How Vinylpladen manages shift planning with Smartplan
"We ended up choosing Smartplan because it just seemed smart. It's extremely user-friendly and from the start covered the needs we had in terms of getting away from handwritten notes"
Lene Sorensen
/
Operations Manager
Vinylpladen
From handwritten notes to an online scheduling system
When Vinylpladen moved the company to new premises in 2020, they began to experience a need for a digital <a href="/en/scheduling-system">scheduling system</a>. More space and more employees meant that manual scheduling became too complicated. The company therefore began looking for a new solution.
"It gives us less work to have more employees. Before, scheduling was confusing. Shift swapping was awful. All coordination had to go through me. I've gotten rid of that now with Smartplan, because now they can just do everything themselves"
Lene Sorensen
/
Operations Manager
Vinylpladen
Searched for scheduling but got much more
When Vinylpladen got more employees and therefore looked for an online scheduling system, their wish was to make the scheduling itself easier. However, they quickly discovered that it wasn't just planning they could save time on. The time clock and payroll export became the features that were the biggest gain. This has resulted in Vinylpladen now saving time on planning, time tracking and payroll, as everything can be done with a few clicks.
User-friendly planning
Precise time tracking
Accurate payroll
A typical schedule at Vinylpladen
At Vinylpladen, Lene releases schedules filled with open shifts. Then employees take shifts themselves corresponding to the number of hours they want to work. This means Lene saves time as some of the responsibility for planning is transferred to employees.
"It's incredibly time-saving to run payroll from Smartplan. It's automated. It's accurate. It works together with the time clock, which records to the minute. It makes it so much easier to work with"
Lene Sorensen
/
Operations Manager
Vinylpladen
Focus on customer wishes
Most of Vinylpladen's sales take place online on their website. But they also have a selection of vinyl records displayed in the store in Viby. However, it's not just records you can buy in the store. Instead, it's also possible to buy cleaning equipment and record storage, which are also a big part of the vinyl life and in demand by customers. Therefore, it's also clear that customers' needs and wishes are prioritized by the company.
"I haven't used support at all because I haven't needed to. Most of it is self-explanatory. It's so easy to use. When I have something I'm not sure it can do, I just spend some time clicking around in the system. Then you quickly figure it out"
Lene Sorensen
/
Operations Manager
Vinylpladen
When a hobby project becomes a business
Since 2020, Vinylpladen has used Smartplan for their scheduling. We stopped by the store to learn more about their daily operations and the role Smartplan plays. Here we met with the company's operations manager, Lene.
Vinylpladen started as a hobby project for the company's owner, Philip Thruesen, in 2011. Philip had accumulated a nice record collection and started selling from it.
For the past seven years, Vinylpladen has existed as an actual business with staff, salaries and everything that entails. Over the years, more employees have been added, and for this reason Vinylpladen has also experienced a shift in their scheduling needs over time.
In the beginning, it worked fine to do the planning manually on paper, as there were limited changes taking place. At the same time, management could relatively quickly get an overview of employees' hours when running payroll. But as more employees came on board, it became harder to maintain the overview.
It was all handwritten notes and verbal questions about when they could work. Shift swapping took place via text or calls. It ended up making scheduling confusing, and we had to find another solution
It was clear that there had to be another solution where Lene and Philip could save time on planning. At the same time, it should become easier for employees to get an overview of their work times and swap shifts. Therefore, the switch to Smartplan also arose based on both management's and employees' needs.
At Vinylpladen, they sell both used and new vinyl records. Additionally, it's also possible to buy Hi-Fi equipment, storage and vinyl care. Most of the company's sales take place online, while they also have a physical store.
We want customers to see us as genuine and fair. We want to be the ones they can turn to. We want to meet them at eye level
In 2020, the company moved their location from Aarhus city center to Viby. But they've kept their customer segment. At Vinylpladen, they often experience that their customers come back to make more purchases. This is partly because the company stands out by having an incredibly wide selection of vinyl records.
It's still easy for customers to get to the store despite the move. As Lene mentions, they offer both free parking right in front of the store and the bus and light rail both stop nearby.
We go a long way to satisfy our customers. That's why we also live by a principle that if we can get it, we do
After our visit, we can only recommend stopping by Vinylpladen. You're met by smiling, welcoming staff, so you immediately feel welcome in the store.
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