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Smart Ways to Save on AV Equipment Rentals

Budget is always one of the major concerns in event planning. Having the right budget makes it possible to create a remarkable affair and ensures that the show will give the audience a great time. Event organizers always try to get the biggest bang for their buck by spending on elements that will enhance the experience of the event, like table linens, décor and props. Many times, the audio-visual requirements of the event are at the bottom of the list and is only taken care of when everything is already set.

If this happens to be your case, don’t lose hope. There are some steps you can take to make things work for you. With careful planning and close working relationship with your PA system rental provider, you can still increase the overall experience of your event without going beyond your financial limit.

Get Just the Right Size of AV System

Pick a sound system rental that matches the size of your party. In some instances, in-house sound system is a cost-efficient solution for smaller events, like employee meetings for a group of no more than 50 attendees. If an event includes speakers who remain stationary, consider getting a podium and a wired microphone for quality sound at a reasonable price. Unless it’s too inconvenient, use wired microphones as they are more dependable and less prone to feedback than wireless ones. Ask your rental company to use the right type of speakers for the kind of event you have; some speakers are best suited for smaller groups and venues, while others are better for larger events.

Work with your AV equipment provider to choose the most appropriate sound system that requires the least level of operation. Newer speakers, such as powered speakers and line arrays, offer better audio quality and lesser set-up time at an affordable price.

Use GOBOs for Lighting Effects

GOBOs, which stands for ‘GOes Before Optics,‘ are glass or tin stencils that go into lighting fixtures and allow lights to get through and create particular patterns. A GOBO usually costs around $60 for a single pattern, which can be used over and over again, and is a more versatile and cost-efficient option than a banner or poster. This decorative lighting is widely used in events nowadays to maximize visibility of sponsors at trade events and to decorate empty walls, eradicating the need to spend on wall decors.

Consider Advanced Technological Equipment

Audio-visual equipment, like other technological gears, is improving over the years. While the cost of technology continually drops, the newest ones are usually still the most expensive. Plasma TVs are slowly dropping prices, as larger TVs carry heavier price tags. Don’t let the rental cost scare you as initial quotes can always be adjusted to meet your requirements. Your AV equipment rental company will work with you to help you choose the best combination of newer and more affordable equipment for your AV set-up. It’s possible to get a lower rental cost of newer and more powerful equipment than requires less set-up time and manpower.

Go Crazy with Lighting

Compared to the collective cost of flowers, entertainment and videos, lighting is much more inexpensive and is able to do a lot to change the mood and perspective of a room. Coloured uplighting on the stage adds flair to the event. Lighting from the ceiling, it can create mystery, drama or romance. The right lighting set-up puts presenters in the best frame and effect for projection onto plasmas and screens. All you need is a versatile lighting design that enables you to create different moods for each part of your program. Not only you’ll save money from using fewer equipment and technicians, a dramatic lighting set-up enables you to cut back on decorations.

Work with an All-in-One Provider

There is a common misconception that breaking out your AV requirements to multiple providers can help you save money. Unfortunately, this is rare. Instead of enduring the hassle of searching for different vendors for your lights and sounds, choose a company that can provide both to eliminate unnecessary expenses. But remember to be honest with your AV equipment rental vendor and disclose your budget to them. This will allow them to formulate a plan that will work towards your goal.

Plan in Advance

Regardless of the size and type of event you will have, hiring a sound system provider is essential for the success of your affair. AV professionals with extensive knowledge and experience can provide you with advice, services and equipment that deliver maximum impact and ‘wow’ factor by staying within your budget limit.

Hire Local Vendors

This may seem obvious, but if you hire a local PA system rental company, there are a lot of benefits apart from the cost. The cost factor alone, you will be saving money from travel and per diem expenses, as well as storage chares. From an environmental viewpoint, you’re going an eco-friendly route for reducing your carbon footprint. And in case of last-minute emergencies, a rental company in Singapore can quickly and easily run back to their hub in case they forget something.

Audio-visual equipment, like other technological gears, is improving over the years. While the cost of technology continually drops, when you look for AV equipment in Singapore and evaluate them, the newest ones are usually still the most expensive. Plasma TVs are slowly dropping prices, as larger TVs carry heavier price tags. Don’t let the rental cost scare you as initial quotes can always be adjusted to meet your requirements. Your AV equipment rental company will work with you to help you choose the best combination of newer and more affordable equipment for your AV set-up. It’s possible to get a lower rental cost of newer and more powerful equipment than requires less set-up time and manpower.

What to Consider When Choosing an Auto Repair Shop

Choosing a car repair shop is a task most of us approach with fear and paranoia. However, it doesn’t always have to be that way. To help you deal with the stress of finding and choosing the best repair shop for you and your car, we’ve listed down some considerations worth looking into before coming up with a decision.

1. Reputation

In choosing an auto repair shop, reputation is one of the first things you should consider. The thing is, unless you have an idea as to what you should really look for in a repair shop, it may take you some time to realize that you need to change technicians in a hurry. Fortunately, it’s now easier to look for a reputable shop by asking around or browsing the web. The Internet allows you to connect with more people than before, so you don’t need to limit your recommendations to your relatives and friends.

A good way of checking you prospective shop’s reputation is by contacting the Consumers Association of Singapore to check if your prospective car repair shop has an unusually large number of unresolved complaints. You surely wouldn’t want to find out that you’ve been ripped off after you’ve paid for all the necessary services.

2. Credentials

Quality workmanship is another important thing to consider when choosing a car repair shop. Are the mechanics working on your car well-trained and qualified, or did they perform their first oil change just this morning? Most car manufacturers in Singapore sponsor ongoing in-house training programs for their dealership technicians. These technicians are required to pass all the demanding hands-on and written tests.

Other than that, certain organizations also certify mechanics through a series of general written tests. Technicians are also required to have a two-year hands-on work experience before working on certain auto repair shops. Although certifications play an important role in choosing an auto repair shop, it’s still doesn’t guarantee a person’s honesty or competence at work. But it’s still better than nothing.

3. Service Charge

Obviously, price will always play a part in determining your regular car service centre in Singapore where you will have your auto repair done – but don’t let it cloud your judgment. If one shop is charging S$10 for an oil change service, and the one down the street is charging S$30, what’s the difference? Does the shop that charges cheaper use low-grade oil to do the work? Are their mechanics less trained? These are some of the things you should consider looking into before automatically deciding to go with the cheaper price.

4. Guarantee

Apart from the warranty, another thing to consider is whether or not their work is guaranteed. A common practise among reputable car repair shops is to guarantee their work for 90 days. However, avoid getting a ‘property line guarantee’ from your repair shop. This guarantees after the repairs are done, you get to the end of their property line, and they guarantee that they never want to see you again. An authentic guarantee, on other hand, promises that if the job isn’t done right the first time, they will do their best to correct it as soon as you bring your car to their place.

5. Warranty

If you have an auto repair covered by a warranty, then you should take it straight to the dealership. If you’re going to have non-warranty car maintenance and work elsewhere, however, then you need to be careful about keeping your records. A warranty is often dependent on meeting certain requirements. If you don’t change your car’s oil for two years – or has no record of doing so – you may be surprise when your engine breaks down, and your warranty won’t cover it. So ensure that the repair shop you’ll choose provides you with detailed maintenance and repair records.

6. Cleanliness of the Place

Is the car servicing shop reasonably clean and organized? Or does it look like it was stirred up using a large spoon? Does the shop use computerized diagnostic tools, or is the mechanic equipped with a rusty screwdriver and a large wrench?

Although a shop doesn’t have to look like hangar out of Star Wars, it should still have a modern engine analysing equipment and an up-to-date manual necessary to work on your computerized car. A good repair shop is more than willing to discuss the equipment it uses, as well as show how the equipment works.

7. Usage of Technical Service Bulletins

An auto repair shop that’s worth its salt should be able to access Technical Service Bulletin, more commonly known as TSB. About 6,000 of these latest fixes for difficult to diagnose problems are issues by the car manufacturers each year.

Without gaining access to these insider remedies, mechanics might be forced to ‘throw parts’ into your car. Not knowing what the real problem of your car is, they might keep replacing certain parts until they finally (or possibly) get the correct one.

8. Rapport on Repairs

Equipment is not the most important consideration in choosing a car servicing shop. It’s the attitude of the mechanics who will be working on your car. Your visit to your prospective repair shop should leave you feeling listened to, understood, and comfortable with the way you were treated. If you and your mechanic cannot establish a good rapport on repairs, chances are your relationship with their shop won’t last long.

Looking for a reputable auto repair shop isn’t really that difficult. By keeping these considerations into mind, you’ll surely be able to find a car repair shop that can provide both your and your car’s needs.

Pianos for Sale: Guide to Buying the Best Piano for You

 

Learning how to play an instrument is a great deal for some people, especially if that instrument is a piano. There are many advantages associated with playing the piano. It is not only entertaining and fun to do so, it is also said to be a good exercise for the brain. It’s no wonder more and more people want to study how to play it. But of course, if you want to learn how to play it, you must have a piano at home. If you don’t, however, there are a lot of pianos for sale available in the market.

Just like when buying other things, buying a piano needs careful thinking. In this article, you will find out some tips on how to look for and purchase the best piano for you.

  1. What kind of piano do you need? There are different kinds of pianos for sale out there in the market. For example, there is the grand piano, upright piano, and the electric piano. In order to determine what kind suits you best, it’s important to know your skill level before buying one—whether you’re a newbie or a professional one.

If you are a professional piano player looking to purchase a new or a replacement piano, the grand pianos are for you. The grand pianos are the big ones, usually seen in hotel lobbies and restaurants. The upright pianos, on the other hand, are more compact and is usually seen in houses and schools. If you’re just starting out, this would be the perfect one for you.

It is also called vertical pianos since the frames and strings are place vertically. Lastly, the electric pianos. These pianos don’t have any strings unlike the first two. It can also be easily carried anywhere which makes it perfect for travelling musicians. Remember, though, that you can’t just buy one because it looks good or because that’s what you want. Assess your skill level first before you buy one.

  1. How much are you willing to spend? Some pianos can get expensive. It’s important that you set your spending budget beforehand. There are shops that offer affordable pianos that are for sale. Of course, make sure to check the quality and condition of the piano. If you have some cash to spare, you may also want to buy some accessories like the piano stool.

 

  1. Where are you buying it from? Always make sure that the shop you’re buying the piano from is a reliable and credible one. There are many shops that don’t stay true to their claims. Some may claim they give high quality ones at affordable rates but actually offers poorly made pianos. To see whether the piano shop is really reliable, do your research well and try to read the customers’ reviews.

Choosing the best pianos for sale for you really needs to be dealt with great caution and consideration. Always keep those tips in mind when buying a piano—whether it’s the first time or not. By doing so, you’re ensuring yourself that what you’ll be buying is really suited for your needs and preference.

The Benefits of Cashless Payments for Online Shoppers

 

You already know the benefits of cashless payments especially if you often shop online. But what about other Singaporeans who have unfounded beliefs about cashless payments? Many people think that it is not safe and secure transacting online especially with the news of hacking. The incidence of hacking is true but it doesn’t mean you have to lose faith in humanity.

Woman Shopping Online

There is a recent study conducted by MasterCard. It is called Safety and Security Index. The index revealed that many shoppers are still not confident when it comes to online shopping. Online shoppers should know that electronic or cashless payments are in fact safer more than anything else. Although many consumers are concerned about the safety of transacting online, only a small percentage of shoppers actually had negative experiences.

Here are the reasons why you should be confident of your cashless payments and online shopping:

  • Accountability protection: Most of cards these days have this accountability or liability protection. You get this once you sign up. The protection is kind of a policy that can protect your from any untoward circumstances like fraud. Your money can be recovered if it is proved that you are a victim of a fraudulent transaction. The best thing to do is to inform your bank right away if you notice something odd then they will resolve it.

 

  • Recordable: When you pay in cash, unless you take note of the receipts you bought, you will surely forget about everything and that makes money handling difficult. Electronic transactions will never be lost since there is always an electronic trail somewhere.

best-prepaid-visa-card-for-online-shopping

  • Controllable: If unfortunate things happen, having cash is not a good thing. If you have cards, you can easily cancel or have it replace if it is gone. Thinking about the cash when you lose your wallet can be very stressful.

 

  • Convenient: You must be happy not waiting for your turn because of the cashless payment. Shopping is made easy and comfortable with the help of cards and online shopping. If you choose to shop on overseas stores or websites, your card can handle it.

Now that you know why it is safer to transact online, it is time that you try it and experience its difference. Though you hear hacking and other sorts, you have to know that banking institutions are doing its best to invest in new technologies. Do not forget to scrutinize and maximize your online shopping experience. It is a good feeling knowing that your money is perfectly safe somewhere. apple-pay-for-web