Top Brands. Top Software.
How Horstmann + Sander, Hanover's premier lifestyle retailer, has reduced personnel costs by double digits and increased average transaction value since 2012 — even as foot traffic has declined.
Horstmann + Sander at a Glance
Founded in Hannover in 1884 as a saddlery, Horstmann + Sander began its journey crafting and selling fine luggage. Today, four generations later, the family business has become a true Hannover institution — the destination of choice for bags, shoes, travel luggage, and accessories, and the undisputed leader in premium and luxury fashion and lifestyle.
Team
around 80 employees
Location
Hannover
Sales Floor
Approx. 2,000 m² in the main building
Numbers, Data, Facts
percentage reduction in personnel costs – through precise workforce deployment
Earlier payroll disbursement – no later than the 2nd working day of each month
drives Horstmann + Sander's time management and workforce scheduling with SEAK
The Challenge
Before 2012, Horstmann + Sander tracked working hours using handwritten time cards. Lost cards caused friction, and the process was time-consuming and prone to errors. Staff scheduling was handled in Excel — which, internally, was seen as a simple and effective solution. On closer inspection, however, the system lacked frequency logic and any meaningful connection to the high service standards critical for a premium property of this size.
Five specific pain points were holding them back:
Handwritten Time Cards
Paper-based time tracking — prone to errors, at risk of being lost, and a constant source of friction when corrections are needed.
Payroll Crunch Time
For days, multiple employees manually entered timesheet data — a bottleneck that delayed payroll every single month.
Excel Scheduling
Plans were managed in spreadsheets — seemingly simple, but impossible to scale and lacking any real data foundation.
No Frequency Logic
Expected customer footfall wasn't being factored into shift planning in any systematic way — a real problem on peak days.
Service claim not mapped
The premium property's high service standards were not being systematically reflected in staff scheduling.
Project team at Horstmann+Sander
"Before, we relied on paper timesheets where hours worked were recorded by hand. The process was far too time-consuming and error-prone. And when a timesheet went missing, it inevitably caused frustration and conflict."
The Decision: How We Connected with SEAK
Seven Years from First Contact to Implementation
Horstmann + Sander first came across SEAK at CeBIT in 2005 — while researching a workforce management solution with a DATEV interface. However, nothing came of it at first: a previous bad experience with another workforce management vendor meant the topic was put on the back burner. It wasn't until 2012 that the decision was finally made — and Horstmann + Sander rolled out three SEAK modules simultaneously: Time & Attendance, Staff Scheduling, and Workforce Planning.
The Implementation: Time & Attendance from Day One, Workforce Scheduling at Your Own Pace
Annual Planning with Daily Revenue Forecasting — No More Monthly Excel Corrections
The workforce management module delivered visible results almost immediately. Instead of handwritten timesheets, Horstmann + Sander now captures working hours through booking terminals, with all statutory, collective bargaining, and individual regulations stored directly in the system. The result: monthly payroll now runs at the click of a button — employees receive their salaries three to five days earlier than before.
Workforce scheduling and demand planning required more patience. There was initial skepticism within the organization ("Excel works just fine"), and meaningful adoption depended on detailed historical sales data that simply wasn't available at the required depth. It took roughly two years before the benefits began to materialize. Today, all six department heads actively use the scheduling module, the sales manager reviews staffing levels regularly — and turns to demand planning on peak-traffic days.
What the software actually covers
Time Tracking at Terminals
Booking terminals instead of paper – the data foundation for payroll, controlling, and self-service.
Statutory & Collective Agreement Rules
All applicable legal, collective bargaining, and individual agreements are automatically applied during the assessment process.
Master Data with Contract Rules
Contractual terms, working time models, and individual agreements are stored in the master data — set up once, always up to date.
Annual Planning
Staff hours and workforce requirements throughout the year — accounting for seasonality, public holidays, school breaks, and promotional campaigns.
Automatic Shift Suggestions
Per day and department – demand-driven planning grounded in historical data and company-wide targets.
Qualifications & Contract
Required qualifications, roles, contracted hours, and employee preferences are automatically factored into every scheduling decision.
Justice Factors
Fully personalized schedules with fair workload distribution — essential for vacation planning and managing unpopular shift times.
SEAK Cloud Service
Cloud-based access – migration recently completed, with full productive operations restored within two days.
Project team at Horstmann+Sander
"Previously, several staff members spent days manually entering and correcting handwritten timesheets. Now, payroll is processed with a single click. Employees have their salary in their account by the 2nd working day of each month — three to five days earlier than before."
The Result: What Has Changed Since Then
Labor costs cut by double digits, average spend up — and break times are now a service question
The impact is felt across four dimensions: financial performance, operational efficiency, employee satisfaction, and premium service delivery.
Business Management
Operational Relief
Employee Satisfaction
Premium Service
Project team at Horstmann+Sander
"We reduced personnel costs by a double-digit percentage — primarily because staffing is now deployed with far greater precision. Like the brick-and-mortar retail sector in general, we're seeing a decline in foot traffic. But our average transaction value has risen steadily over the past few years. We attribute that to smarter, more targeted workforce deployment as well."
Which modules Horstmann + Sander relies on
Project team at Horstmann+Sander
"Absolutely outstanding. I've never come across a better support line. The SEAK team always has a solution — or knows exactly which colleague to bring in. Quintessentially SEAK: that Hamburg charm, paired with genuinely warm and friendly service. Great people. It makes you feel connected, and it's actually a pleasure to call."
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.
140 Years of Premium Retail in Hanover
Founded in Hanover in 1884 as a saddlery, Horstmann + Sander began its journey manufacturing and selling luggage. Following a major store renovation in 1999, this family-run business — now in its fourth generation since 2004 — operates across approximately 2,000 m² of retail space, firmly established as one of the region's premier destinations for bags, shoes, travel luggage, and accessories. In the upper and luxury price segments, it holds an undisputed position as the market leader for fashion and lifestyle.
The brand portfolio spans the full luxury spectrum, featuring names such as Prada, Gucci, Celine, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Santoni, Tod's, and Hogan. Across two floors of premium retail space, customers can explore more than 40 labels — including MCM, Michael Kors, Aigner, Joop, Bogner, Coccinelle, and Furla. The accessories world brings together iconic names such as Burberry, Hugo Boss, and Crockett & Jones.
Standards for suppliers and software partners are understandably high. Since 2012, Horstmann + Sander has relied on SEAK for workforce scheduling, staffing planning, and time management — and has since made the move to the SEAK Cloud.