Real People, Not Avatars
How family-owned retailer Schuh-Grotz from Winnenden uses SEAK to align staffing with customer footfall — with mobile scheduling and leave management for 30 employees.
Schuh-Grotz at a Glance
Schuh-Grotz was founded in 1958 in Winnenden, Baden-Württemberg, and is today led by Joachim Grotz, with his daughter Cara Grotz joining the leadership team in October 2023. With two retail locations and a team of around 30 employees, the company is built on personal service, deep regional roots, and a firm commitment to brick-and-mortar retail.
Team
around 30 employees
Locations
A premium branded shoe boutique (280 m²) in the city center and "Der Schuhladen," a specialist retail store (approx. 1,000 m²) located in the Winnenden industrial district
SEAK customer since 2010
Staff Scheduling, Mobile Shift Planning, Mobile Leave Management
Numbers, Data, Facts
Employees Scheduled with SEAK
Total retail space – 280 m² City + 1,000 m² Specialist Store
Schuh-Grotz manages workforce deployment with SEAK
The Challenge
Managing staff across two locations with 30 employees is doable manually — but far from efficient. Responding to last-minute changes, whether due to weather or unexpected sick calls, was time-consuming and relied heavily on back-and-forth phone calls.
Three specific pain points were holding them back:
Time-Consuming Workforce Scheduling
Manually scheduling shifts for 30 employees across two locations was taking up far too much time.
Administrative Approvals
Leave requests were handled on paper with manual approvals — a time-consuming burden for store managers.
Last-Minute Changes by Phone
Weather-related schedule changes and last-minute sick calls used to mean a flood of back-and-forth phone calls with the team.
Cara Grotz – Managing Director – Schuh-Grotz
"SEAK's mobile solutions in particular allow us to not only adjust schedules flexibly — for example, in response to weather conditions — but also to notify staff of updated shift times with just a click. It requires far fewer phone calls to coordinate."
The Decision: A Commitment to Personal Selling
Schuh-Grotz positions itself as the antithesis of pure online retail. The more impersonal online shopping becomes, the more valuable expert, in-store advice becomes. As Cara Grotz puts it: "Real people, not avatars." Delivering that personal touch at exactly the right moment requires staffing levels that precisely match customer footfall — and an IT partner that makes it all happen seamlessly in the background. These two needs brought them to SEAK.
The Implementation: Workforce Scheduling Plus Mobile Self-Service
With SEAK, Schuh-Grotz now manages workforce scheduling across both locations from a single platform — including the flexibility to assign staff between the specialty store and the retail outlet as needed. SEAK's mobile applications — mobile shift planning and mobile leave management — empower employees and teams to access information, plan ahead, submit change requests, and get approvals anytime, anywhere.
What the software actually covers
Annual Planning
Staffing needs throughout the year — with seasonality, public holidays, school breaks, and promotions built right in.
Qualifications & Features
Employee qualifications and required roles are automatically factored into every scheduling decision.
Contract & Preferences
Contracted hours and personal preferences are built into the scheduling process.
Justice Factors
Tailored scheduling — with workloads distributed fairly across the entire team.
Plan Change Helper Functions
Respond quickly to last-minute changes — whether weather-related, due to staff illness, or driven by shifts in customer traffic.
Rule Violation Alert
Automatic alerts when legal, contractual, or individual agreements are at risk of being exceeded.
Mobile Scheduling
Employees can view their schedules in the app — with instant notifications for any last-minute changes.
Availability Overview
See everything at a glance: availability, overtime balances, and absences — giving store managers the planning confidence they need.
Ralph Boleslawsky – Branch Manager – Schuh-Grotz
"Manually scheduling and managing a team of 30 employees is simply not feasible. With SEAK's workforce planning solution, you can see at a glance how many hours need to be scheduled, which employees are available, and effortlessly shift staff between both locations."
The Result: What Has Changed Since Then
Staffed to demand, informed on the go, less back-and-forth
Control
Operational Relief
People & Leadership
Customers
Ralph Boleslawsky – Branch Manager – Schuh-Grotz
"Overall, the system gives me a real sense of confidence in our planning. That comes down to how clearly everything is displayed — from staff availability and vacation absences to overtime and hour balances."
Which modules Schuh-Grotz relies on
Ralph Boleslawsky – Branch Manager – Schuh-Grotz
"I have nothing but positive things to say. The SEAK team is available almost immediately in most cases and can dial straight into the system whenever needed to resolve an issue. Reliability, punctuality, and expertise: simply outstanding."
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.
Brick-and-Mortar Footwear Retail with a Clear Stance
Schuh-Grotz was founded in 1958 in Winnenden, Baden-Württemberg, and is now in its second generation of family ownership — led by Joachim Grotz and, since October 2023, his daughter Cara Grotz. The business operates two retail locations: a 280 m² branded footwear boutique in the town center, and "Der Schuhladen," a approximately 1,000 m² specialty store in Winnenden's commercial district, offering women's, men's, children's, sports, and hiking footwear.
Schuh-Grotz positions itself as a deliberate counterpoint to the impersonal nature of online shopping. Personal service, local roots, and customer trust are at the heart of everything the business does. As Cara Grotz puts it: "The more anonymous online shopping becomes, the more customers appreciate the experience of connecting with real people." Delivering that experience requires staffing levels that match customer footfall — and a technology partner that handles the complexity behind the scenes, effortlessly.