The Client
The London Suzuki Group (LSG) teaches music. They run an annual residential International Summer School which involves individual and group classes, orchestral and chamber music events, and workshops. Approximately 800 attendees are made up of students, their families, teachers and trainees.
The Challenge
Historically, registration for the summer school was done by completing a form and submitting it by email or mail. Registration included booking accommodation, transfers to the venue from various locations and booking excursions. It also involved timetabling approximately 300 students aged between 3 and 18 who play a variety of different instruments at different levels.
Each student is allocated three to five different classes on each day as well as being given an opportunity to take part in chamber music or orchestra events.
CmdShiftR are hugely responsive and great to work with.
The Solution
Using Claris FileMaker, CmdShiftR designed a branded online registration system that works directly from the summer school website to a database, and which allows the applicants to register and provide all the required information including age, instrument, playing level, and transport arrangements, all via an easy-to-use dashboard with a dropdown menu. It also allows applicants to upload music.
The system includes a comprehensive reporting system allowing for instant exporting of all different types of data from the system which streamlines everything from timetabling and room allocation to invoicing and billing.
Timetabling and data manipulation isn’t fun and is not the sort of chore I thought I’d enjoy but this system works so well, I look forward to doing it.
The Results
This saved two members of staff approximately 32 days of admin a year, with multiple errors avoided.
Collating data and organising the event took two members of staff approximately eight weeks of work from April to August using a combination of spreadsheets, handwritten notes and counters spread across a table. Errors in allocating rooms, classes, invoices or transport were common and there were often parents lining up to complain.
Now, two members of staff need to spend just one day a week on admin from April to August. There are hardly any complaints and no scheduling errors. The application can record everything from dietary and medical needs to making suggestions about appropriate groups when music is uploaded by applicants.
This system has revolutionised how things are done and CmdShiftR continue to work with us to improve the system.