Custom Web-Based Software, Sailing Scheduler

Sailing Scheduler
A Macro Connect Case Study

Problem
The demands on the time of a sailboat skipper are intense. Many skippers have full-time jobs in high-profile industries and don’t have time to waste on scheduling and reminding their crew of events. Until recently, the best tools for managing the scheduling process were spreadsheets, the telephone, and manual emails. These tools led to inefficient processes and frequent misunderstandings.

Solution
Both Matthew and Kevin, the founders of Macro Connect, are lifelong sailors and racers, giving them an intimate understanding of the complex organizational demands of sailboat racing. Based on this, Macro Connect designed and built Sailing Scheduler from the ground up.

The website allows a skipper to select the events his boat will participate in from a preloaded schedule and invite his top crew. Crew members choose the events they can attend, allowing the skipper to request substitutes as necessary. Once confirmed, crew members receive automatic email, text message, or telephone reminders to ensure they remember the event and show up on time.

Benefits

• Importing local race schedules saves hours of spreadsheet data entry
• Crew status reports show who is available for each race and when substitutes are needed
• Email reminders ensure the crew shows up on time and ready to race
• Ability to import calendar items into popular scheduling apps like Lotus Notes and Outlook saves crew members time

“Great job guys, I can just download my events directly into Outlook. Your site provides a tremendous time savings! Thanks again.” — Arthur Rose

Alternate Application
The Sailing Scheduler framework can be adapted for any organization with complex scheduling demands, including sports teams and leagues, charity events, and corporate calendars. It’s a great example of how Macro Connect custom builds software to meet unique business needs.