Before we created Matrix Retail, we did the work: We ran stores, wrote schedules, built payroll models, and processed freight. We worked shoulder-to-shoulder with store managers, district managers, regional managers, C-suite executives, HR, IT, and distribution centers.

We listened. We asked questions. We heard what was frustrating and why. We learned that the best solutions come from understanding every side of the problem.

We focused on scheduling because it was important and hard to do well. We built a manual solution that was a big hit, then met with software vendors to take it to the next level. We were disappointed with the products — and the process: Lots of promises, no proof, and heavy pressure to sign a big contract.

Retail needed something different: Software that works the way retail does. Proof that it works up front. No upfront investment. No long-term commitments. Ongoing partnership that lasts because everybody wins.

That's how Matrix Retail was born: By retailers, for retailers. Partners, not vendors. We don't just know your pain -- we've felt it.

Our experience with software vendors convinced us that we should do things differently, starting with our business model. We were calling people who knew us, or knew our work. We didn't want to be vendors. We wanted to be partners.

So we built our business differently. Our pitch was, “Let us help you invest your payroll. We'll work with you, do the forecasting and optimization, and provide the platform for scheduling and governance. If you're happy with the results, pay us a small part of the value you're getting, and we'll keep on going.”

Nothing up front. No long-term commitments. Our lawyers told us we were crazy. Our clients loved it. And it's still the way we do business.

We talk about “partnership” and “creating value” a lot. Without them, we don't get paid. It's not just marketing jargon — it's the foundation of our business.

Matrix Retail was started by two retailers who had a vision for a better scheduling solution.

Mark and Bob met while working for one of the largest specialty retailer in the country. They both had responsibility for efficient investment of store payroll for 800+ stores -- Mark from store finance side, and Bob from store operations side.

This shared goal sparked the start of a real partnership. They committed to giving managers what they needed write great schedules. Over several years, the tools they developed were so effective and so simple to use that every brand across the 5,000 store enterprise adopted them.

Now that they were deploying $1 billion in payroll, they went looking for an automated scheduling solution to provide support. They evaluated dozens of workforce management providers -- none of them had what they needed or wanted.

The products they found had the same frustrating limitations as many of today's providers:

• they weren't built for retail -- so they worked fine most of the time, but fell apart during busiest times
• implementation took years -- and consumed enormous IT resources
• the interfaces were difficult for managers to learn and use -- which required a lot of payroll just to train new users
• they were rigid and inflexible -- changing settings and updating configurations was costly and complicated

So Mark and Bob used their deep retail experience fueled by a passion for enabling great customer experience and built something better. They partnered with outstanding developers to create a scheduling solution from the ground up to handle all the challenges for the real demands of retail.

Our solution is driven by today's powerful technology but stays true to our original beliefs.

• Everything is done to delight your customers
• Give managers the tools that make it easy to write great schedules
• Interfaces that are simple and easy and effective

Our role in your success is to help you delight your customers and to efficiently invest your payroll expense.

• Partnership / relationship / win-win value proposition that rests on strong relationships and delivering value
• Flexible to grow with your brand
• prove we can do what we say - free setup