AmpliVox Corporate Values: Service First

AmpliVox Sound Systems is a manufacturer, designer and distributor of portable sound systems and lecterns. Our commitment to excellence in design, testing, and quality control has made AmpliVox an industry leader for product development and production. Our employees are committed to providing the finest PA systems and presentation equipment that can be produced, from the finest materials available. Our dealers and distributors are rewarded with customer service that is knowledgeable, supportive and dedicated to their success.

AmpliVox also values the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship, both locally and globally. We work to strengthen our communities by supporting many causes, events and charities. AmpliVox is especially proud to support the fight against breast cancer with its innovative Pink Podium Promise donation program.

• Customer Service: AmpliVox considers customer service its top priority. We pride ourselves on responding promptly and accurately to every request, using top quality technology to ensure perfect order fulfillment. We value customer feedback and respond with meaningful, proactive solutions to improve every aspect of the customer service experience.
• Supplier Relationships: AmpliVox recognizes the value of high ethical standards in all interactions connected to our business. In working with suppliers on a global level, we support work environments that respect the dignity and inherent human rights of the individual. We are dedicated to business practices that deliver fair compensation for products and services and respect all intellectual property rights.
• Employment Policies: AmpliVox values the contribution of each member of its team. Employees of AmpliVox are provided equal opportunity and treatment in matters of hiring, continued employment, advancement, and compensation without regard to issues of race, color, gender, ethnicity, or religious belief. Open communication and partnership with our team members makes AmpliVox a better company for its workers, management, and customers
• Environmental Stewardship: In pursuit of new products and methods that protect the environment while supporting a healthy bottom line, AmpliVox Sound Systems’ products comply with approved standards to minimize the environmental impact of manufactured products and promote the use of recycled materials. AmpliVox also specifies Green Cross-certified particle board and recycled post-industrial wood residues in the manufacture of its products, and uses recycled packaging materials and biodegradable packing peanuts to dramatically reduce toxic landfill waste.
• Commitment to Community: AmpliVox works to strengthen and improve the communities we serve, through innovative programs that channel financial support as well as product and expertise assistance to public service organizations. AmpliVox created the “Pink Podium Promise” cause marketing initiative to provide breast cancer awareness groups with distinctive, versatile pink Pinnacle lecterns. Since 2009, the program has delivered hundreds of free lecterns to breast cancer events around the country, and has been expanded to include donations of Pink Power Megaphones and Blue Podiums for Prostate Health. AmpliVox has also actively supported local community organizations including the North Suburban YMCA, in the firm belief that a strong community enhances both our personal and business lives in the short and long term.

Northbrook Chamber Honors North Suburban YMCA at 58th Annual Dinner

AmpliVox CEO Don Roth with
YMCA Executive Director Howard Schultz

The Northbrook Chamber of Commerce presented its 58th Annual Dinner on February 27, celebrating the successes of business enterprises in its community. Over 200 members and guests braved inclement weather to participate in the event at the Renaissance Hotel. This year’s dinner gave special recognition to the North Suburban YMCA as its Small Business of the Year, in recognition of the Y’s dramatic turnaround, consistent growth, and dedicated commitment to community service.

YMCA Past President Bob Dahlke Jr, along with CEO/Executive Director Howard Schultz, accepted the award from Chamber President Tensley Garris. He reflected on the Y’s remarkable success over the last six years, which included an intense drive to revitalize and renovate the once-ailing facility. In 2006, the Y was on the verge of closing its doors due to crippling debt, plummeting membership, deteriorating infrastructure and the potential revocation of its charter from YMCA of the USA. A “Save the Y” campaign built on the Y’s deep roots in the community and then reached out to new potential partners and supporters, eliminating the institution’s mortgage obligations and then raising an additional $5.8 million to date for essential renovations. Phase II of the renovation project, completed in September 2012, included new locker rooms, enhanced lobby and public areas, improved accessibility, and a host of other upgrades throughout the building. The renovations and surrounding publicity have yielded huge returns: through February 2013, membership has grown over 35% since 2009, including a 19% leap since the completion of major renovations in September alone. The Y now boasts over 2100 dues paying member households.

At the same time, the Y maintains a commitment to keep its services available to all by providing financial assistance to families enable participation in membership, child care, day camp, and other programs important to their family needs, through its Strong Kids Financial Assistance Fund. Approximately one out of five participant members, approximately 2000 people, receive some level of assistance, with roughly $490,000 in aid being distributed in 2012 alone. The Y’s annual Ken & Alta Thiel Strong Kids Dinner has been the primary source of the over $1.8 million raised for financial assistance since 2006.

Dahlke thanked the Chamber for its consistent support of the Y’s efforts and pledged that the Y would continue to be a strong partner to area businesses. In accepting the award, he commented, “We are going to be here forever to help Northbrook, support the Chamber, and be a great place for everybody.”

Amplivox Sound Systems has been an integral part in supporting the North Suburban YMCA. In addition to financial support, Amplivox has supplied portable audio systems and presentation equipment to meet its every need, whether it's group fitness, sporting events, corporate presentations or day camp.

For more information regarding the North Suburban YMCA, visit www.nsymca.org.

St. Patrick’s Day 2013: Chicago Parade & Celebrations

AmpliVox Sound Systems, a native of the Chicago land area, is looking forward to this week’s festivities and joining in on the celebration in honoring St. Patrick’s Day this Sunday the 17th, 2013.

With its large Irish community, Chicago goes all out and celebrates the holiday with the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade along with city-wide festivities commemorating traditional and contemporary Irish music, dance, food and activities.

Our favorite Chicago St. Patrick’s Day tradition takes place hours before the city’s parade with the annual dyeing the Chicago River, turning the Chicago River into an incredible shade of Irish Green.

The dyeing of the Chicago River tradition began in 1961 when Stephen Bailey noticed and approached a plumber that had his white coveralls stained and dyed in a bright shade of green. When Stephen Bailey asked the plumber how his coveralls got that way, they discovered that the dye the plumber used to detect leaks into the river turned the water into a perfect shade of green identical to the greens of Ireland.

The dyeing of the Chicago River will take place this Saturday the 16th at 10:00am and can be best witnessed near Wacker Drive between Columbus and Lake Shore Drive. Celebrate a Chicago tradition on the river and take a boat ride on the St. Patrick’s Day Cruise offered by the Shoreline Sightseeing Architecture Cruises that presents a special tour highlighting the role of the Irish in the growth of Chicago.

The Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade follows the dyeing of the Chicago River at 12:00 noon starting at Balbo Drive and Columbus Drive proceeding north on Columbus Drive till Monroe Drive.

Viewing stand will be located directly in front of Chicago’s famous Buckingham Fountain, known as the city’s grand “Chicago’s front yard”.

The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is overjoyed with large crowds, blaring bagpipes, traditional Irish dance and even a few local celebrities.

With the festivities continuing throughout the weekend, local park districts, the Irish American Heritage Center, and all Irish Pubs and Taverns around Chicago land area provide you with an authentic Irish experience of party with traditional food, drink, dancing and all things green. We wish you all a very Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

AmpliVox provides product training at W.B. Mason Brockton, MA offices

The W.B. Mason office in Brockton, MA was the scene this week for AmpliVox Sound Systems to present and educate Mason account representatives on how to effectively prospect and sell portable sound systems and lecterns.

The team of over 45 account executives met with Bill Gamber, Director of Sales, for AmpliVox. The focus of the meeting was to reinforce the message that was delivered back in October at the W.B. Mason Sales Convention & Trade Show.

AmpliVox has a PA system and lectern for virtually every one of the Mason reps customers. Be it a small 20 watt system all the way to a 250 watt system, be it an audience from 10 to 10,000 people, all the schools, churches, civic groups, restaurants and businesses that these reps currently sell to are all in need of some way of delivering their message through an easy to use portable pa system or a lectern integrated with sound that AmpliVox supplies to W.B. Mason and United Stationers.

The reps were really excited to know that virtually every one of the AmpliVox pa systems and lecterns has iPod ipad, iphone connectivity to them. The extensive selection of pa systems and lecterns that AmpliVox offers had the reps thinking of ways they can capitalize on this profitable line. After the meeting, many reps asked specific questions, about projects they are aware of with their customers, where an AmpliVox system can be used. Of course they all received a copy of the 2013 Full Line Color catalog.

The Merits of Direct Selling

Direct selling is the person-to-person sale of a good or service. The direct seller, who operates independently of the company producing the goods, receives a portion of each sale as a commission for their work.

The founding principles of direct selling go back hundreds of years, but many people today may remember the “Tupperware” parties of the 1950s as the time when direct selling most greatly influenced American consumerism. They may also assume that the industry has since dissolved, given the rise of more encompassing business-to-consumer commerce. According to the Direct Selling Association though, hundreds of direct selling companies continue to successfully operate, including the likes of Mary Kay, Avon, Amway, Tupperware, Beach Body, and many more, which produce billions of dollars in annual revenue.

And that revenue stems from the work of the direct seller, who arrive from all walks of life to help connect businesses to customers through their unique products.

If you think such business endeavors would be risky or unsustainable in these current economic conditions, you may be surprised. Direct selling opportunities within industries like travel and tourism are expected to prosperously meet the growing demand consumers have to take trips in 2013.

At AmpliVox Sound Systems, we believe our success stems from a strong work ethic and an unwavering competitive drive. It comes from fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation to produce portable audio products that meet our customers’ diverse needs. It comes from the relationships we’ve built with our suppliers, distributors, and customers to maintain great communication and to ensure all expectations are being met. It comes from being a leader in our field.

Those same traits—hard work, innovation, strong communication and relationship building, are the foundation of direct selling, and we applaud the self-reliant and entrepreneurial nature of those who work and succeed in this capacity across the country.

You can learn more about the direct selling industry by visiting the Direct Selling Association at dsa.org.

Do you have any experience with direct selling? Do you have any comments for this article? We want to know. Leave us a note on our Facebook page or tweet us at @AmpliVox on Twitter. 

Church Pulpits and Custom Ministry Lecterns

AmpliVox offers a large selection of acrylic lecterns and wooden podiums to meet the needs of nearly all congregations. Our lecterns are available with sound options and custom logos to create a pulpit using your church name and logo.

An acrylic lectern makes a perfect church pulpit, with its wide reading surface area and elegant see-through appearance will look great on any altar. Its clear acrylic enhances the overall stage appearance, and its beauty through its clarity will surely capture your audience’s attention.

The acrylic podiums have a large base that adds stability to the standing lectern with a slanted reading surface giving ample space to maintain all of your reading materials.

AmpliVox offer 14 styles of pulpit acrylic lecterns that can add a touch of sophistication to any chapel, synagogue or sanctuary.

We also offer several wood accent options and acrylic shades of clear, glass, frosted, or smoked (shown in picture).

Create a unique and personalized pulpit with etching and vinyl options for your customized logo. Choose any of our lecterns and make it your own. Promote your church's identity with a modified lectern customized with your church's logo.

A companion PA system to add to your sermon with your acrylic pulpit is the SW227 Wireless Powered Voice Projector Kit, a complete wireless presentation system for an audience size of up to 3000 people.

The Voice Projector includes two 6”x8” speakers, a 50-watt amplifier with built-in 16 Channel wireless receiver, lapel and headset microphone with a wireless powered dual module speaker and transmitter.

No wires, cables or confusion with this stereo wireless speaker system. Just place the speakers, add the batteries, clip on the microphone and you’re ready to go.

The Voice Projector Kit also includes two tripods and a rugged nylon reinforced carrying case on wheels for easy storage and transportability.

For more information on our acrylic lecterns or customized lectern with your church's logo please visit visit: http://www.ampli.com/acrylic-podium/

Computer Carts on Wheels for your Laptop or Office

Our computer carts are built to create a mobile working area, where one can setup a laptop or desktop computer and use that space for office applications. The computer desks can easily take a small space of room and change it into an office workstation.

Stay organized and keep all your computing needs in one area by conveniently setting up a computer stand into a laptop computer cart or computer utility cart.

The cart may also be arranged to support all of the audio visual tools you at your next presentation, with adequate shelf space for any projector, laptop, keyboard, iPad and other computer devices.

Includes a top shelf, pull-out shelf for a keyboard or projector and a lower shelf that fits your printer or other equipment. Hydraulic height adjustment quickly allows multiple users to bring the entire cart up or down to a comfortable height for usage.

The four rolling casters allow you to effortlessly move the cart from room to room, enabling to share the resources of the cart between classrooms or departments.

For more information on our Hydraulic Adjustable Multimedia Cart or any of our portable computer carts please visit:
http://www.ampli.com/mobile-computer-cart/

iPhone / iPad Portable PA and Sound System

AmpliVox Sound Systems is proud to unveil its newly updated SW720 Wireless PA system, the most versatile PA package to support all types of external media.

The SW720 PA allows for audio or video to be played from MP3s, CDs, DVDs, or any iDevice from Apple (iPhones, iPads, or iPods), complemented by a wireless handheld mic for crystal-clear voice amplification.

For audiences of up to 500 people and rooms as large as 2,500 square feet, the SW720 is the all-in-one solution for multimedia presentations.

Made for today’s music and video, the revamped SW720 Wireless PA System with Remote Controlled DVD player now includes AmpliVox’s S1732 Cable and Adapter, enabling iPads and other Apple devices to be played and charged at the same time.

The unit also contains an integrated DVD/CD/MP3 disc player with USB/SD card reader and video output that allows DVDs to be viewed with a projector or other video display. For voice amplification, the SW720 includes a built-in UHF selectable 16 channel wireless receiver with wireless handheld microphone that has a range of 300 feet.

Designed for simplicity and flexibility, the SW720 includes straightforward controls to customize presentations. A voice priority switch mutes music when the mic is in use, and separate bass/treble controls allow for easy sound adjustments.

Weighing just 11.5 pounds, the molded plastic enclosure with its comfort grip handle is made for exceptional durability and portability. A protective cover offers plenty of pockets for accessory storage. The SW720 can run for up to six hours on its built-in rechargeable battery, or can be powered with the included AC power cord.

“Our customers use AmpliVox PA systems for all kinds of presentations, with all types of supporting media,” commented Don Roth, AmpliVox CEO. “The SW720 offers the most flexibility of any PA system, and enables its users to create polished, exciting presentations anywhere with ease.”

For more information on the S1732 iPod Cable and Adapter or revamped SW720 Wireless PA System please visit:
http://www.ampli.com/ipod-pa-system/

Product Spec Sheet: SW720 iPad, iPhone, iPod Wireless PA System Product Spec Sheet: S1732 iPod Cable and Adapter

Meeting and Conference Room Setup Guide

A conference room setup is a classic layout popularly used for smaller meetings and an ideal arrangement for debate and discussion. Conference style layouts consist of one table in the center of the room where attendees are seated around all sides, encouraging and allowing an easy dialogue between delegates. Commonly used for board meetings, discussion groups and other smaller functions at which interaction between participants is expected.

For small businesses the conference room usually has multiple uses. This room could be used for brainstorming sessions where team members can get together, or it could have a social function as well, hosting a birthday party or celebratory event. A conference room layout provides plenty of workspace for each person at the table and a good communication / visual line for each participant.

Listed below are the advantages and disadvantages of a conference room seating layout with suggested placement of any needed PA Systems and wireless microphoned presenters.

Advantages: Participants can hear and see each other easily. Unity is created by sharing the table and encourages conversation. Can be used to identify work groups; one group of workers can be seated across the table from another group to present and discuss different ideas.

Disadvantages: People must be rearranged when using AV equipment. Extremely long tables can give a feeling of isolation and discourage participation. Cannot see the faces of all the people. Can highlight tensions between separate groups.

Group Involvement: High. Encourages the involvement of people in the group. Creates a more formal setting.

Seating: Arranged along sides of tables. Seats at the end of the tables can designate leadership positions.

Legend
Portable PA System
Wireless Microphone

Variations of a Conference Layout

Square Table: Another formal arrangement, tables are configured in a square. Allows for more groups to be identified and involved in the meeting.

Hollow Square: Facilitates group discussions and brainstorming, but can also accommodate the agendas of multiple speakers.

Connect With AmpliVox Online!

At AmpliVox Sound Systems, we love connecting with our customers and friends. One of the ways we promote this engagement is by being active across today’s popular social networks.

The links below will take you to our profiles on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Google+. We update often, with links to the latest portable audio and technological news, as well as to answer any questions you may have (and sometimes ask a few of our own!).

Facebook—Our Facebook page is our hub for pictures of the latest AmpliVox products, company events, and a sampling of famous folks who have extended their voice using our devices.  

Twitter—Follow us on Twitter at @AmpliVox for breaking communication. We’re also active in #edtech, #followfriday and many other relevant hashtags that connect us to likeminded organizations and companies.

YouTube—Our YouTube channel has dozens of videos of product demonstrations, unboxings and more. With over 400,000 total views, our YouTube channel is a great resource if you want to see just what our products can do.

Google+—We’re always looking to grow our circles with like-minded fans of technology and portable audio equipment, so look for us on our Google+ page.

LinkedIn—For those who like their social networks with a more professional touch, our LinkedIn company page is a great resource to connect with fellow companies and organizations.

Pinterest—We are "pinning" all the time, so be sure to stop by our Pinterest profile for our favorite graphics and images in the realms of auido-visual and education technology, direct selling, and much more.

Are you an AmpliVox customer? Audiophile? Has your organization or business benefitted from an AmpliVox product? Do you just like technology? We want to hear from you! Connect with us on your social network of choice to learn more about everything AmpliVox.