Startup Idea: Event Management and Tracking Automation Software
I used to own and single-handedly manage an promotional event and marketing company. We serviced hundreds of clients from alcoholic beverage distributors to clothing lines.
I used several pieces of software to get the job done, but had to rely on all of them in order for the company to function. We used a custom-built website to track our promotional models (staff) as well as the events that our clients wanted.
The staff could self-register on our website, and the clients could self-input events as well. They had to go through an approval process before either the staff or the event would appear on our metaphorical to-do list.
We used FileMaker Pro to redundantly track the events AND staff once more, however this piece was solely for tracking event and staff paperwork requirements.
The staff had to submit a large amount of paperwork before being eligible to work events; each time a document was received, the date received was logged into FileMaker.
For each event, each staff member was required to turn in a certain amount of photos as well as signed documentation of attendance by the event manager or client. Dates those were received were also logged into FileMaker.
All of those requirements must be met before the staff would be paid for working the event. Unfortunately, automation in FM was lacking, so we had to manually scan FM event entries to see which staff members were due wages for the events worked, and for which events.
Each day, this took several hours. If there was a piece of software that helped create events, automatically prevent double-booking models AND events, as well as monitor for incomplete staff requirements and event requirements, and notify us as a company when models need to be paid for said event, it would make the promotional event and marketing industry a hell of a lot easier.