Our Secret To Meeting and Event Success is Service

Exceptional pre-production sales and service is enabling our hospitality AV group – named ‘Best AV Provider’ in Ohio – to bring revenue-generating differentiation to hotels.

At Mills James, we attribute our ongoing success and growth to: SERVICE.

Recently named Best Audiovisual Provider by Ohio Business Magazine, Mills James helps corporations and nonprofits connect with their audiences through relationship building and event objective deep dives. With offices in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and Boston, we leverage our team of creative directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, designers, set builders, and streaming engineers to craft inspiring experiences and stories that stand out.

Mills James has earned Best Audiovisual Provider in Ohio Business Magazine’s Best in Ohio Business Awards for two consecutive years.

“As the meetings and events business slowly ramps back up, planners are looking for bold new ways to elevate the attendee experience,” said John Watts, Mills James VP of Hospitality. “This is far more than just shifting from portable AV equipment to built-in systems with a few bells and whistles thrown in. It’s going to take a team of experts with broadcast energy and experience in producing live TV for messaging to resonate with attendees during these unprecedented times.”

Watts added, “But long before an event takes place, pre-event conversations between planners and a hotel’s sales and AV teams and pre-visualization screenings of multiple room layouts using 3D renders, animation, and motion graphics will close the deal. It’s in this pre-production sales and service phase that the success or failure of an event is determined.”

Five reasons why Mills James was named “Best” in the business:

   Brand Ambassador Training

Our AV technicians care about the events they support and the people who attend them. No matter how big or small the hotel or conference center facility may be, our technicians seek out ways to be helpful and stay available to planners.

   Hybrid Event and Broadcast TV Proficiency

With our roots firmly planted in video production, our associates understand producing events in today’s hybrid world. The same person tasked with setting up easels can operate a camera for a virtual event or broadcast equipment for a national TV spot. Few, if any, competitive AV services companies can make that claim.

   Holistic Approach to Event Production

We take tremendous pride in bringing quality equipment to each function. The company approaches a show holistically, looking at the budget and elevating the attendee experience by upgrading gear, enhancing show content, or dedicating one of its expert show-calling producers to ensure everyone is on schedule and in the know.

   Elevated Sales Experience

Most AV services providers focus on portable AV equipment rental — that’s it. Our sales team collectively focuses on selling the city, the property, and the meeting planner. Pre-event teasers, opening/closing videos, recognition videos, and onsite happy-face videos prove to close deals and get planners to return. A true sign of a successful event keeps people talking long after they’re gone, and video is a terrific way to keep the experience top of mind even once it’s over.

   One Hell of a Team

Mills James began in a time of slide carousels, 16 mm film, and DOS. There were no laptops, no editing software, the cloud was in the sky, and pandemics were the stuff of science fiction. It was 38 years ago that Ken Mills and Cameron James came together to walk this entrepreneurial tightrope. Today, we boast 200 employees whose combined years of experience ensure exceptional, consistent service for every event.

“Event planners often think that onsite AV provided in a hotel or convention center is mediocre at best,” said Mike Tyson, Mills James Director of Sales. “My response to this concern is ‘not all AV companies are alike.’ Our clients see the quality we produce, and they come back repeatedly.”

There’s proof of that in Mills James’ excellent retention rate and 95% Net Promoter Score. The production company does much more than just set up event space and sell AV services; they deliver experiences. “That’s the Mills James’ difference,” Tyson added.

To learn more about why Greater Columbus Convention Center General Manager John Page is “happy he made the choice with Mills James,” watch the above video.

A selection of hospitality clients experiencing the Mills James difference includes the Greater Columbus Convention Center (OH), Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center (OH), Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland (OH), Dayton Convention Center (OH), Renaissance Milwaukee West (WI), and the Alloy King of Prussia (PA).