Next time you’re struggling to connect your home electronic devices, whether it’s audio or video systems, make sure to give Josh Sommers a call. For the past ten years, Josh has been helping people literally get untangled in their current setups. Josh can help you properly install and set up your new audio and video equipment, as well as streamline your current entertainment system. From Blu-ray players to Apple TV, surround sound, gaming systems, Netflix and more, you can rest assured Josh can get you set up properly the first time.
Josh, welcome back to LocalsGuide. How have you been?
Thank you. I’ve been doing great and staying very busy. I’ve been working part time for REI the last couple years and steadily expanding my electronics jobs. I got engaged in October and am getting married in June.
Congratulations.
Yeah thank you, we’re very excited. I’m also excited to see my business grow and develop.
Josh you have tailored your business to specifically work with audio and visual issues. Can you please give us an overview of your services?
Sure. I specialize in connecting and troubleshooting home entertainment devices like TV’s, Stereos, DVD players and streaming devices (Apple TV, Roku etc.) I can help with Universal Remotes and other accessories as well.
What are the most common calls you receive normally regarding?
Well I get a lot of calls from people who have purchased a new TV and need some help connecting all their devices to it. I also get quite a few calls from people who want to improve the sound quality from their TV. Most modern TV’s have weak speakers and can benefit greatly from adding a Sound Bar or speaker system. And there’s always a steady demand for help with setting up Netflix, Hulu and other streaming services.
Please talk more about sound bars.
Sound Bars have become the popular choice for a quick and effective sound system to compliment an HDTV. They are long flat shaped speakers that typically include a sub-woofer. They’re available in a wide range of prices and are much easier to connect than a traditional Receiver and speakers. They also provide a cleaner, less cluttered appearance, since they don’t require any speaker wires. I made a recent trip to Best Buy and was impressed by the quality and selection of sound bars available. For about three hundred dollars you can have a pretty nice sounding audio system for your games, movies and shows.
Tell us about the Sonos sound system. I hear this is quite amazing.
In the past year I had the opportunity to install some Sonos wireless speakers for a couple customers, and it was a great experience. Sonos speakers are small and powerful, and only require an outlet for power, and a WiFi connection to stream music from your smartphone or tablet. I had heard about these speakers before but never had any experience with them. I discovered that they are not only simple to connect, but have fantastic sound quality as well. You can play your music from Spotify, Pandora and even JPR for local radio. Combine that with the fact that you can expand your system with more speakers when you’re ready and easily sync them together. It’s a very cool concept. The speakers that I worked with were not for TV sound, but are ideal for playing music in any room in the house, without needing a stereo or other equipment. However, Sonos does make a high end Soundbar and other speakers that can be connected to a TV. They are pricey but sound amazing.
Josh in your experience what types of problems are your customers typically running into and why is it just best to call you?
I see a range of issues that come up, but one of the most common is when people get a new TV and have trouble getting their older equipment to work with the new device. Often times the older devices use different cables and may need to be connected in a different way to optimize picture and sound. It can be frustrating to run into these problems without knowing what you need to solve it. Fortunately my years at Radio Shack taught me a lot about different types of cables and adapters. If you’re having trouble, save yourself the aggravation and give me a call :)
Do you ever offer phone support?
Absolutely! I am happy to try to solve an issue over the phone if possible, or to follow up on a job that I’ve already done.
Are you doing any type of mounting?
At this time I’m only doing speaker mounting. I will generally refer people to a contractor or handyman for help with a TV wall mount, and then I can assist with connecting the components.
You are also continually offering advice and feedback for product referrals. Can you please tell us about some recent recommendations you have been making?
Sure. I’m always happy to share with customers the experiences I’ve had with different brands and products. When it comes to TV’s I generally recommend buying a Samsung or LG. I’ve also been impressed with the sound bars I’ve seen from those two companies. And I like to recommend the Roku Streaming Stick to people who are looking for a cost effective way to watch Netflix etc.
With so much to keep up on where do you find the best sources for information?
Well I find YouTube to be a great resource for information on just about anything, and I also make regular trips to Best Buy to pick up products for customers and check out the latest technology on display.
Josh what are your goals for your customer to have experienced once you are done helping them?
My goal is for my customers to feel a sense of satisfaction once I’ve completed the job. I always try to explain what I’m doing and have the customer practice using the new device. I want people to enjoy their new entertainment devices, instead of being frustrated by them.
What would you say your key skills are?
I’m good at troubleshooting and solving problems. I will pursue a problem until it’s solved. I’m good with people and I’ve been told that I’m good at explaining things. I’m a kind and compassionate person, and I have a lot of experience working with seniors.
Josh you are also helping customers setup Netflix accounts and more.
Netflix and other streaming services are obviously very popular and I enjoy getting people connected with the endless entertainment options that they provide.
Please share some recent success stories with us.
A few months back I got a call for help with a speaker system that wasn’t working in a local business. Turns out it was the Sonos wireless speakers and it was my first time working with them. It took a little while to figure out what was wrong with one of the speakers, but eventually I got it and in the process discovered how cool the speakers were. I decided I would have to get one at some point. In the next couple months after that I did two jobs where I installed the Sonos speakers for people, and they were quite happy with them. Peter Ollman is someone that I’ve helped on several occasions, and lives down the street from me. He had this to say:
“Josh has been a great help dealing with our home entertainment technical issues. Always pleasant and professional… reasonable charges and highly experienced. Josh is a pleasure to work with.”
Josh do you have any special plans for this coming year?
My fiancé and I just got back from a week in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, which was fantastic. We’re getting ready for the wedding in June and planning on doing some hiking and camping over the summer.
Josh, can you help with setting up universal remotes?
Yes I can quickly program Universal Remotes to work with most entertainment devices.
Last but not least, you really enjoy working with customers of all ages. Please say more about this.
I’ve always worked in retail and customer service jobs, and I enjoy interacting with people of all ages. I enjoy the balance of working at an outdoor adventure store like REI, and helping people with their technology needs as well.
Are there any last thoughts or comments you would like to share?
I’d like to say thank you to the Locals Guide for helping me spread the word about my business. You can contact me by phone or email. Cheers!
Learn More:
Audio and Video Solutions
Ashland
541 337 3259
