I just received several audiovisual quotes for an upcoming event, but they're so different that I can't compare apples to apples. What should I ask each provider to help me determine which firm best meets my needs?

Unfortunately, the audiovisual industry doesn't have any quote-related standards. Whether you're securing estimates for your exhibit, hybrid event, or cousin's bat mitzvah, if you send a request for proposal to three different firms, you're likely to get three dramatically different quotes in terms of format, wording, terms, inclusions, fees, and more. Each AV firm has its own way of doing business and quoting its services, so it's up to you to decipher each response you receive.

Here are six questions to aid in your quote decryption. While you may not need to pose each query to every supplier, you can use them to develop a basic understanding of what's included and ultimately which mixture of prices, components, and services are the best fit for your program.

➤ What associated fees are not covered in this quote? I know it's shocking (not), but many quotes don't include all of the ancillary fees you'll ultimately end up paying. So ask suppliers whether there are any additional charges (including everything from credit-card fees to cabling) that aren't included and what potential scenarios might add to the bottom line.

For example, let's say you're hiring an outside AV company to service an event at a convention center that has its own union labor crew. In this situation, most AV companies will only quote you for their services – and not all the labor-related electrical and rigging costs you'll pay the venue. So always inquire about what's not included and what type of alterations you might make, such as moving services to a different room in the venue, increasing the size of your audience, etc., that could compound your costs.

➤ Which specific equipment is included in this quote and how does it rank in terms of quality? You wouldn't go to a car dealership and ask merely for a vehicle with four wheels. Similarly, you shouldn't accept a quote from an AV supplier that calls for "two microphones." Still, well-meaning AV companies often try to simplify their quotes so as not to bog down recipients in details. As such, they might list equipment generically (e.g., amp, microphone, mixer) rather than specifically (e.g., the Pyle Pro 12- Channel Bluetooth Studio Mixer). But when you're in the quote-comparison stage, it's vital that you understand what type and quality of equipment each supplier is proposing.

Unless you're trying to scrape by with a bargain-basement budget, you don't want the cheapest equipment on the market. You require apparatus whose quality and costs meet your needs. So ask suppliers to list out the specific equipment in your quote and provide some guidance as to the overall quality of each piece.

➤ Have you included enough staff to satisfy my service expectations? When it comes to the number of AV techs, you'll often find huge discrepancies between quotes. One might include a single technician while another advises the use of three. So ask each company how many staffers are included in the price, where each will be stationed, and how much territory they're expected to cover. For example, if you have 10 breakout rooms, will two technicians roam and cover each space? Is that sufficient? Or does the complexity of sessions or experience levels of your presenters necessitate having one tech watching every room like a hawk?

Granted, both stationary and roaming techs are appropriate for various situations. Just make sure the quote you're considering has the proper number of technicians to suit your audience and presenters.

➤ How much power do you need? Hopefully, you've already covered this in your query about ancillary fees. But since having enough power is critical to the success of your event, it's important to call it out individually if you haven't already done so.

For most small events, AV providers can simply plug in their equipment to the venue's power outlets. But for medium to large events the AV company is probably going to need additional power. And if you have any other big power draws as part of your experience – maybe an exhibit has a whiz-bang light show or your event also includes catering with multiple cooking stations – you'll need to determine whether your AV power requirements will bump you over the power allotment available through the venue. So always establish whether all electrical costs are included in the estimate or if you will end up paying additional fees to the venue.

➤ What do I need to provide? The ideal answer to this question is "nothing." But sometimes, crucial items can be left off a quote – and can be absent at an event – because you failed to have this discussion. For example, who will provide the laptops to run the presentations? Are presenters bringing their content on USBs or must they bring their own laptops? And if the latter is true, will the AV company include the necessary video adaptors for all laptop types?

Along these same lines, you might need to ask who is providing art assets. For instance, if you have a sponsor for a presentation and the content needs to include the sponsor logo, are you securing that and turning it over to the AV company, or is that something it will handle?

It's important to know who's doing and providing what early in the quote process. But down the road, also note these seemingly minor details in your contract so there are no disputes over overlooked responsibilities.

➤ Is there anything you'd recommend to make our event run more smoothly? Especially if you've given your AV firm a ballpark figure for the amount you'd like to spend, suppliers hoping to stay within your budget parameters might downsize or eliminate components that would ultimately aid your event's effectiveness. Let's say a firm offered a quote that's well within your budget.

But if you don't ask this question, you might not learn that in an effort to control costs, the provider left out a key piece of equipment that could have made your AV experience a memorable, pulse-raising event. In reality, you might be more than willing to spend an extra $200 or $300 for that equipment, but if you never ask, you'll never know what components you're missing.

Here's a case in point. Quotes often omit a key set of on-stage items that can really impact your speaker: a slide advance (also called a clicker), a timer, and a confidence monitor, which is a small screen facing the presenter that mirrors the content appearing on the large screen that's visible to the audience. These can make it easier for speakers to manage their time and give better presentations. But the lowest quote may not include these critical elements.

While not the do-all-end-all of queries, these six questions can help you better assess AV quotes and do more of an apples-to-apples comparison. Plus, they can potentially help you head off disasters and ensure that you and your provider are on the same page about who's doing what, what's included in your purchase, and the type and quality of experience you and your guests will receive.