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If you have ever planned a corporate AGM, a healthcare conference, or a major live event, you know the dread of opening the final AV invoice.
Too often, the number at the bottom looks absolutely nothing like the number you initially approved. In a highly fragmented industry undergoing massive corporate consolidation, a disturbing trend has emerged: unmanaged sales teams at giant in-house AV conglomerates are setting prices based on what they think they can get away with, rather than the actual value delivered.
At SAVI, we believe transparency shouldn't be a premium feature. To help you protect your budget and your sanity, here is an insider’s look at the most common "phantom fees" used to pad margins—and how to spot them before you sign.
One of the most egregious tactics in the modern AV landscape is the introduction of the "Concierge" or "Communications" fee. This is a line item charging you a premium just to have a representative available to answer your phone calls or emails.
The Reality: Communication and responsiveness aren't add-ons; they are the bare minimum requirement for a successful partnership. If a vendor charges you extra just to manage your account, they are telling you that basic customer service is a luxury.
Because large in-house AV providers often operate without strict management oversight, pricing can be shockingly inconsistent.
We recently witnessed a striking example: two identical events took place on the exact same weekend at two different venues just down the street from one another. Both required the exact same setup: six rigging points and identical power services. The price difference between the two quotes? Double. When the client questioned the inflated quote, the vendor immediately slashed the price in half.
The Lesson: If a vendor can drop their price by 50% the moment you ask a simple question, they didn't give you a discount—they admitted they were trying to overcharge you. Honest pricing doesn't have a 50% negotiation buffer built into it.
Labor is usually the largest variable in any AV quote, which makes it the easiest place for unscrupulous vendors to hide margin. A common tactic is billing every body on site at an "Expert Technician" or "Master Electrician" rate, while actually hiring entry-level local stagehands to do the heavy lifting.
To be entirely clear, an honest AV quote isn’t always a fixed quote. In live production, things change. However, there is a strict boundary between an honest variable cost and a hidden fee.
The best defense against AV price-gouging is a detailed, line-by-line review before any contracts are executed. An agile, transparent partner will gladly sit down with you, walk through every single line item, and explain exactly why it is there and how it protects your event.
If a vendor becomes defensive when you ask them to explain a line item, or if they give you a vague "that's just our standard fee" answer, consider it a massive red flag. You aren't just buying equipment; you are buying trust. Make sure they earn it.
