Cape Union Mart Used StoreForce to Cut Labor Costs by 5%

“The ability to see exactly where our labor costs were going and to adjust our strategies in real time was a game-changer.” - Malden Warren, National Operations Manager, Cape Union Mart

Key takeaways

• Cape Union Mart reduced labor costs by 5 percent after implementing StoreForce

• Real-time visibility into employee hours and selling patterns eliminated guesswork

• StoreForce helped identify more effective contract structures for permanent and non-permanent staff

• Scheduling top-performing associates during peak hours increased basket values, UPTs, and overall sales

• Daily visibility into processed hours gave leadership tighter control over labor spend across the business

Background

Founded in 1933 by Philip Krawitz, Cape Union Mart has grown from a single Cape Town store into one of Southern Africa’s leading outdoor and adventure retailers. Today, the business operates multiple retail chains across South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana, offering outdoor apparel, equipment, footwear, fashion, and homeware through an expansive store network.

As the business continued to grow, labor management became increasingly difficult, particularly with a workforce heavily reliant on non-permanent contract employees. Cape Union Mart needed a way to better understand labor costs, align staffing to demand, and improve visibility into workforce performance across stores.

To solve this, they partnered with StoreForce.

StoreForce Helped Cape Union Mart Cut Labor Costs by 5 Percent Without Sacrificing Service

One of the biggest issues Cape Union Mart faced was a lack of visibility into labor spend across their stores. Managing large volumes of permanent and contract employees without real-time reporting made it difficult to control budgets or react quickly to changing business conditions.

StoreForce changed that immediately.

Using real-time workforce and POS data, Cape Union Mart gained full visibility into hours worked, staffing patterns, and labor allocation by store. Leadership could finally see exactly where labor dollars were being spent and identify inefficiencies that had previously gone unnoticed.

The result was a 5 percent reduction in labor costs while maintaining the company’s high service standards.

More importantly, the business no longer had to rely on assumptions. Real-time insight allowed teams to make smarter staffing decisions daily instead of reacting after the fact.

Real-Time Visibility Revealed Smarter Contract Strategies Across the Business

A large portion of Cape Union Mart’s workforce consisted of non-permanent employees working under multiple contract structures. Before StoreForce, the company lacked the reporting needed to understand whether those contracts aligned with operational demand.

With StoreForce, that changed quickly.

Cape Union Mart was able to analyze employee hours, labor trends, and store performance data in real time. This visibility helped identify which contract types were working efficiently and where adjustments were needed.

The company introduced new contract structures that better matched staffing requirements to actual business demand. Labor hours became more aligned to peak trading periods, reducing unnecessary spend while improving workforce flexibility.

This proactive approach became especially valuable during uncertain trading periods and gave Cape Union Mart a stronger operational foundation moving forward.

Detailed reporting comparing pre- and post-StoreForce performance also gave leadership measurable proof of impact across hours per employee, hours per store, and overall labor efficiency.

Scheduling the Right Associates at the Right Time Increased Sales and Productivity

StoreForce did more than improve labor visibility. It also helped Cape Union Mart improve in-store execution.

Using StoreForce scheduling, the business ensured top-performing sales associates were scheduled during the busiest selling hours. Matching labor to customer demand helped stores improve basket values, units per transaction, and overall sales performance.

The operational impact extended beyond sales results alone.

Managers spent less time on manual scheduling and administrative tasks, while customers benefited from stronger service during peak periods. Employees were deployed more effectively, productivity improved, and stores operated with greater consistency across the fleet.

In Cape Union Mart’s Own Words…

“StoreForce gave us the visibility we were missing. We could finally understand our labor costs in real time, identify the right contract structures for our teams, and make faster decisions with confidence. The impact on both efficiency and sales performance was immediate. Beyond the cost savings, StoreForce helped us operate smarter across the business while keeping our customer experience strong.” - Malden Warren, National Operations Manager, Cape Union Mart

Connect with StoreForce today

If you want the same visibility, labor savings, and operational control Cape Union Mart achieved, it’s time to see StoreForce in action. Whether you are struggling with labor inefficiencies, lack of real-time reporting, or challenges aligning staffing to demand, StoreForce gives you the tools to make smarter workforce decisions faster. Join leading retailers using StoreForce to reduce costs, improve execution, and unlock stronger store performance. Book a demo today and see what smarter workforce management can deliver for your business.