W e caught up with the brilliant team at SXS Events about how they’ve been utilizing our Open API to do just that, and how, as they’ve grown, it’s been beneficial for them in creating useful and streamlined tools that they can use across many areas of their successful business.
SXS Events
UK-based high-end event production company.
Founded in 1998. Using Current RMS for 2 years.
API integrations include:
- Integrating with their purpose built website to bring product information from Current onto their site
- Allowing clients to access their accounts on the website, showing them unpaid invoices and upcoming orders
- Internal tools including LOLER and PAT testing modules and a dynamic ‘kiosk’ for managing the preparation of jobs
Originally founded by Johnny Palmer, SXS Events began as a mobile DJ business in 1998.
Moving from Tasmania to the UK, Johnny was fuelled by a childhood obsession with audio, which naturally led him to progress into DJing, forming the roots of the business. In the 20 years since, SXS Events have harnessed their passion for the industry, establishing themselves as one of the top event production companies in the UK.
Our focus is simple: happy clients, happy staff, sustainable, and profitable. We aim to be the first choice for one-stop production solutions and dry hire. While our core business is high-end production, we love dry hire right now. Our vast stocks of top-end kit is funded from this, so we can offer the best dry hire deals to customers in a way none of our competitors can.
Joe Sandford-Hughes, Head of Dry Hire
The team moved to Current RMS from their own heavily-customized system two years ago and haven’t looked back since. They started researching into the open API as a way to introduce new functionality to their internal day to day processes in Current, as well as giving customers a fully integrated website experience to book products and access their account information easily. Using their inhouse development team, they got to work.
Built to work alongside their normal website, SXS Events created X Hire, a space for them to pull across products and key information from Current RMS and onto a platform their clients could easily access and view.
The website is a great tool for both the office team and clients. Instead of trying to explain equipment to clients we can send them a link to the product.
This makes the process of ensuring the client is ordering the right kit for their needs a lot simpler. Plus, with a new live chat option on the website, the team are right on hand to answer any questions as they arise while browsing. For returning clients, the new website also makes it a lot simpler for them to gain all the information they need about previous and upcoming orders, too.
The same thing goes for clients needing a copy of their invoice, we can give them an account on the site and they can get to everything they need. They can see past and upcoming jobs plus all the equipment booked onto them, they can also view every invoice they have had or ones due and even pay for them online right within our site.
When a client pays for their invoice through X Hire, a discussion is sent to Current involving the invoice owner and client, informing the team the invoice has been paid for. This ensures that any external information they receive outside of Current always feeds back through, keeping all information in one place.
It’s not just front-of-house that the Open API has come in handy for. The team at SXS also made use of it to create a number of integrations that have been handy for internal processes. Whilst customers can benefit from easily booking via X Hire and from having access to their account information, the behind the scenes integrations ensure that their jobs are always on time and up to the standard they need to be.
We’ve created some custom internal processes using the API including LOLER testing for our rigging equipment and a PAT testing module. We now operate at the top end of the UK production industry where compliance standards, equipment condition and budget planning are all absolutely critical.
The team have created a dynamic ‘kiosk’ screen that staff can see, which updates throughout the course of the day to keep the crew up to speed on what needs preparing and booking out onto upcoming jobs. The kiosk is different depending on user access rights within Current RMS, ensuring only relevant information is displayed for them. It shows outgoing jobs for the next couple of days, jobs that need processing back in, plus jobs the team need to prep for the week.
Since coming on board with Current RMS and introducing the new website and internal tools, the team are ready for another busy year ahead. Now a multi-million pound company, with a global reach and a broad array of resources at their fingertips, they intend to grow at a rate of 30% annually.
SXS has seen its most profitable year yet in the last year. Current RMS and the Open API have supported this transformative development.
And Joe’s favourite bit about Current?
Definitely the fact it’s browser based – it’s allowed a better lifestyle for our Project Handlers as well as faster response to clients!
It’s great to see the benefits of Current RMS being pulled through to their customers and staff. Thanks for chatting with us - it’s fantastic having the team at SXS Events on board!
Like what you hear?
If you’d like to get started with Current RMS, simply sign up for a Free 30 Day Trial and Book a Demo of the system with one of our knowledgeable team. Plus, if you’d like to learn more about our Open API and what’s possible, check out our handy guides!