Push for Productivity – Conversion Rate Up 1 Percentage Point in Two Years
How Marburg's Ahrens department store uses SEAK to align staffing with footfall and revenue across 13,500 m² and six floors — with measurable impact on productivity and service quality.
Ahrens at a Glance
Founded in 1949 in a former ice cream parlor, Marburg's Ahrens department store began as a modest 50 m² textile shop. Today, the store spans 13,500 m² across six floors, showcasing more than 250 international top brands — complemented by an in-house restaurant, travel agency, and retail partners including Douglas, Görtz, Thalia, and Rewe, all under one roof. Their motto says it all: "Ahrens — at home in Marburg!"
Team
200+ employees
Market Segment:
Department store featuring fashion, sports, accessories, watches & jewelry, stationery, and a children's world — plus a restaurant, travel agency, and partner concepts
Sales Floor
approx. 13,500 m² across six floors
Location
Marburg (Hesse)
Founded
Founded in 1949 as a 50 m² textile shop
Deployed SEAK Modules
Workforce Scheduling (SEAKproHR) – Mobile Shift Planning Scheduled for the Next Release
Numbers, Data, Facts
Conversion Rate Doubled in Two Years – More Paying Customers
Six floors of retail space, planned with SEAK
international top brands in our portfolio
Employees in a Centrally Coordinated Plan
The Challenge
Too many staff hours one moment, too few the next — with no consistent link to customer traffic
Ahrens wasn't fundamentally dissatisfied with its existing workforce scheduling. But there was a recurring problem: staffing levels were frequently misaligned with actual demand. Unnecessary coverage during slow periods, insufficient advisory capacity during peak hours — and time accounts that were gradually falling out of balance.
Four specific pain points were holding them back:
Inflexible Workforce Scheduling
The existing planning process left little room for day-level adjustments to customer traffic and revenue.
Too many subjective assessments
Too often, decisions came down to gut feeling — reliable data for managing workforce deployment was simply not there.
No Frequency Reference in Operation
Staffing levels remained largely static — with no reliable foundation for adjusting coverage to match customer demand.
Imbalance in Time Accounts
Too many employees were accumulating excessive overtime or negative hours — workforce equity was suffering.
Ulrich Mücke – Chief Financial Officer & Authorized Signatory – Ahrens Marburg
"We weren't necessarily dissatisfied with our existing workforce scheduling — but we too often found ourselves either overstaffed or understaffed. Our planning simply lacked the depth and granularity we needed. Scheduling staff in line with revenue and customer traffic was just too difficult to achieve."
The Decision: A Recommendation From the Industry Network
Conversations with industry professionals and partner companies already using SEAK pro HR consistently pointed to SEAK as the top choice — not least because of its outstanding value for money. Those recommendations led to the initial contact, and ultimately, the decision.
The Implementation: How SEAK Is Integrated at Ahrens
Plan in Greater Detail — Monthly, Weekly, Daily, and Hourly Levels by Department
With SEAK, Ahrens now plans at a significantly more granular level: monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly breakdowns by department or defined floor area. Revenue figures from the merchandise management system are automatically imported into SEAK and distributed across selling days — based on prior-year trends and accounting for calendar shifts such as Easter. Shift scheduling is handled in 30-minute increments.
Department managers and HR leadership jointly define revenue volume tiers, which serve as the basis for staffing density models. These can be reviewed and adjusted by department managers during the monthly planning cycle. Senior management sets productivity-per-hour targets, which feed directly into headcount hour calculations.
What the software actually covers
Annual Rough Planning with Merchandise Management
Forecast staffing needs throughout the year — informed by planned revenues from your merchandise management system, seasonal trends, public holidays, school vacations, and promotional campaigns.
Half-Hour Scheduling
Scheduling is created on a half-hour basis — giving you more granular control than blanket daily plans.
Revenue Volume Tiers
Department heads and HR managers define classifications that serve as the basis for staffing density targets.
Automated Shift Suggestions
Per day and department – based on historical data and company-defined targets.
Qualifications & Features
Required qualifications and employee roles are automatically factored into every scheduling decision.
Contract & Preferences
Employee contract hours and time-off preferences are stored directly in the system — so nothing ever falls through the cracks.
Justice Factors
Tailored scheduling — balanced hour accounts across your entire workforce.
Legally protected
Legal requirements such as maximum daily working hours are built in — any violations are flagged with an automatic alert.
Alexander Marczoch – Head of Human Resources – Ahrens Marburg
"We are now able to plan in significantly more detail — monthly, weekly, daily, and hourly scheduling, all broken down by department or defined area. Achieving a balanced ratio in time accounts has become much easier with SEAK's software."
The Result: What Has Changed Since Then
A Productivity Boost – Conversion Rate, Items per Receipt, and Hourly Balances
The impact is felt across four dimensions: business performance, operational control, employee satisfaction, and customer experience.
Business Management
Controls & Analytics
Employee Satisfaction
Customer Perception
Ulrich Mücke – Chief Financial Officer & Authorized Signatory – Ahrens Marburg
"We naturally expected to see improvements in our key business metrics as well. And indeed, since implementing the system, productivity has been on the rise. Over the course of two years, we were able to improve our conversion rate by more than one percentage point."
Which Ahrens Modules Are in Use
What's Next: Ahrens' Plans for the Future
An employee app and SEAK's mobile scheduling feature – with paperless leave requests and stored policy documents that employees can access on demand.
Ulrich Mücke – Chief Financial Officer & Authorized Signatory – Ahrens Marburg
"I give the SEAK team an A+. The speed with which they respond to phone inquiries — and visit us in Marburg whenever needed — is remarkable. SEAK offers a software solution perfectly tailored to retail, while also accommodating individual requirements."
Let's talk about whether SEAK is the right fit for your business
In a 30-minute introductory call, we'll assess where your business stands today, identify which modules are the right priority for your situation, and outline a realistic implementation roadmap.
Alternatively, you're welcome to reach out via our contact form — we'll get back to you promptly. Or give us a call at: +49 40 238 348 – 000
The Trade Trusts SEAK
From fashion and food retail to building materials and specialist trade: retailers across Germany rely on SEAK to manage their workforce.
Ahrens at home in Marburg
Founded in 1949 in a former ice cream parlor, Ahrens department store began as a modest 50 m² textile shop. Today, it stands as a landmark institution in the Marburg region — spanning 13,500 m² across six floors and bringing together more than 250 international top brands across a diverse range of shopping and lifestyle experiences.
The store's core offering focuses on fashion, accessories, and sports, complemented by watches and jewelry, stationery, kitchenware, and a dedicated children's world. Ahrens also operates its own travel agency and an in-store restaurant featuring Subway. A curated selection of well-known retail partners — including Douglas (fragrances & beauty), Görtz (footwear), Thalia (books), and Rewe (groceries) — rounds out the offering under one roof, alongside a pharmacy, hair salon, bakery, shoe repair, and key-cutting service.
With a team of more than 200 employees, Ahrens takes pride in its deep connection to the city and the surrounding region. Their guiding motto says it all: "Ahrens — at home in Marburg."