[OSGeo-Conf] On the creation of permanent OSGeo/FOSS4G CRM

[Peter Baumann]

+1 from FOSS4G-Europe - this would have reduced our initial slate of work 
considerably. I gladly stick to rules that make sense and save my weekend :)

-Peter


On 03/27/2014 09:50 PM, Darrell Fuhriman wrote:
>
> One of things that has become apparent in going through the process of getting 
> sponsorships for FOSS4G is that the current system is rather unwieldy. In 
> fact, the use of the word "system" implies a type of order which does not exist.
>
> There are no designated contacts at each company, no consistent tracking of 
> past sponsorships or expressions of interest, no tracking of non-functioning 
> e-mails, or people who have left a company.
>
> In short, it's a complete fucking disaster.
>
> This is a problem because:
>
> 1) FOSS4G is dependent on sponsorships to finish in the black
> 2) OSGeo is dependent on FOSS4G events (not just the big annual conference) 
> for a large portion of its income
> 3) We should be making it easy, not hard, to keep FOSS4G/OSGeo solvent.
>
> We have individuals who have expressed an interest in getting all of the past 
> and current data into a CRM so we can more easily track this in the future. 
> However, unless there is a future for such a system, it's probably not worth 
> the non-trivial amount of effort it would take.
>
> Hence, I propose:
>
> The 2014 LOC will work to configure an instance of SugarCRM, including 
> entering the data we have collected on current and past sponsorships.
>
> After the conclusion of FOSS4G 2014, OSGeo would agree to:
>
> 1) Move the SugarCRM instance to be hosted and maintained by OSGeo
> 2) Strongly encourage (mandate?) its use by future OSGeo affiliated conferences
> 3) Give access to other geospatial related events as appropriate
>
> I realize there is some reluctance to "give orders" to the people who have 
> volunteered to do these events. However in the long run having a central CRM 
> will /reduce/ the amount of work required by future LOCs, and by past ones who 
> get requests to dig out contact information from events that occurred years ago.
>
> The use of a CRM could also be expanded to track contact information for all 
> attendees including which events they've attended, so they can be contacted 
> about future relevant events -- another case where there is no coordination or 
> sanity to any of the extant data.
>
> Thoughts?
>
> Darrell
>
>
>
>
>
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-- 
Dr. Peter Baumann
  - Professor of Computer Science, Jacobs University Bremen
    www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann
    mail: p.baumann at jacobs-university.de
    tel: +49-421-200-3178, fax: +49-421-200-493178
  - Executive Director, rasdaman GmbH Bremen (HRB 26793)
    www.rasdaman.com, mail: baumann at rasdaman.com
    tel: 0800-rasdaman, fax: 0800-rasdafax, mobile: +49-173-5837882
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