescence. “Going green” is one of the strongest trends in business today, and shows now sign of abating.

Real-world solutions for greening events

From holding events outdoors, maximizing natural light and leveraging wireless technology to replace printed materials, to reducing food waste and recycling every possible item, green goals were widely discussed at the conference – and used by exhibitors and attendees alike. Many made use of Wi-Fi to reduce the distribution of paper programs, just like CRE can equip conference teams (again, both exhibitors and attendees) with laptop rentals or other devices to save on paper, printing costs and cleanup. CRE is serious about enviro-friendliness, too, as its corporate green statement makes clear. The balance is a tough one to strike – business growth along with environmental stewardship – but it is worth our best efforts.

CRE always gives you its best efforts, too, recommending appropriate solutions to your workflow bottlenecks and advising you on everything from technology to outfitting your trade show exhibit booth. Call or e-mail one our Account Executives today, or fill out the online Quick Rental Quote form, and let us help you make your next move towards ‘greening’ your event.

Quick Tips for a Green Conference

May 13th, 2010

Because of our own commitment to sustainability, we’ve covered a number of green topics in our blog this past year (yes, it’s been a year now), but have discovered one glaring oversight. We never gave you, in one place at one time, a simple action plan or quick overview for having the greenest possible conference. Today, we will address conference exhibitors, but the ideas will be applicable to in-house meetings and events, too.

Green is the goal

Along with everything else that goes into your conference preparation – writing and design, layouts and animations, schedules and assignments – you need a strategy for equipment. The challenge is to balance your corporate conference goal with the green goal of minimizing waste of all kinds. This means not only saving paper by creating virtual sell sheets and brochures that can be downloaded, but saving on conference incidental costs by using one of CRE’s interactive kiosk rentals as both a “presentation station” and a data collector.

If you are scheduling a live presentation, the same thing goes for any ”handouts” – make PDFs available for download. (Most conferences these days have onsite wireless set up for attendees’ use.) For feedback on the presentation, forget the paper and pencils again, because Audience Response System rentals will get you much more feedback, and in a form you can immediately put to use on your computer. The presentation itself can be done in several ways, either with projector rentals or large-screen monitors (like CRE’s plasma rentals). You can attach a digital media player or your laptop to either a projector or a LCD monitor, and remotely control the whole thing.

More green tips for your conference

If you really want to limit your conference team’s paper use, you may want to outfit everyone with tablet PC rentals. This way, the team’s note-taking can be handled with the various “pen computing” tools. Using the stylus and a “notepad” program, you can take digital notes, saving them as-is or converting them in real-time (or later) with character recognition software. A tablet PC, of course, is multipurpose wireless device and can be used to keep team members connected and coordinated, no matter how busy and demanding the conference gets. (Tip: Don’t forget the AC adapter, and plug in the unit at all possible times to keep it charged for those times you need to be “untethered.”)

If you need to record a conversation with a potential customer, a keynote speech or a breakout session, digital recorder rentals can provide massive amounts of speech-quality recording time. Again, you will have no consumables, no waste, a low cost and high quality results. Instead of pages of random, unsorted notes (plus the occasional napkin or envelope with someone’s name and phone number), you will leave the conference with a useful collection of digital assets – audio notes, imported/downloaded video, drawings, doodles and handwriting converted to editable text.

Always back up your digital assets!

In addition to carrying your digital assets out of the convention center on your laptop, you can upload them to your company’s server (or elsewhere) as you go along from session to session, day to day, in a sort of ongoing online backup routine. This is the way to safeguard against loss of your laptop, file or disk corruption or other catastrophes. After planning a Earth-friendly, green conference appearance, the last thing you need is a technological breakdown. Don’t forget to make backup an important part of your strategic planning.

CRE’s experienced Account Executives can help you “green” your next conference or event, or set you up with everything from computers to office equipment. Our expertise is yours with a simple phone call or e-mail, or if you know what you need, use our Quick Rental Quote form. We are here to help. Let us know how we can help with your next green event!

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