What Happens When Global AV Strategy Meets Local Execution?
Inside Online Instruments’ U.S. Expansion Through the Acquisition of Level 3 Audiovisual
Imagine this.
Your enterprise rolls out a global workplace transformation.
The CX vision is clear.
The employee journey is mapped.
The technology stack is approved.
Then reality intervenes.
A meeting room works flawlessly in Bengaluru.
The same design fails in Phoenix.
Support tickets multiply.
Employees blame “tech,” but the real issue is fragmentation.
This is the silent CX tax of inconsistent audiovisual (AV) delivery.
In January 2026, Online Instruments (India) Private Limited made a strategic move to address exactly this problem—acquiring U.S.-based Level 3 Audiovisual, LLC, and establishing a direct operational presence in the United States.
This was not a geographic expansion alone.
It was a CX and EX infrastructure decision.
Let’s unpack why this matters—and what CX leaders can learn.
What Is Enterprise AV Consistency—and Why Does CX Depend on It?
Short answer: Enterprise AV consistency ensures the same experience, reliability, and outcomes across regions, regardless of location.
In hybrid-first, distributed organizations, AV is no longer a “room feature.”
It is a journey enabler.
From leadership town halls to frontline training, AV shapes:
- Collaboration quality
- Decision velocity
- Employee confidence
- Customer-facing interactions
When AV delivery varies by region, CX fractures.
Online Instruments’ acquisition of Level 3 Audiovisual directly targets this gap.
Why Did Online Instruments Enter the U.S. Market Now?
Short answer: Because global CX requires regional execution maturity, not remote coordination.
Online Instruments has operated since 2006, building deep delivery capability across:
- India
- The Middle East
- Asia-Pacific
But the U.S. enterprise AV market is distinct.
It demands:
- Local engineering depth
- Mature compliance standards
- Enterprise-grade program governance
- On-ground accountability
By acquiring Level 3 Audiovisual, Online Instruments gains:
- Established U.S. engineering teams
- Proven delivery processes
- Market-specific enterprise insight
This transforms the company from a multi-region integrator into a globally coordinated delivery platform.
As Mr. Shivanand Mallappa Mahashetti, Managing Director, Online Instruments, notes:
“Integrating Level 3 Audiovisual into the Online Instruments organisation strengthens our ability to deliver consistent, high-quality solutions across regions.”
That sentence signals a CX mindset—not just an operational one.
What Makes This Acquisition Strategically Different?
Short answer: It is built on alignment, not assimilation.
Many global acquisitions fail because they prioritize scale over coherence.
This one stands out for three reasons.
1. Engineering-Led Compatibility
Both organizations share:
- Rigorous quality standards
- Structured program management
- Engineering-first decision-making
This reduces friction at integration points.
2. Proven Collaboration History
This was not a cold acquisition.
Previous joint engagements built:
- Trust
- Execution rhythm
- Cultural alignment
The acquisition formalizes an already functioning partnership.
3. Brand and Leadership Continuity
Level 3 Audiovisual continues under:
- Its existing brand
- Its leadership team
As Jeremy Elsesser, President & CEO of Level 3 Audiovisual, explains:
“Maintaining our leadership structure and operational approach ensures consistency for our customers.”
For CX leaders, continuity equals confidence.
How Does This Impact Employee Experience (EX)?
Short answer: Standardized AV delivery removes friction from daily work.
EX often fails at the micro-moment level:
- Meetings that start late
- Rooms that “almost” work
- Support teams blaming vendors
A unified AV delivery model improves:
- Time-to-productivity
- Meeting equity
- Psychological safety in collaboration
With U.S. and APAC capabilities integrated, Online Instruments can now:
- Design once
- Execute globally
- Support locally
This aligns perfectly with modern EX principles.
What CX Leaders Can Learn From This Move
Short answer: Infrastructure decisions are CX decisions.
CX leaders often focus on:
- Journey maps
- Digital touchpoints
- AI augmentation
But physical-digital infrastructure still underpins experience.
Key Insight:
Consistency beats novelty in enterprise CX.
The acquisition reinforces three CX truths.
1. Global CX Needs Regional Authority
Remote governance without local control fails under pressure.
2. Engineering Rigor Enables Emotional Outcomes
Reliable systems create trust, not frustration.
3. Scale Requires Process, Not Heroics
Repeatable delivery beats individual brilliance.
A Practical Framework: The Global Delivery Alignment Model
CXQuest often emphasizes execution frameworks. Here’s one inspired by this case.
The G-DAM Framework
(Global Delivery Alignment Model)
1. Unified Standards
Define global AV design, quality, and performance benchmarks.
2. Regional Execution Nodes
Empower local teams with authority and accountability.
3. Program Governance Layer
Create shared program management and reporting structures.
4. Feedback-to-Design Loop
Use service data to continuously refine global standards.
Online Instruments’ expanded footprint enables all four layers.
Common Pitfalls in Global AV and Workplace CX
Before celebrating scale, CX leaders should watch for traps.
Common Pitfalls
- Over-standardization that ignores local context
- Tool sprawl without lifecycle ownership
- Vendor fragmentation across regions
- Treating AV as a one-time project
This acquisition reduces these risks by consolidating delivery under one aligned platform.
How Does This Connect to AI and Future Work?
Short answer: AI fails without reliable environments.
AI-powered meetings, analytics, and collaboration tools depend on:
- Clean audio
- Reliable video
- Stable integration
Without consistent AV foundations:
- AI insights degrade
- Automation fails
- Trust erodes
By strengthening its global delivery platform, Online Instruments future-proofs:
- AI-enabled workplaces
- Smart meeting rooms
- Data-driven collaboration
Infrastructure readiness precedes AI maturity.
Why This Matters for CXQuest Readers
CXQuest focuses on leaders navigating:
- Siloed execution
- Fragmented journeys
- Technology debt
This story is not about AV alone.
It is about how disciplined execution unlocks experience outcomes.
It shows that:
- CX maturity scales through operations
- Experience strategy must include physical environments
- Partnerships matter more than platforms
FAQ: CX Questions Leaders Are Asking
1. How does AV consistency affect customer experience?
It enables reliable internal collaboration, which improves speed, accuracy, and customer-facing execution.
2. Why is local presence critical in global CX delivery?
Local teams handle compliance, culture, and real-time issue resolution better than remote coordination.
3. Can standardized AV hurt employee creativity?
No. Standardization removes friction, freeing employees to focus on creative and strategic work.
4. How does AV strategy connect to hybrid work success?
Hybrid work depends on equitable, reliable collaboration experiences across locations.
5. What should CX leaders ask vendors about global delivery?
Ask about regional execution, governance models, and lifecycle support—not just features.
Actionable Takeaways for CX and EX Leaders
Use these steps immediately.
- Audit AV as a journey layer, not a facilities asset.
- Map friction moments in meetings and collaboration flows.
- Standardize design principles, not just hardware.
- Insist on regional execution capability in global contracts.
- Align AV governance with CX governance, not IT alone.
- Build feedback loops from service tickets to design updates.
- Prepare infrastructure before AI rollouts, not after.
Final Thought
The future of CX is not only digital.
It is engineered.
With its acquisition of Level 3 Audiovisual, Online Instruments demonstrates how disciplined global execution can quietly—but powerfully—transform experience.
For CX leaders, the lesson is clear:
Experience scales when infrastructure does.
