Anyone in need of AV services in Canada has likely heard of Duocom, a North American leader in AV solutions. Headquartered in Montreal, the privately held, family-owned business got its start in 1974 when Ross Fairholm, Duocom’s President and CEO, opened a 3M photocopier dealership. Ten years later, he started selling overhead projectors and transparencies, and in the late ‘80s he sold off the photocopier division to concentrate on the thriving AV business.

With the advent of electronic presentation technology, Duocom soon became the first AV dealer in Canada, and since that time they’ve grown to a 200-person company, providing comprehensive AV solutions across the country. Today, they have offices in Montreal, Quebec City, Halifax, Ottawa, Toronto, Burlington, and Vancouver, and they’re the only company in Canada that offers a full array of AV services nationwide, including product sales, systems integration, and rental and staging.

Over the years, Duocom has built a reputation for providing everything necessary to expertly showcase presentations, training sessions, seminars, and corporate events, and they offer the highest quality technology in video projection, lighting, and audio available in the market. Their systems integration team also specializes in the design, installation, and support of multimedia presentation systems for virtually any application. In addition, they have a home technology venue with a consistently changing inventory of AV products from over 100 high-end brands. Recognized as Montreal’s refined alternative to the traditional home electronics store, the Galerie Audio Vidéo shows homeowners, designers, architects, and home builders new ways to integrate high-performance technology into their homes and projects.

Not surprisingly, market diversity is one of the keys to Duocom’s success, and their business revenue is split almost evenly among the corporate, government, and education verticals. However, this distribution might change in the future. Says Mike Teolis, Duocom’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, “For us, the market with the greatest growth potential going forward is the education sector, and we’re devoting substantial time, money, and resources to developing standardization programs that will help us build market share.”

Another key to their success is their hands-on marketing approach. Their customers want to see firsthand what AV systems can do, so Duocom makes a point of inviting potential and existing customers to their facilities and showrooms. Each year, the company also hosts the Duocom Technology Showcase, a three-week, seven-city tour featuring innovative products and technologies from some of the industry’s premier manufacturers.

Taking this hands-on approach a step further, their trained professionals work closely with clients to determine their individual AV system requirements. Meticulous follow-up support, in turn, gives customers a hassle-free understanding of the AV tools at their disposal. The company also leverages the longevity and experience of PSNI’s member companies, and they’ve had several opportunities to work with PSNI affiliates to serve US-based clients in Canada. Notes Teolis, “Our employees and owners have learned a lot from our PSNI peers, and we regularly exchange ideas and advice. At the end of the day, our biggest differentiator here in Canada is our staff. It’s our people—their knowledge, skills, and integrity—who really help us stand apart from the competition.”