When the admin starts competing with the work
The volume of work was growing faster than the systems keeping it together. Every new production meant more performers to brief, more availability to track, and more messages moving between more people.
Communication was spread across WhatsApp threads and one to one contact, invoices and expenses were worked through by hand, and human error had more places to creep in.
Little by little, the admin was starting to compete with the thing that actually mattered: the shows.
Bakehouse Factory is an interactive theatre company on a mission to create unexpected moments of delight and wonder. From its Bristol base, it delivers immersive performances in retail spaces and visitor attractions across the UK, powered by a growing pool of freelance performers.
As the company grew, the more the freelance operation needed to be managed, and the harder it became to do that from a patchwork of chats and spreadsheets.
The moment something had to change
There was a clear point where the manual approach could no longer keep pace with the ambition of the work. The team did not need more group chats or another spreadsheet.
It needed one smarter system that could connect everyone at once, tidy up communication, and take the human error out of the day to day.
“As the business grew, the volume of work became overwhelming. We needed a smarter solution that connects everyone at once, streamlining communication and reducing human error. Liveforce stood out as more user-friendly, even in its early stages.”
Bakehouse Factory
Key features implemented
One home for the freelance pool
As the roster of performers grew, availability and details lived across separate lists. Liveforce holds the whole freelance pool in one place, so the team can book the right people onto the right productions without the chasing.
Scheduling with a traffic light view
Casting a production used to mean tracking gaps by hand. The traffic light display shows which jobs are fully cast and which still have gaps, so nothing is caught too late.
Team communication in one channel
Briefings and updates once travelled through WhatsApp groups and one to one messages. Now the team speaks to everyone at once through the platform, which keeps information consistent and cuts the room for error.
Invoicing and expenses in-platform
Invoices and expenses were a manual job every month. Performers submit through Liveforce, and the finance team processes them in the same place, taking a heavy load off the back office.
The Crew App for performers
Performers manage their own side from their phone: viewing shifts, confirming availability, and picking up briefings, without a single group chat. It keeps the whole team in step, wherever the next show takes them.
One place to run the whole operation
Liveforce became the central place to manage the freelance pool. Instead of chasing details across separate lists and threads, the team now plans productions, tracks availability, and speaks to everyone from a single system.
The workflows run quietly in the background, so the people using them can stay focused on the performances rather than the paperwork.
From firefighting to a steady operation
The shift showed up in the ordinary moments. Briefings reached everyone at once instead of being repeated across a dozen chats. Casting gaps surfaced early instead of on the day. The finance team picked up invoices in one place instead of piecing them together by hand.
What used to feel reactive started to feel run.
Before and after Liveforce
Before Liveforce
Updates sent across WhatsApp groups and one to one messages
No clear view of which jobs were fully cast
Availability tracked by hand across separate lists
Invoices and expenses handled manually every month
Admin growing faster than the work itself
After Liveforce
One structured channel that reaches every performer at once
A traffic light display showing cast jobs and gaps at a glance
One central database for the whole freelance pool
Invoices and expenses submitted and actioned in the platform
Routine admin handled in one place
The difference
Consistent briefings, and less lost in the noise
Gaps spotted early, not on the day
The right people booked without the chasing
A lighter load for the finance team
More time to develop new productions
“The platform has significantly improved communication. Instead of relying on multiple forms of communication and one-to-one contact, Liveforce allows us to speak to everyone at once, reducing the need for WhatsApp groups and potential errors.”
Bakehouse Factory
“Reducing WhatsApp usage and human error is a big win. Liveforce's communication features enable us to talk to everyone in one place, making the process more efficient and error-resistant.”
Bakehouse Factory
What changed for the team
With the day to day handled in one place, the pressure eased where it mattered most. The finance team stopped piecing invoices together by hand.
The casting picture became something the team could read at a glance. And the hours that used to disappear into admin came back, ready to be spent on the work itself.
“The impact on invoicing and payroll has been huge. The finance team receives invoices via Liveforce, handles them, and I don't have to worry about it. The expenses and invoicing features have streamlined the workload immensely.”
Bakehouse Factory
“The invoice feature is a game-changer. It's streamlined and efficient. Being able to action expenses through Liveforce has made a significant difference in workload.”
Bakehouse Factory
“Liveforce is simple and user-friendly. The traffic light display is satisfying, making it easy to see which jobs are fully cast and which still have gaps. That feels like success.”
Bakehouse Factory
The clearest sign of the change was capacity. With the admin under control, the team could take on more without the strain that used to come with it.
“Liveforce has freed up my time to focus on developing productions. It allows us to deliver jobs efficiently and has made us match-fit for the future. We can now say yes to more projects and take on more work, which wouldn't have been possible before.”
Bakehouse Factory
Asked how the team felt about the switch, the verdict was short: “It’s a million times better.”
The admin stopped competing with the craft, and the team got back to what they are there to do: creating unexpected moments of delight and wonder
