aQ Broadcast to focus on new customer development in lieu of IBC appearance

In order to devote more resources to the expansion of its existing customer base in the UK and elsewhere, aQ Broadcast has decided not to exhibit at this year’s IBC in Amsterdam.

The resultant saving in time will also allow the company to concentrate more fully on its current busy schedule of major broadcast projects, which includes significant upgrades to existing sites as well as brand new installations stretching ahead into 2019.

Neil Hutchins, CEO of aQ Broadcast, says that “visitors at major trade shows are often extremely pushed for time, and so it can be difficult to make sure you have the conversations – both with existing and potential customers – that really need to take place. Part of the thinking in reviewing our attendance at IBC is that we should free up more time and personnel to visit customers at their own premises. There is no denying that assigning multiple staff members to any one major show has serious implications in terms of time and related expenses, and on careful reflection we came to the conclusion that in this case our resources could be better spent approaching customers on a more individual basis.”

The move comes at a crucial point in aQ Broadcast’s expansion trajectory, particularly in the UK, where - although it does have some notable customers - its overall market situation is “disproportionate in terms of our product range and capabilities. So, one of the messages we want to emphasise going forward is that we are able to provide everything from very basic scripting to full-scale station transmission, playout, media management, storage and ingest. In effect we can supply a complete station solution, and indeed our largest customer in the UK employs us to provide exactly that.”

As well as undertaking more site visits in the months ahead, aQ Broadcast will also be inviting customers to its demo facilities so that they can sample the capabilities of existing products and receive information about forthcoming developments. “We look forward to having the opportunity to spend a decent amount of time with each customer, guiding them through what we can offer in detail,” says Hutchins.

But although aQ Broadcast will not be present at IBC this year, the decision should not be interpreted as a general move away from trade show attendance. The NAB Show in the US and conferences in Canada continue to be fixtures on the company calendar, reflecting aQ Broadcast’s “strong and growing” interests in both countries. But there is also likely to be a marked increase in presence at smaller regional shows, such as BVE in the UK, which benefit company expansion priorities at any given time.

“The regional shows can provide invaluable gateways to new markets, with their smaller scales making it possible to spend more time with potential customers, so we definitely see events of this kind being an important element of our future strategy,” says Hutchins.