Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and labor services grows its business, increases the flexibility of its system
For Program Productions Inc. (PPI), NAB 2026 was of course a chance to meet with clients old and new, but it also offered the opportunity to continue to learn about how the gig economy is changing the industry, the role AI will have not only on PPI's own workflows but also on some recently awarded patents that PPI Chairman Bob Carzoli considers proof-positive of the quality of work of the PPI engineers and software developers.
We think that, through the work of our development teams and in collaboration with our customers, our operations people, and our field technicians, we were able to build a system that is truly unique, he says, noting a 10-year process that concluded just ahead of NAB 2026 in April. The utility patents cover things like our geo-fenced punching-in and punching-out on location, where technicians use the mobile phone [without actively tracking the user]. And the second patent covers the end-to-end system, from the client portal to the mobile phones of our technicians.
Carzoli believes that having a gated-technology platform will allow PPI to remain active on the acquisition side and also expand beyond its core business by bringing competing software platforms into the fold. The patents open up those opportunities as well as licensing revenue streams. .
And, as if there hasn't been enough innovation, CTO Bobby Carzoli [Bob Carzoli's son] just returned home from South Korea, where he helped open a new office where iOS developers will be able to accelerate enhancements to the ProCrewz app and also offer more-customized features and software for clients. Additionally, PPI has heavily integrated artificial intelligence into its coding efforts, going from zero in December to having 90%-92% of its code authorized through AI. This AI integration speeds development, eliminates tedious tasks, and helps bring more functions to market rapidly.
Adds Bob Carzoli, We're able to track internally how each developer is working and how they're utilizing AI to increase the development process on the coding side.
Among new features on the horizon is highly flexible scheduling specifically designed for the live-entertainment business, which often requires massive, last-minute multicultural-crew adjustments unlike the predetermined schedules of broadcast sports. PPI is also enhancing the mobile app's user experience with paycheck estimates, real-time communication tools for the client portal, and gated functions for group oversight.
It's a very different dynamic in concerts and entertainment, where there's a lot of last-minute scheduling, notes PPI President Scott West. There are massive groups of people required at the 11th hour as well as changes, so that required a flexible system.
Recent additions include paycheck estimates and new ways for crew members to see real-time information at the job site about changes, a result of enhancements both on the portal side, which is managed by the client, and on the mobile app, which is managed by the crew member.
We try to work toward a strong relationship with clients to support their dynamics and how they work a little bit differently, says Scott. We've been able to become an attractive partner to customers because we can customize a lot of things from the end-user point of view up rather than from the management view down. And we challenge our people to look at opportunities to operate more efficiently.
PPI's Bob Carzoli (left) and Scott West say the company continues to expand and grow despite challenging industry headwinds.With respect to business itself, Carzoli says 2026 began with challenges, notably the loss of business from FanDuel and Main Street. However, this loss ultimately proved to be a short-term blip that strengthened the company: the temporary lull, he notes, allowed PPI to catch its breath, reevaluate its internal operational and technological management, and focus heavily on new-business development.
It allowed us to concentrate on new clients and new-business development, which by the way, we were really excited about, he adds. We managed to replace 75% of the business we lost, and, when we add in the new business, it's a net gain. We couldn't be more excited about where we go in the rest of 2026 and beyond.
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Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and labor services grows its business, increases the flexibility of its system
