On the stage or in the exhibition hall — when you're putting on a show, the last thing you want to worry about are the technical details. And you won't — not if you've placed them in the hands of the audio–video professionals of New York's Scharff Weisberg, Inc. They're experts in AV technology, from special effects to sound systems, and they ensure that top–level service to their clients with FileMaker Pro — the award–winning database software application from FileMaker Inc.

Business Challenge

From the touring road company of Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber's Broadway smash hit 'Sunset Boulevard' to the enigmatic onstage antics of Blue Man Group, and from the bustling floor of the NeoCon trade show in Chicago to the quiet dignity of the Jewish Heritage Museum in New York, Scharff Weisberg provides essential multimedia show control services.

Scharff Weisberg Inc. has been active in the audio/video technology business for more than 20 years,' explains Patrick Denny, Systems Integration Coordinator. 'During this time the company has serviced many different kinds of markets and organizations, always adhering to a philosophy espousing technical excellence coupled with a strong commitment to customer service. We feel that technical knowledge and familiarity with the current hardware is only part of a company's ability to provide audio/video services. More important, perhaps, is our staff's ability to respond to your requirements professionally, quickly, and courteously. That is the foundation upon which the company has been built.'

As part of that commitment to customer service, Patrick recently took charge of organizing the day to day functions of a new installation division — and soon realized that the system for tracking business functions required improvement. 'I needed the ability to link different database formats into one centralized location,' he recalls. 'I needed to quickly customize our daily tasks into database form. I was frustrated with trying to manipulate our Visual Accountmate accounting program into reflecting the information being asked of me.'

Successful Solution

And FileMaker Pro got the show on the road.

Over a period of some eight months, Patrick has developed a network of more than two dozen databases, containing some six thousand individual records. These databases document the workflow from beginning to end — from placing the customer's order to packing the merchandise, from shipping the goods to on–site installation. 'FileMaker Pro has empowered me to quickly create solutions that have saved my department significant time and money,' Patrick notes. 'Through ODBC Portals and relational database use, I can instantly centralize project information and generate reports that would previously have taken three days to create. We are able to pool our experience and resources into one place, allowing our workers to better serve client needs and requirements. In short, we have more time to be creative and attentive.'

FileMaker Pro has empowered me to quickly create solutions that have saved my department significant time and money.

— Patrick Denny, Coordinator, Systems Integration, Scharff Weisberg Inc.