New Times, New Communication System

Five months ago, I took on the responsibility of PR Manager and that of implementing a new communication system for UMB to manage the organization and implement marketing-related activities. Today, I am pleased to inform you all about the current situation of this important project.<o:p></o:p>

As announced a few days ago, the final implementation stage of the UMB’s communication system has started. We hope that this new system, which was explained in detail during the last congress in Valencia, Spain in 2012, will fulfil the expectations we have put in it.<o:p></o:p>

It was at the Madrid congress in 2010 that we came to the conclusion that the communication between the UMB members, the public, sportsmen, fans and the press had to be improved. Thanks to the support of AURAPORTAL, we have a first-class tool that has been developed during the past months to successfully end the necessary work and testing. This resulted in the www.umb-carom.org communication portal that you can now visit. This portal, with several sections already running, is gradually being loaded. Until August 2013, various sections will be completed and added to achieve the final configuration for you to dispose of all of UMB’s administrative information, as well as sports programmes, enrolment, online results, rankings and calendars, online merchandising shop, announcements and any related news, regulations, information from "the UMB world", etc.<o:p></o:p>

However, the most important aspect of the new portal is what you cannot see – the portal is a BMP (Business Process Management) tool. It manages the different standardized work processes and publishes news, sending information to the billiards sector, the international press, federations and confederations as well as fans, clubs and players via a newsletter. All of these groups will have their own specific buttons to access information and/or login. The portal also manages the creation of various databases which will soon cover the exact state of our sport − its most relevant and necessary aspects to be able to design our communication strategies more precisely in the future.<o:p></o:p>

Our upcoming events will be announced through this portal, especially targeting the national mass media and sponsors, and thus supporting the effort made by the organizers.<o:p></o:p>

I would like to emphasize that this year on September 1^st, the new sports season will start using the new portal as the only official communication media of the UMB. To this purpose, we need the collaboration of the federations affiliated with the UMB to load basic data, which is already operative, in the communication system.<o:p></o:p>

Parallel marketing activities have been developed to promote our sport in the international billiards sector and to foment its interest in our sport. Especially in less consolidated areas, there has been an active presence in collaboration with the MOLINARI company at the International Fair of Guangzhou, China in April.<o:p></o:p>

We are confident that our efforts will be successful and that our organization’s image will improve considerably, mainly regarding the press and possible sponsors. We are certain that receiving news and contacting the UMB in a flexible and easy way will be positive for the development of our sport.<o:p></o:p>

Please send us any suggestions you may have.<o:p></o:p>

Kind regards,<o:p></o:p>

Fernando Requena<o:p></o:p>

UMB Vice-President.<o:p></o:p>

PR & Marketing Manager<o:p></o:p>