A brief history of PAAM...

The PAAM staff and volunteer recruitment and management software app developed organically from humble beginnings; starting life as a simple online form created to help with event staffing.

2000 to 2001

Mark Hatchard, founder of PAAM and PAAM's parent company Hotbox Studios Ltd, worked for the event staff recruitment and management company DC Site Services in the summer months whilst at college and university. Until the year 2000, DC Site Services didn't have a website; managing all recruitment through word of mouth and posting out paper application forms.

Mark suggested to the Director of DC Site Services that a website would be a big benefit and developed this free of charge in his spare time. Included with the new website was a simple online form which allowed for staff to apply for event jobs, emailing the application through to the company's admin team.

2002 to 2003

The new online event staffing application proved very popular so a basic database with some rudimentary search functionality was added, plus the ability to export applicant's details into the company's payroll software.

In his third year of university in early 2003, Mark setup the company Hotbox Studios, offering web design, animation, web application development, and digital marketing services.

Mark continued to work with event recruitment and management, both with DC Site Services and his own event staff and volunteer recruitment and management company Hotbox Events.

2004 to 2005

In 2004, Rob Smith joined Hotbox Studios as the company's web design and software application development director.

From 2004 to 2005 both DC Site Services and Hotbox Events grew, each company expanding to work with more events thus supplying more staff and volunteers across the UK.

It became clear that both companies required a more comprehensive recruitment and management system.

2006 to 2009

To offer a solution, in 2006 Mark and Rob worked together to create the first version of PAAM, which was launched for DC Site Services and Hotbox Events in 2007.

At this point the software was very much in it's infancy, so went through a substantial real-world beta testing phase from 2007 to 2009.

2010 to 2013

Following the testing phase PAAM went through a full back-end and interface overhaul, before public launch in 2010.

From 2010 through 2013 PAAM grew to be used globally, helping companies and organisations with the recruitment and management of staff and volunteers at events, exhibitions, trade shows, one-off projects, teaching, expeditions and more...

2014 and beyond...

To read more about what happened next and the ongoing development of PAAM, please head to our Research and Development page.