The Fourth Seat: How Captus Builds Project Teams That Actually Deliver
Most AV integrators will pitch capabilities, pricing, or support. At Captus Systems, we focus on who’s at the table.
Every AV/IT project depends on people. Not just their skills—but the roles they fill, the way they connect, and how they execute under pressure. That’s why we built the Fourth Seat into how we hire, design, and deliver.
It’s not a theory. It’s how we operate. And it’s what keeps our projects on track while others stall.
Where the Fourth Seat Began
The idea came early. Captus was still an idea when three of the company’s founders—Gerry (Sales), Mike (Operations), and John (Installations)—met around a table to plan the business.
They had decades of combined experience. They trusted each other. They shared a vision. But they didn’t have the full team. One seat at the table was still open.
That empty seat wasn’t symbolic. It pointed to a real gap. They needed engineering. Someone to drive design and logistics. Someone who could ensure drawings weren’t just correct, but buildable. Someone who could manage specs, signal flow, and field constraints all at once.
That seat became known as the Fourth Seat. Captus refused to move forward until it was filled. And that principle never left.
What the Fourth Seat Means for You
Every project has its own version of that table. There’s the person who scopes the work. Someone else who handles installs. A coordinator who manages milestones. And hopefully, someone technical enough to make it all stick together.
Most integrators say they “cover” all these roles. But what they often mean is: one person is doing three jobs. Or they’re stitching together contractors with no shared playbook.
When problems show up—and they always do—you’ll find out fast who was really at the table and who was phoning it in.
Captus doesn’t roll the dice. We come in with a full bench. Each role is filled. Each seat is defined. Each person is part of one team with one outcome.
From design to delivery, we work as a single unit. No handoffs. No silos. No last-minute gaps. Every decision gets handled by the person best equipped to answer it—and fast.
Here’s how our teams coordinate across disciplines
What the Engineer Actually Does at Captus
In many firms, engineering is a back-office function. At Captus, engineers step in before the sale closes. They work with the sales lead to confirm the feasibility of the scope. They attend early client meetings. They help shape how the system gets delivered—not just how it’s drawn.
This matters because many projects break down after design approval. The drawings pass one test but fail in real-world conditions. Something doesn’t fit. Specs get missed. Timelines get pushed. Or no one owns the issue.
Our engineers don’t disappear. They carry the design all the way through the field. They respond to site conditions. They guide installers. They adapt in real time—because they were there from the start.
See how engineering drives project success
When the Seat Gets Left Empty
We’ve been called in to clean up more AV projects than we can count. They usually have one thing in common: a missing seat.
We’ve walked into projects where the original engineer was outsourced. Where the “coordinator” only worked part-time. Where the installer had never even looked at the plans. Where the PM couldn’t approve changes or answer technical questions.
The result? Confused clients. Sloppy installs. Budgets that spiral. And systems that don’t behave the way anyone expected.
It’s not always a people problem. Sometimes it’s a structure problem. The roles weren’t defined. The team wasn’t aligned. The result was a system that turned on—but didn’t deliver.
In one example, a client had a new boardroom with mislabeled controls, out-of-sync displays, and mic cutouts that didn’t match speaker layouts. Every piece of gear worked—but none of it worked together. The system looked finished. But users avoided the room because they didn’t trust it.
All of that could have been avoided with the right person in the Fourth Seat.
How to Tell If You’ve Got a Full Table
Start by asking these questions:
Who’s designing the system—and who’s accountable if it fails?
Does your project manager drive decisions—or just react to them?
Is your AV partner building a scalable system—or stitching together gear in Excel?
Do your installer and engineer talk daily—or do you have to play translator?
When you raise a concern, who owns the answer—and how fast do they respond?
If any of those questions point to gaps, the Fourth Seat is probably unfilled.
What the Full Captus Team Looks Like
When you work with Captus, you don’t just get an install crew. You get a fully staffed project team. Each person has a seat. Each seat comes with clarity.
Here’s what that looks like:
Sales Lead
Scopes your needs. Builds the first draft of the solution. Stays engaged after the contract is signed.
Engineer
Designs the system. Ensures technical fit. Reviews site conditions. Owns the design all the way through delivery.
Project Manager
Builds the schedule. Manages milestones. Coordinates between internal teams and your stakeholders. Gives weekly updates without needing to be asked.
Field Supervisor
Leads the install. Verifies every spec. Manages real-time changes. Keeps trades aligned.
These people don’t work in isolation. They talk daily. They use shared tools. They track the same priorities. And they all work toward the same goal: delivering your system right the first time.
Meet the roles that drive Captus projects
Redundancy That’s Built In
Every Captus project also includes failover. If your lead engineer gets pulled into another meeting, someone else on the team can step in and pick up where they left off.
If your PM is onsite, someone at HQ can still update you. Everyone uses the same docs, the same project board, and the same tracking system. That way, no one’s ever out of the loop.
We don’t build teams that depend on one person. We build processes that support the project, no matter what.
Why Captus projects never pause when someone’s out
How We Work With You, Not Just For You
Captus teams don’t just talk to each other. We talk with your teams. We meet with IT to ensure network needs are aligned. We check with Facilities before finalizing cable runs. We update Procurement when hardware shifts. We confirm with HR before locking in training schedules.
You don’t have to manage those details—we do. But you’ll always be in the loop. You’ll never wonder who’s doing what or when.
And when your internal team changes, your AV system won’t break down. We leave behind documentation and workflows your staff can use. That’s part of the job.
When Projects Get Complex, This Model Scales
We’ve delivered AV across 30-plus locations for one client with zero rework. We’ve handled simultaneous builds across cities with a single coordination point. We’ve managed rollouts that included boardrooms, huddle rooms, open workspaces, and event zones—all with tight deadlines and multiple stakeholders.
These aren’t lucky breaks. They’re the product of a system that works.
What This Looks Like in Practice
Let’s say you’re rolling out AV across three offices. One main boardroom, four huddle rooms, and a flexible events space. Most firms would assign a rotating crew and hope the handoffs go smoothly.
Captus doesn’t do that. You’d get:
One sales lead who understands your needs from day one
One engineer who validates every design and walks every site
One PM who gives you regular updates and manages changes in real time
One field supervisor who owns install quality and checks every room before sign-off
No confusion. No missed details. No bouncing between inboxes. Everyone knows their role. Everyone knows your goals.
The Fourth Seat Became the Standard
We started with one missing role and turned it into a company-wide operating model. Today, every Captus employee understands the Fourth Seat. It shapes how we hire, how we deliver, and how we build trust with clients.
And it works. Our clients don’t just get working systems. They get working teams.
See how the Captus team structure drives outcomes
Let us know what you’re planning next. We’ll bring the full table.