Our mission at UniFocus is to equip managers with the best tools and insights they need for the swift decision-making that is called for in the service industries. We’ve spent 20 years driving innovation and setting the standard for workforce management technology that delivers intelligent labor insights that help form smarter decisions.
From our labor management roots, we’ve evolved into a platform that integrates staff planning, alignment, execution and evaluation functions with our time and attendance, survey, and consulting services. From demand forecasting to automated scheduling infused with labor standards and guest satisfaction, UniFocus puts the right people in the right place at the right time while helping to ensure the team is fully engaged, driving intent to recommend.
Today I am incredibly excited to announce the next natural expansion of the UniFocus platform with the acquisition of Knowcross, a global leader in operations management technology.
Read the full press release here: UniFocus Expands Its Workforce Management Capabilities with Acquisition of Knowcross
The combination of our two companies will help service industry managers connect their staff to daily operational tasks within one streamlined workforce management tool. By adding operations management to the UniFocus platform we can put powerful and useful technology in the hands of more staff members around the globe.
Deeper integration of workforce technology extends insights into a whole new layer of labor management driving more alignment and operational efficiencies by making sure the right people are doing the right things at the right time.
Extending the UniFocus platform was something we’ve been considering for a long time. To pursue this with urgency, we were thrilled to find Knowcross and its founder, Nikhil Nath.
When I first met Nikhil, I was immediately struck by the technology he and his team built. But as we talked, we discovered how closely our visions aligned and that we were both working toward the same solution from different starting points.
Knowcross is a well-established task management technology that people truly want to use at work. They work with the most cutting-edge and innovative brands across the globe. Their international footprint complements the global strengths of UniFocus, positioning the joint organization for horizontal and vertical growth.
The two platforms are so complimentary that we’re teeming with more integration ideas and use cases for the combined platform.
The sky is the limit for the use cases that are emerging between the two companies. As we continue to gain greater depth of understanding of our joint capabilities, we can’t wait to unveil the blended platform’s abilities; it will change the way the service industry thinks about labor management. Over the months to come, we will revolutionize the way people work, better serve our collective customers, and make life better for frontline employees.
The workforce has changed. One of the things that I like most about Nikhil and the Knowcross team is that they are also proactively planning how to drive the industry forward.
The pandemic has exposed the industry’s weaknesses, like employee engagement factors that drive turnover rates higher than other industries. But it has also exposed the strengths of adaptability, passion, and service. There is an urgent need for forward-thinking, elegantly designed solutions that staff love to use and truly equip managers with everything they need for smart decision-making.
While industry competitors tightened budgets and scaled back their offerings, both teams renegotiated with their customers to provide needed relief while still serving their needs. This smart and solutions-oriented approach resulted in record profits and growth in 2020 and stronger relationships with Partners.
Massive innovation continues within both organizations to address the increased safety protocols and the gig economy emerging in response to the labor crisis that plagues the service industry. Our collective roadmap will take the future of workforce management to a new level of optimization and build a sustainable future as we address fundamental labor and operational performance issues. Over the next few months, we will start releasing some game-changing integrations and features.
Again, we are excited to join forces with Nikhil and his team to bring our shared visions into reality. Keep an eye out for an update from Nikhil's perspective, to give you a better introduction to him and the Knowcross team.
Here's to innovative approaches that the service industry is sorely needing! ⬡
Yours in innovation,
Mark Heymann and the whole UniFocus (now joined by Knowcross) team