Cinerent

Theirs is the biggest – the biggest mobile cinema screen in the world, that is. They are the Zurich-based company Cinerent. Not only can their screen be rented all around the world, they also organise large events on and around their cinema screen, during which hundreds of flexible employees are assigned. 

For many residents, the open-air cinema at Lake Zurich in Switzerland in July and August of every year is an essential part of the summer's event calendar. On mild summer evenings, they can enjoy current films in front of a gorgeous view of the alps and have a snack or drink at one of the concession stands. A lot of preparation is necessary before around 1,700 cinema-goers per night can get comfortable in the various bars or restaurants or in their cinema seat. 

The responsibility for operating the screen on a daily basis as well as for mounting and removing the entire temporary infrastructure around it falls to Nils Keller. Around 10 days prior to the first film being projected onto the screen, he and his construction team of around 30 people start building the stage, mounting the cinema screen and putting up concession stands on the lawns at the lakeside quay Zürichhorn.

While it is steel workers, plumbers and electricians who are needed during the first phase, after about 10 days of work it is bar staff, kitchen staff and door staff who take over the operation of the site. And all of them are Cinerent's employees – at least for the duration of the summer.

Popular summer job by the lake

Cinerent is particularly popular when it comes to summer jobs for students. "Fortunately, we are always seeing lots of new applicants. Staffcloud gives us data integrity in our employee database, which is incredibly valuable and central to our business," says Keller. He adds that Staffcloud's recruiting process helps in managing a large number of applicants. After all, Cinerent runs another open-air cinema event in the city of Basel at almost the exact same time. 

The search for a suitable software solution

After having to abandon their attempt at working with a tool which turned out to be unsuitable, Cinerent decided to work with Event Commander, Staffcloud's predecessor. After two years with Event Commander, Staffcloud's launch meant that planners and employees had to deal with changing software systems for the third time in three years. 

Assessment and doing it better next time

"We had a good start with Staffcloud and are steadily getting better. Thanks to Staffcloud, we can continuously optimise the way we work and how we communicate with our employees," Keller notes. He says he regularly asks himself how Cinerent can use Staffcloud's options ever more efficiently. 

Staffcloud is part of the briefing

Cinerent uses work data proposals for employee time tracking. This is why Staffcloud is part of the briefing for new and existing employees before every event. Staffcloud as well as work data reporting are introduced, and a short time later – once the assignment is over – used by the industrious employees. Keller sums up the advantages as follows: "It is the ideal solution for us. And the fact that we are also quicker in payroll accounting due to the data export function is really making things easier."

Cinerent had one more request 

Cinerent would like employees to be able to see work data proposals which they have already sent. They expressed this wish a few months ago and the add-on is currently in its last testing phase so that Cinerent and all our other clients will be able to access it soon.