Speakers Bureau Event Management System
Background
Washington Speakers Bureau is
the world's leading speaker management agency. The company schedules speaker engagements for high-profile political, sports, and entertainment personalities.
WSB needed the ability to provide responsive service both to the speakers working with them, and with the clients looking for Washington Speakers Bureau’s speakers’ expertise and advice. Mistakes and oversights in tracking the numerous details involved in juggling schedules, financial and contractual arrangements, and VIP personal requirements, can be both embarrassing and costly.
WSB was using an aging DOS-based application that had long outlived its usefulness. They needed a state of the art solution that integrated database, network, and web-based aspects of their business. The old solution was not adaptable to changing requirements and modern technologies.
It would not be enough to create a finished application and then call the job done. WSB needed the application to evolve rapidly as their speaker and client base changed over time, and to adapt to the needs of their highly-effective, but sometimes challenging staff requirements. Whatever WSB could do to improve their interaction with their speakers and customers needed to be done. They couldn’t be hobbled by an application that was difficult to modify and customize.
Event Management Solution
When deciding how to upgrade their existing application, FMS and the client chose to use Microsoft-oriented technologies for database and development tools in order to maximize access to industry-standard expertise and support. To store the huge volume of data, Microsoft SQL Server was chosen. SQL Server provides the secure, reliable, and highly performance driven environment to host both in-house Windows client server applications, and external web-based customers.
The initial version of the client server user application was developed using Visual Basic, utilizing a scalable 3-tiered design. This design allowed the proper segmentation of the application into data-related, business-related, and user-experience pieces. This loose coupling of functionality allowed for a high level of code reuse and reliability as new features were added to the application.
As Microsoft released improved database and development technologies, such as newer versions of SQL Server, Microsoft Exchange, and Visual Studio .Net, FMS was able to phase in these new technologies without requiring a destabilizing and disruptive rewrite. New aspects of the application were developed with the best state of the art application tools while stable portions of the application remained in their original environment.
Using an iterative release approach, FMS is able to provide the client with high-priority features quickly, while continuing to grow the application as client needs develop over time.
"We have worked with FMS for over 10 years and they have been a reliable trusted partner in our business operations"
J. DelaCruz, Director of IT
Key Features
- Centralized speaker management
- Outlook and Exchange integration for CRM
- Electronic contract creation and delivery (that doesn’t require customized reporting in order to adapt to a wide variety of speaker and client requirements)
- Remote database synchronization of web-hosted data providing support for dynamic web display of speaker biographical and topic information
- Secure logging, tracking, and notification of changes to sensitive speaker data
- Automated sales lead generation and follow-up ensures that clients receive a responsive and satisfying experience with WSB
Why Choose FMS?
Founded in 1986, FMS is a privately held, small business. Our clients include businesses of all sizes, non-profits, and local and federal government agencies. Our developers serve many local clients in the Mid-Atlantic, Washington DC metropolitan area. We also have clients across the country from California to Massachusetts, and Alaska to Florida, in addition to our international clients. Many of our custom solutions are deployed around the world with language localization support.
With our experience, extensive code library, and tested processes, FMS offers great solutions at very competitive prices. Email or call us at 703-356-4700 to learn more about our consulting services and how our staff of full-time professionals can help you. FMS is located in Tysons Corner in Northern Virginia, just outside of Washington, DC.
