Uni clubs save time and do it online! Craccum, October 2009

Every semester when Miles Mason, the incoming President for the 230-member Auckland University Rock and Alpine Club (AURAC), signs on club members he knows about the dreary form-filling that lies ahead for the club’s membership officer. Before he gets anywhere near a rock face he must climb mountains of paper. And oddly, despite using internet technology everywhere else, it’s a hassle club volunteers everywhere have mostly accepted as just a fact of life.

But this semester a ten-hour job updating memberships was cut to just one. Thanks to combining cutting-edge cloud computing with the requirements of helping people get on with the activity they joined for in the first place.

Developed in Auckland and now starting to be exported, the ClubHub technology AURAC used came into being when its founder, Maurice MacLaren, decided there had to be a better way to manage memberships for his soccer club. With a background in high-powered database computing for global finance clients, he has developed a unique system that typically cuts 40 minutes of membership processing to just under five. Members easily fill out details online and the system automatically does everything else. “Instead of just sticking forms in front of people we were able to actually talk about the exciting stuff we have got planned,” Miles says.

When the Auckland University Cricket Club recently had to organise teams for 600 members, including juniors, it cut the time required by 75% (saving some 50 hours) says Richard Walker, the club’s manager. “And we are organising more things like social events as well, because it is just so easy to communicate with members.”

Founded in 1908 the cricket club is one of the university’s oldest. But, says Richard, ClubHub is helping it continue as one of its fastest-growing – and allowing volunteers to enjoy more of what they do.