Wilhelmina
has been successfully spotting and booking talent for over
30 thirty years, but only recently ventured into the world
of technology — and with surprising results. At first
cautious about breaking with tradition and using the Internet
to do business, Wilhelmina has found that they can not only
challenge convention, but also level with the headliners.
Wilhelmina
operates many different divisions within the world of modeling,
catering to every media from print to TV and digital. They
pride themselves on taking care of their clients and the needs
of their models, not inconsiderable, given the stresses and
strains inherent in the world where image is everything. They
are proud to represent Kate Dillon, who after battling with
anorexia for years withdrew from the business, but Wilhelmina,
recognizing her talents, coaxed her into entering their Plus
Size division, where she could enjoy the talents she had learned
under the glare of the cameras.
Already
known for their leadership in the world of modeling, Wilhelmina
has been confronted with some important changes recently.
In an industry entrenched in convention, they were forced
to make a decision about how far to involve technology in
their process. Under the guidance of Richard Troost and Casey
Doran at Model Network, they made a choice to offer their
clientele a far easier, faster and more cost efficient means
of doing business.
With
fifty percent of their clients being international, Wilhelmina
needed to find a way for their clients to select their models
and make bookings, even while the U.S. office was closed.
Model Network provided the ideal service, working closely
with the Wilhelmina, they discussed building a system that
would allow their clients to browse model portfolios by division,
or other criteria, and even make bookings twenty four/seven.
Model Network custom designed a Web site for the agency that
not only matched their look and feel, but also provided on-line
all the traditional features that their clients were accustomed
to using off-line. By using the "Light-box"
feature on the site to select the right talent for their clients,
bookers can email entire portfolios, thereby replacing the
old "dinosaur" system of choosing from cards on
the wall, preparing a package and sending it out. Model Networks
provided a site, which was cutting edge in design and greatly
improved efficiency.
Ray
Lata, who made the decision to opt for the Model Network’
solution says, "Going forward we feel that this is the
best way to deal with our clients," and he is certain
that they made the right choice, "It has been fantastic,"
he says, "we can do bookings all over the world in a
fraction of the time it would have taken us in the past and
at less expense to us and the talent."
So,
with the majority of their clientele adopting the new on-line
system, Wilhelmina is stunned by immediate savings in time
and money and an incredible reduction in waste. By cutting
out high courier and Fed-Ex bills, time-consuming paperwork,
exorbitant printing and reproduction costs, the agency is
left free to expand on what they are famous for — taking
care of the way the world looks.
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