Imagine This is more than just a fancy name for an AV company – we stand for our values of great engineering, ethics and learning. In this article, we look back at our long history of AV installation and we talk about what has shaped us along the way. We hope that you’ll see the passion and integrity that underlies all that we do. So this is our mission statement.
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
AV company Imagine This was founded as a result of Guy Singleton’s passion for the Star Wars movie trilogy (as it was then). As a young boy, Guy had watched The Empire Strikes Back with his grandfather. The experience of the big screen made an enormous impression on Guy. Although, his ambition then was of course to become a Jedi, rather than an AV install and software genius!
Skipping ahead a decade or so, Guy sadly didn’t pursue his “Rebel” ambitions. He elected instead to follow in his father’s footsteps as an electrical engineer. Over the next few years, Guy honed his technical skills, his site experience and his project management abilities. But all the while, his love of the big screen and all things related to tech continued. Guy was an early adopter of the LaserDisc format and Dolby Surround Sound. He enjoyed creating his own movie experience and lighting system at home. It was therefore inevitable that he would go on to specialise in home cinema and AV installation.
Our AV Company has Firm foundations in electrical engineering
After a period of a few years of growing his skill set and his confidence, Guy knew that, in order for his creativity to flourish, he should form his own AV company. And so Imagine This was born.
…great value engineering, with no ego or bluster…
Our AV company was conceived from a love of the big screen experience, with solid foundations in electrical engineering. For Guy, to be an expert meant that he needed to have solid underpinning knowledge and lots of experience. To this day, over 25 years later, Imagine This is renowned for great value engineering, with no ego or bluster.
Over the years, as Guy has grown his team, he has ensured that everyone he brought on board has the same passion for technology. For us to meet the high standards that Guy demands, we all need to have the same love for what we do.
Engineering excellence is one of the core principles of our AV company.
When a client makes an investment in their home technology system, we recognise that it must provide great value for money. We always make recommendations and proposals based on sound engineering principles. Over the years, we have come across projects completed by others, where it seems the overriding objective appeared to be to jemmy in as much “product” as possible. To us, this is unethical in the extreme. We will not provide equipment or energy for the sake of it. You can trust that we will always look for the most efficient way of doing things, to protect not only your budget but also our integrity.
Training, training and more training
In this fast-moving field, being abreast of new technology and methods is vital. We are cognizant that, as a leading AV company, we will never “finish” our learning.
As a group, we devour all forms of learning. And, naturally, every team member is given unending opportunities to grow and develop their knowledge. When you love what you do, taking on more and more learning is fun!
Guy is a huge advocate of industry learning. As a result, he has dedicated hundreds of hours of his time to providing training to others within our industry. It is really important to Guy that as an industry, standards and learning drive what we do.
when you love what you do, taking on more and more learning is fun!
Not only that, but everything we do on a project impacts others in some way, so we need to have a great understanding of building and working with others. When we are on-site, in our natural environment, we constantly try to learn from the people around us. We are humble enough to know that every project we undertake is bespoke and that every building is too.
‘Learn continually – there’s always “one more thing” to learn!’ – Steve Jobs
If, for example, we are installing a home cinema, understanding the construction of the building and the way that the services are installed will allow us to deliver a better solution. If we are designing a lighting control system, comprehending and appreciating the interior design elements will ensure our system is functional and beautiful.
So with every opportunity that presents itself, we try to learn more, because we know that as a result, we will be able to do a better job. This is really learning our craft and it really matters to us.
Continued learning and development is a cornerstone principle of our business.
An AV Company With Integrity
We make sure that we approach every project, large and small, with integrity and honesty. Our clients allow us into their homes and that is something we are incredibly sensitive to. We are humbled that they choose to invest their money in our systems, be that a single-room solution or an entire integrated smart home. We will always make certain that we are providing excellent value for money and unbeatable engineering.
Not only this, but we always make sure that we work well with other project professionals. It’s really important that we rub along well with all of the stakeholders in the project, so we act with honesty and respect at all times.
Our integrity is worth much more to us than our ego, and so we will always do the right thing.
During our projects, others will need to rely on us to be open, trustworthy and diligent. So we commit to those values, to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
‘The time is always right to do what is right’. – Martin Luther King Jr
Ownership is a critical value. We make sure that we take responsibility for all of the efforts needed to provide an excellent service to our clients and the project stakeholders. Not only that, but we are humble enough to own our mistakes. If we get something wrong, we say so and we put it right. Our integrity is worth much more to us than our ego, so we will always do the right thing.
Our aim is to make lasting relationships with our clients, based on respect, trust and reliability.
Often our projects span several months and, in some cases, even years. During that time, you will find us unfailingly courteous, respectful and friendly. We will go to all lengths to make certain that you are happy with the work we are doing and we will treat you with great care.
In Conclusion
We are really proud of our history and our reputation as an AV company with integrity, but we remain grounded. There are no inflated egos here. We’ll keep pushing ourselves to learn, deliver excellent projects and create lasting client relationships.
Further Reading
For further reading, please see our article “Smart Home Installation – Excellence as Standard” or our project “Smart Home Lighting London – Apartment Living in The Shard“. For something different, how about our article on Spatial Audio, or this one on Home Studios?
(Additionally, if there is a topic you would like us to address in our news articles, please let us know using the contact form below.)