Each
year the company hires an increasing number of singers for each of the
following vocal parts: soprano, alto, tenor and bass. All the singers
are trained
together for their respective parts, and then rehearse in groups of 
four,
comprised of one of each of the four parts. By the end of the rehearsal
period, any combination of quartet can be configured from the pool of
talented performers, allowing a great deal of flexibility in booking
events. However, this also poses a huge challenge to the person who
has to schedule these performers.
In
2000, the Carolers faced their biggest challenge to date. In the 15
years they’d been providing holiday cheer, they had never employed so
many carolers nor been contracted to sing so many performances. The
position of scheduling carolers to get where they needed to go during
the holiday season fell upon 2 people, and it was overwhelming. For,
in the 15 years of scheduling performers to entertain, the production
company had never employed any automated processes to help them with
their tasks.
Every
year, one or two people would gather information about the caroling
staff. Some carolers were only performers part time, and had regular
day jobs to consider. Some carolers had children, and had to work around
the schedules of care-givers. Some carolers were performing in other
holiday events, and could not sing during the times of other pre-scheduled
performances. The availability information of each caroler, in addition
to that caroler’s contact information and their pay rate, would be scribed
onto a note pad or calendar.
The
dates and times on which clients needed quartets would
also be scribed onto a different set of calendars and note pads. 
Then
the process of scheduling carolers for those events could begin. For
every event on the list, each caroler’s schedule would be evaluated
and four carolers would be chosen. The person scheduling carolers would then move
to the next event on the list and again evaluate every caroler’s schedule
for availability. The process was incredibly time consuming, but for
years, they had known no better way.
Of
course, for a company that was just warming up to their new computer,
scheduling was not the only task they were performing by comparing calendars
and pads of paper. When it came to paying their performers, their fingers
flew fast and furious on the adding machine, hoping that they weren’t
making any errors, calculating and re-calculating every singer’s paycheck
several times. Considering the carolers were paid once per week, the
company knew that with their largest group of carolers ever, they would
just be finishing a pay period before they had to start on the next
one.
Then
there was contact information. Because it is imperative for all carolers
to keep in contact with one another throughout the season, the company
feels it is essential to provide each caroler with a contact list. Again,
this information was compiled on note cards and pads of paper, and then
typed into a word processing document and continually formatted and
revised throughout the season.
Any
way they looked at it, the Original Dickens Carolers were faced with
tedious, repetitive tasks that required them to record the same information
in several different places for several different uses. These tasks
would be time consuming, and with their biggest cast ever, they threatened
to bog down the smooth run of the holiday season with endless manual
processes that were highly subject to human error.
When
one of their carolers suggested that a database from Blue Marble Enterprises
might automate some of their duties, the company embraced the idea,
but with some degree of hesitation. They loved the idea that information
that would be used for several purposes, such as a caroler’s name, would
only have to be entered into a new system once. But because they were
not generally familiar with the way computerized databases worked, they
were concerned that the automation of the scheduling process could be
taken too far. They worried that by allowing the computer to assist in
scheduling, they would not be able to take into consideration other,
or extenuating factors, such as a caroler’s availability, their base
location, their tenure as a caroler, or whether or not they sing particularly
well with another caroler. “The last thing I want is for the computer
to just choose for me,” one scheduler said, “That would be a disaster.
I need to be able to control who goes where and when.”
Blue
Marble Enterprises assured the company that a the database they were
setting out to create would be one specifically suited to their needs
and the company could command whatever level of control they required.
The Caroler’s request could easily be accommodated. Upon further discussion,
it was determined that the most valuable tool the database could provide
for scheduling carolers would be a list of each caroler’s availability
in relation to each proposed performance. Such a list would allow all
scheduling information to be centrally located, and would eliminate
the need to review more than one source of information to figure out
which carolers were available for a given performance. Additionally,
the tasks of creating a contact list, creation of caroler contracts,
and payroll would be automated when the new system was put in place.
With
the goals of the database system determined, Blue Marble Enterprises
began the first programming phase. Within a few weeks, they were able
to present the framework of the contact and scheduling management database
to the Original Dickens Carolers. In just a few days, the company was
able to print caroler contracts and the 2000 contact list with ease.
They were amazed at how little effort was required for data input compared
to the output of the database. The company was able to redirect the
time they were saving on routine tasks to direct marketing and bringing
more business to the company.
A few
weeks later, the second phase of database development was implemented. 
Scheduling
carolers went from being a tedious, time-consuming task to being a simple configuration of quartets. To
their joy, the company also found that for the first time they would
not have to spend time re-typing the schedule. They also discovered
that it was as easy to view the schedule of one caroler or a small group
of carolers, as it was to view the schedule for the entire company.
They were also astonished to see that they had the option of allowing
the database to automatically assemble a caroler’s schedule and email
it to that person. For the first time in 15 years, the company had their
cast schedule at their fingertips instead of laboring under the pressure
of it.
A few
weeks later, the holiday season was in full swing. Phase 3 of database
development was complete and it was time for the company to do payroll.
Much to the company’s surprise, the formerly hand-cramping task of running
the adding machine and writing checks was replaced by the automated
calculation and printout of each caroler’s pay. Time to complete the
task was reduced from a minimum of three days to the maximum of an hour
and a half.
At
the end of the holiday season, the Original Dickens Carolers had reduced
the time needed to perform routine administrative tasks by approximately
75%. They were able use that time to redouble their marketing efforts
and bring in more business for the company. By the end of 2000, their
best caroling season to date, the company reflected upon their success
and realized the investment they made in their new contact management
and scheduling tool was invaluable. Going forward, they’ll be able to
use their new database to keep in touch with their clients and garner
repeat business. They’ll also be able to compare income and schedules
from season to season at the touch of a button. Perhaps the value of
the new tool can be summed up by a closing comment from the owner of
the Original Dickens Carolers: “we don’t know how we lived without this
database.”
Blue
Marble Enterprises, Inc. has created invaluable tools for a number of
companies, large and small. Regardless of what you do, your work doesn’t
need to be a chore. Let us create a customized database that puts the
details of your business to work for you.
To
book the Original Dickens Carolers for your holiday event please contact
them directly at 303.756.0111 or visit their web site at http://www.sevenagesproductions.com/dickens.html.
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Case Study.
