Annual Checkups

On this episode of “SoundVision Tech Talks,” Mark, Mike, and Andrew sit down to discuss our Annual Checkups.

Your smart home rarely fails all at once. More often, the warning signs are subtle: music that lags, camera footage that doesn’t look as sharp as it should, a streaming device demanding an update at the worst possible moment, or a network that simply feels slower than it used to. We sit down to discuss why annual technology checkups are one of the simplest ways to prevent those frustrations and keep your systems performing the way they did on day one.

We break down what a maintenance visit actually includes, from firmware updates and security patches to hands-on testing, inspections, and performance checks. We also cover the devices homeowners often overlook, including surveillance systems, TVs, Apple TV and Roku devices, Sonos, and the network infrastructure that ties everything together.

Beyond software, we explore the physical factors that impact reliability. Dust buildup, clogged projector filters, poor ventilation, excess heat, and even spider webs on outdoor cameras can affect performance and shorten the lifespan of your equipment if left unchecked.

You'll also hear how we document every visit with detailed checklists and technician notes, giving homeowners a clear record of what was updated, tested, and recommended, even when they're away. Finally, we discuss annual maintenance schedules, proactive reminders, and customized plans for homes, vacation homes, and businesses to help ensure everything works exactly as expected when you arrive.

To learn more about SoundVision:

https://www.svavnc.com/

Check out our Instagram to see our recent projects:

https://www.instagram.com/soundvisionllc/

To listen to more “Simplifying Life Through Technology” podcasts:

https://open.spotify.com/show/7fIkJuLZ7lZ8xbafz62muQ

Contact Us Today:  (704) 696-2792 Ext. 1 | Info@svavnc.com | soundvisionlkn.com

Transcript

Welcome And Why Checkups Matter

SPEAKER_00 0:00

So joining me and Mark in the podcast studio today, that's right, in studio, we have Mike O'Dowd. Good morning. Welcome back, Mike.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

We were just talking about how Andrew has become so much more proficient as a podcast producer. How many P's can I say in a row? I mean, like the fade out of the sound bite and all that. That's cool. It's a little practice. Yep, we'll practice. Good. Mike, welcome back.

SPEAKER_02 0:31

These are becoming better and better produced podcasts. That's right.

SPEAKER_01 0:35

We can only hope. That's right. So we're in here. We want to talk about checkups. Annual checkups. And just off-air, before we started this, we said it's not only for service memberships, although it's included in service memberships. Why don't you tell us about checkups, what they are, what they include, how to get one, what's the benefits?

SPEAKER_02 0:57

The benefit is it's a uh proactive

Software Updates And Security Patches

SPEAKER_02 1:00

way to make sure your system's running well, it's been updated, it's working at its best optimal performance. Performance. Yeah. And it's other types of service companies have used this. Uh I think um the HVAC guys were the ones to really initiate this, saying, you know, every every spring, every fall, especially here in the Carolinas, we have that changeover. Uh, because your systems will run all year long with those heat pumps. They have there's a changeover from the hot to the cold and the cold to the hot. And they want to make sure that your system's running optimally.

SPEAKER_00 1:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:45

Uh in a similar way, we looked at that and thought, well, perhaps it would be beneficial for us to look at uh client systems because a lot of the things that we install, well, most of the things we run install run on software. And software is always evolving and changing. And if you've ever heard the term firmware update, an operating system update, I mean, these things are regular things that are that's our lives nowadays on our devices.

SPEAKER_01 2:17

I mean, uh, you know, I'll just I'll pick on Apple, but I mean it really could be anybody. But you get an iOS update, whether it's your computer or your phone, you know, I don't know, a couple times a year at the minimum. Seems like it's getting more and more. Right. And and those could be things, they could be new features. Uh there was one recently that just had new emojis on it, which is which is cool. A lot of times they're patches where they find some security thing uh that they that there was maybe a hole or maybe something that they improved, and so they want to get that on the devices to make them work faster or be more safe or whatever. And that's what we're talking about, right?

SPEAKER_02 2:54

Right, right. Sometimes uh uh folks will see a uh diminishing performance in their systems, and with a regular system checkup, we can go through the systems and uh determine if these updates are needed, or maybe if it's an older system, maybe it's a good good way to see if it's uh might be time to replace some components. Sure.

The Devices People Forget To Update

SPEAKER_02 3:25

You know, we see that with surveillance systems.

SPEAKER_01 3:27

Yeah, and I was just gonna say, we I think the top of the food chain here is the network, and I think people think about that the most uh and probably understand that one the most. But that's certainly not the only ones. Uh you you mentioned cameras, yep. Uh I know TVs, I know things like going down as far as like Apple TVs or Roku's have updates pretty regularly. Right. Some people do these. Some some people like just do them. We were just talking about uh in the previous podcast uh how we have an app and some people interface well with an app and some people don't. Some people do the updates and some people don't uh for various reasons. Um they feel like they're gonna break something, they may not. Or or they feel like uh, you know, they're gonna um you know they don't they don't want to touch stuff like that happens.

SPEAKER_02 4:20

There's an update available, but you're yes, yeah, we we see it a lot with sonos because it's another one. There's an update available, but yeah, right now I just want to play the music. Yeah, I'm probably gonna be able to do that.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

I'm afraid what's gonna happen after.

SPEAKER_02 4:32

Yeah, or it's gonna take 20 minutes, and um, you know, I I want to listen to my tunes.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

Yeah, I I turn the system on to play Don't Stop Believin by Journey. We're just having a conversation about that offline. Uh but now I've got to do an update. Do I do the update and then do I get out of the mood, or do I play the song and do the update later? Or what so uh when we come in, we essentially

What Technicians Do Onsite

SPEAKER_01 4:55

do all the updates. Yes?

SPEAKER_02 4:57

Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

What else do we do?

SPEAKER_02 4:59

Uh check the uh check the physical appearance of the uh equipment. Uh if it needs to be. Why is that important? Well, uh there they things could get dirty. Yeah things could be uh sometimes we don't like this when this happens, but sometimes uh other people or perhaps uh pets get behind things and and mess things up, move the cords around, move things around, or you know, maybe they're uh uh uh uh the the internet company got in there and made a change and had to move things around, yeah, certainly that happened. Uh sometimes people will get behind the equipment and unplug things and not plug them in the right spot, and just trying to keep things operational and and labeled correctly.

SPEAKER_01 6:04

You know, and look, like we understand that you know a vast majority of our customers' homes, uh they've invested, this is an investment, they've invested uh time and money to have these services. Some are functional, some are entertainment oriented, uh, like we're talking about Sonos with music, and they just want them to work. And so these updates, uh, these service visits, these annual maintenance visits, allow us to make sure that your system is working up to par, up to what it should be, just like when you bought it. And and sometimes actually better. Sometimes the updates like improve stuff. So we we find that very important, right?

SPEAKER_02 6:50

But it's it's testing, it's testing, sometimes cleaning.

SPEAKER_01 6:54

Uh, we've gone in and uh uh cleaned up cameras get dirty over here, spider webs and yes, yeah. You the the you know, Mike was talking about dirt, and you know he didn't he didn't go as far

Checklists, Reports, And Network Tests

SPEAKER_01 7:07

as I wanted him to, but uh in sensitive electronics, um receivers and uh you know all kinds of electronics. Um they operate best when they're cooler, they operate best when they have good airflow through them. So if you've got caked on, you know, dust, which which happens, we go in and we see that from time to time.

SPEAKER_02 7:30

Yeah, we see uh we have uh rack enclosures that have fans. Yep, that's right. Uh projectors, projectors have fans and filters.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Notorious for getting all caked up stuff, and then they'll run hotter, and it it the the I guess the best case scenario is that reduces their longevity. Maybe it lasts you know 10 years and now it only lasts eight because of that, because it can't cool itself. In the worst case scenario, it literally can have a catastrophic failure very quickly. Uh heat more so than dust, dust can definitely do it, but heat is a big one. And so if if something is is not uh ventilate, not in a good ventilation uh place or or is just constantly hot, uh that's something that we can you know check out and yeah, maybe apply a fix for it. Oh yeah, and then the spider webs on the cameras, that happens a lot.

SPEAKER_02 8:26

Yeah. Yeah, that's a tough one to get around. But yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:31

So with these annual visits, the clients, the homeowners, do they have to be home for this? Like say they've got this scheduled annually, do they have to be present in the home when this all happens?

SPEAKER_02 8:43

No, no, they don't, they don't need to be. I mean, uh we will do whatever the client is comfortable with. Uh where some clients are fine just having, you know, being home to let us in and then they go to work. Uh some clients would prefer to be around and we're happy, you know, whatever they're comfortable with. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:05

How do they know what we've done if they're not there?

SPEAKER_02 9:10

Well yes, at the T that went up. Um so what happens is uh when we come in, we have a uh a document that is notated by the technician and uh a copy is left behind. It's it's a checklist and also notes on the check after you know at the end of the document saying uh if we are recommending uh an update on something or maybe something potentially needs to be replaced. Uh but they do have that, and it includes a lot of things like uh uh was this looked at, was this updated, uh what are your network speeds? What it, you know, because we'll test the the uh the speeds.

SPEAKER_01 9:56

And yeah, so we basically we don't just go in there willy-nilly and I mean we literally have thought through this over the years and created a checklist that again, like Mike said, we we leave a copy behind so you can see exactly what we did. But then, you know, that we make sure that we don't miss anything. Right. Um we we go through the customer's um folders here internally, so we know like where all the equipment is and we know we don't miss a room and that kind of thing. Uh, but we're it's very comprehensive. Uh and and for someone that again invested this kind of this kind of money and time into their systems, both either personally or commercially, uh, it's a it's a good way to kind of keep everything up to speed.

SPEAKER_02 10:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 10:42

Yeah, it's not a repair visit, it's an optimization. But one thing before we go, I want to reiterate, like we mentioned at the beginning of this episode, that this is a perk that does come with our

Scheduling Options And Second Homes

SPEAKER_00 10:55

service membership plans. But if at any point you feel your system's acting a little off, or just something you want to start implementing into your home, you can get an annual visit schedule, just contact our service team. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 11:08

We can uh set that up easily. Uh we could set it up uh for now and then have a reminder to uh reach out again in a year or six months, if you'd like.

SPEAKER_01 11:21

Yeah, so it's something you can pay out a cart, or but it is included as a as a perk for a service membership.

SPEAKER_02 11:27

We've we've done it for a few clients. They'll they'll say, Hey, I it's been a while. I think maybe you guys need to come out and check things.

SPEAKER_01 11:32

And yeah. You know, we didn't touch on this, but I before I would be remiss if we didn't say this before we left. And that was we also have clients that have uh maybe it's a second home. Uh, maybe they're not always there. And when they um we have one client in particular that uh is up in the mountains that uh usually goes to that this home uh around Thanksgiving. I mean, they go more than that, but they go on Thanksgiving basically every year. So we've got this running thing where we go out there the week or two before Thanksgiving and just do a system check and make sure everything's working. Right. Uh and that is uh we've learned that over the years. So there's a lot of customers. We had the one gentleman uh from Nashville uh that was here in town, and and he would have Mike go by uh, you know, a week or so before just to make sure his internet was working. So we have these custom plans based on you know what what your uh situation is, right? Uh and we've done a number of these. So if there's something in particular or special, we can certainly uh customize this uh if need be.

SPEAKER_00 12:39

Absolutely. Around your lifestyle, right?

Service Membership Perks And Sign Up

SPEAKER_02 12:42

And our uh our normal regular service plan, the Elite Plus. Uh it's uh it's available on our website to uh to know the rate. Uh check out and sign up. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. There's a monthly fee. We uh charge a credit card to the client for that membership.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

It's kind of like a like and subscribe, Andrew.

SPEAKER_00 13:09

It's the same, it's the same thing, but not even close. And when you do subscribe, Mike will be happy to help you. Yeah, you get Mike's melodic voice. All right. Well, thank you, Mark. Thank you, Mike, for joining me. If you want to learn any more information about our service membership plans, once again, feel free to visit our website and check it out. All right, guys, until next time.