Since 2016 Gallowglass Crewing has been developing an app designed to enhance efficiency and improve communication between clients and crews.

Initially featuring crew contact numbers as well as timings, meeting places and information on upcoming events, the app now also includes profile photographs of all individuals assigned to a given job.

Jon Sigsworth, managing director, Gallowglass Crewing, said: “Clients appreciate being able to put a face to the name of each person working for them, but we’ve taken it up a notch. They can now rate individual as well as team performance via the app. This means that crew with experience of a specific venue and/or who were previously rated highly can be identified and selected for subsequent jobs. It’s rapidly becoming our clients’ first port of call when wanting crew information for a booking. One client has described it as the ‘Tripadvisor’ of the events industry.”

Another of the app’s key features is Gallowglass’ Venue Wiki – a searchable database containing information on over 18,000 locations known by the company. The company has steadily been adding information on venue access and need-to-know characteristics since the app’s launch.

“As well as details like the precise location of a loading bay, we’ve identified sites with specific access stipulations, or venues that have precious flooring that nothing can be dragged across,” added Sigsworth.  “This is not the kind of detail you’d find on a venue’s website, but it’s invaluable to us in ensuring a quick and efficient load-in.”

As with Wikipedia, content can be added by crew, clients and the venues themselves, to build an encyclopaedic working knowledge of event venues and sites.

The latest version of the Gallowglass app has been given a cleaner user interface. Mobile-friendly and easier to navigate, it provides faster access to information and gives a more transparent connection to on-site project process.  It operates in tandem with a similar app developed for the company’s crew. Both apps link directly and confidentially through individual passwords to Gallowglass’ back office system.

“We’re providing the app free of charge to our clients, said Sigsworth, “We’re convinced it will deliver savings through shorter turnaround times and the elimination of confusion and misunderstandings, and we’re certain it’s unique in the crewing industry.”

Work began on the app in 2016. It will ultimately be registered with the App Store but is still being developed as a tool that can be quickly modified in response to client suggestions.