AV Junction to Demonstrate Solid Membership Growth and an New Software Licensing Program at InfoComm 2018

AV Junction, the audiovisual industry's first online platform that connects employers with independent contractors, will arrive at InfoComm 2018 with a total membership of freelancers and hiring companies that exceeds 1,000. What's more, according to AV Junction founder Paul Weatherhead, the company has completed its first major project in the Middle East and will unveil an innovative software licensing platform in Booth #C4024 in the Las Vegas Convention Center.

"The global audiovisual community continues to respond to the AV Junction value proposition," Weatherhead says. "We came out of ISE 2018 with a strong surge in memberships and we expect the same to happen at InfoComm 2018, which will mark our first trade show appearance in the United States."

Weatherhead reports that 60% of its freelancer members come from the US, 15% each from Canada and the UK, and the remaining 10% from the rest of the world. Hiring company membership closely follows at 50% from the US, 10% from Canada, 20% from the UK, and 20% from the rest of the world. "Interestingly enough, we have our first completed project and it comes from the 'rest of the world' category," Weatherhead muses. "We helped a large California-based hiring company to fill and complete a major installation in the UAE -- to the complete satisfaction of everyone involved. Through our system, the company was able to find the ideal freelancer with the specific-skillset needed in less than 24 hours, dramatically reducing the standard time and effort needed to find the perfect hire. The project came as a direct result of ISE, and our system performed flawlessly, which pleased to no end the freelancer, the hiring company, and, most importantly, the end-user customer."

According to Weatherhead, AV Junction is taking its next step forward at InfoComm 2018 with the launch of a new software licensing program designed to be white labeled by the world's largest systems integration firms. "It's designed for the top 20% systems integration firms who have told us that they have a network of freelancers but they really need a robust management platform that is really well thought out from the perspective of both the hiring company and the freelance professional. They love our platform and our new licensing program is going to enable them to better manage their existing network and enable them to tap into our membership of freelancers as their needs dictate. We're really excited about how our business model is evolving and gaining traction in the market."

Launched in December 2017, AV Junction is a fully integrated, multi-featured Web platform that enables AV companies to search for, hire, and manage qualified freelancers on a project-to-project basis, as needed, from anywhere in the world. AV companies can post an unlimited number of jobs, search a vast worldwide database of independents, create work order contracts for hiring, message freelancers directly, and make secure payments. Industry freelancers can join the database free-of-charge to easily search for and apply to relevant jobs based on skill, sector, and job type.

AV Junction encompasses the entire spectrum of the AV company and freelancer relationship -- from the application process to the payment of the final invoice. Specific platform features include:

* Qualified Applicant Searching: AV companies can quickly find qualified and competent AV technicians in local or remote areas if their go-to talent is unavailable.

* Simple Invoicing: Freelancers can enjoy simple invoicing with easy work order creation for every hire, and the ability to set payment terms ahead of time. All they have to do is click "invoice."

* Milestone Payouts: AV companies and freelancers can set customized project "milestones" on fixed priced work orders to provide insurance of work completion, thereby improving customer satisfaction.

* Secure Payment Processing: A payment processor by STRIPE Connect handles payouts in multiple currencies and leverages a sophisticated milestone completion process. The milestone process ensures that freelancers get paid securely and on time, and allows employers to approve payouts when work is completed properly.

* Ratings System: AV companies can rate freelancers after each project, boosting attractiveness to other potential employers after a job well done. Freelancers can also rate employers on factors like communication, use of tools, and timeliness of payment.

AV Junction is available to commercial and residential systems integrators, rental, live event and staging professionals, exhibit and production houses, and audiovisual manufacturers globally, wherever Stripe is accepted. Interested customers can sign up for free and receive one complementary hire on AV Junction to start. Then, users can choose the "pay-as-you-go" option to access to the site with full features and a flat fee per hire, or a "Professional" package which includes a $150 monthly subscription with full site access, full features, and a discounted flat fee per hire.