FutureTech Featuring Elation - lighting the way forward

0:19 All right. Welcome back to Geezers of Gear Future Tech. I'm Chris. And as always, I'm joined by Lacey. Today, we're diving into Elation's brand new digital presence. Laci, have you had a chance to poke around the new Elation Lighting website yet? Oh, absolutely. I actually spent a good chunk of last night on it prepping for a summer festival lineup. And Chris, I got to say, it's a whole different vibe now. The homepage just pops, there's video everywhere. And it's not just the usual product glamour shots, you can actually see the fixtures in action, which is super helpful for someone like me who you know doesn't always know the difference between a profile and a wash at first glance.

1:00 Yeah, it's a real shift, isn't it? I mean, Elations always had a solid product line up, but the old site was, let's be honest, a bit of a maze. Now it's all about that user focused navigation. You can filter by product, category, series or even just search for a specific feature. I also noticed that the website now features a brand new AI support agent. Yeah, whether you're looking for product specs, need help with compatibility, or just have a quick question about one of their fixtures, the AI Chat Assistant is there for you 24/7. It's fast, reliable, and designed to help lighting pros like you get the answers you need anytime day or night. It's like having a tech Rep in your pocket whenever you need one. And the new website is quick.

1:43 On desktop it's super responsive, but I also tried it on my phone backstage last week and it was just as smooth. They've really nailed the mobile experience, which, let's face it, is where a lot of us are doing our research these days. Totally. And I noticed they've got this big resources section now, Learning Center, white papers, all that, but we'll get to that in a bit. For now, I just love that you can actually find what you need without 20 clicks and a prayer. It's a big step up from what we're used to in this industry. Absolutely, and it's just the first phase. Apparently they're talking about multi language support and region specific content down the line. So it's only going to get better. But let's talk about what's behind all this. Elation's evolution as a company. So Elation's not just a lighting company anymore, right? They've gone from this grassroots operation to a global tech leader.

2:37 I remember back in the day I was touring with Auk band. Can't remember if it was 98 or 99, but anyway, we had some of Elation's early fixtures. They were solid, but nothing like the suite they've got now. You've got Obsidian control systems for lighting control, Magmatic for effects. It's a whole ecosystem. Yeah, and that new resources section you mentioned, it's a game changer for folks like me. The Learning Center has these bite sized training videos and the white papers actually breakdown the tech in plain English. I was reading one about IP ratings. I wanted to understand what all those numbers meant. It's nice to have that info right there instead of hunting through forms or, you know, bugging you for the 100th time. Ha, no, I love it.

3:23 And honestly, that's what's so impressive about this new direction. They're not just selling gear, they're supporting the whole industry, from the seasoned LDS to the folks just getting started. The support portal, warranty info, even parts diagrams, it's all there. And for dealers and distributors, it's a proper tool kit. It feels like they're really trying to make life easier for everyone, not just the big names. It's cool to see Elation putting that same energy into digital resources. It's all about making the tech more accessible, right? Exactly. And with the IT modernization, they're rolling out PMERP systems, all that back end stuff, it's going to streamline things even more. But at the heart of it, it's about innovation and making sure the end user, whether that's a designer, a rental house, or Someone Like You prepping a festival, has what they need. Which brings us to Elation's new vision and values. Because that's really what's driving all these changes. So Elations just rolled out this refreshed vision, mission and set of core values.

4:21 And it's not just corporate fluff, they're actually putting it into practice. Their vision is all about transforming lighting in entertainment and beyond, leading in design, versatility and sustainability, And the mission? Inspiring show creators and audiences by pushing boundaries with engineering and service. It's ambitious, but you can see it in the way they're operating now. Yeah, I was reading through their values, Never settle, details rule. Keep it simple, be people 1st and trust our teams. It's a lot, but it actually makes sense when you look at how they're rolling out these changes like never settle. That's pretty clear in the way they keep updating their products in the website and details rule.

5:06 I mean you can tell they're obsessing over the user experience, not just the tech specs. Absolutely, I've seen it first hand. I was on a project last year, big outdoor show, lots of moving parts. We used elation fixtures and the attention to detail, from the build quality to the support materials made a massive difference. It's that details rule mindset and be people first. You feel it when you call their support line. It's not just about fixing a problem, it's about making sure you're looked after. That's rare in this business. It really is, and I think that brand promise stuff, delivering the extraordinary, it actually means something when you're on the ground at a live event. Like if a company's values are about empathy and collaboration, you feel it in the way they treat you. Whether you're a big designer or just someone running hospitality, it sets the tone for the whole experience. Yeah, and it's not just about the gear anymore. It's about the whole journey from the first time you hit their website to the moment you're packing up after a show. If a company's living its values, it shows up everywhere, and I think Elation's really trying to lead by example here. It'll be interesting to see how that shapes the industry going forward.

6:15 Definitely. I'm excited to see what's next, especially as they keep rolling out new features and resources. Maybe we'll even get a sneak peek at that new ERP system in a future episode, Who knows? We'll keep our eyes peeled, that's for sure. All right, that's it for today's episode of Geezers of Gear Future Tech Thanks for tuning in. And as always, Lacey, it's been a pleasure. Always a blast Chris. Thanks everyone for listening. Catch you next time. Music to your ears. Hey, hey, hey.

6:59 Let's go. New gear vibes, new tech jive gearheads unite. We keep it live. Oh yeah, the Lunar's gear, the Leaders gear. We got it here, Got it here.