YETI’s Formula: The Right People in the Right Place at the Right Time

“It’s just getting the right people in the right place at the right time.” – Max Whitson, Senior Manager of Retail Operations at YETI 

Key Takeaways

• Aggregated fragmented KPIs into one real-time dashboard 

• Introduced Traffic Per Labor Hour as a new staffing barometer 

• Enabled in-the-moment coaching to protect conversion 

• Reduced manual reporting and freed up field leadership time 

• Positioned retail operations for scalable growth 

Background 

YETI is in an active growth phase, building foundational retail systems to support expansion. As Senior Manager of Retail Operations, Max Whitson needed clearer visibility into performance metrics and labor alignment across stores. 

Before StoreForce, store teams relied on multiple systems to gather basic KPIs. Accessing real-time data required manual effort, often making it too slow to influence the business during peak moments. 

StoreForce was introduced to centralize visibility, simplify performance tracking, and strengthen labor decisions during critical selling windows. 

From Fragmented KPIs to Real-Time Visibility 

Previously, store teams pieced together performance metrics from several platforms just to understand where they stood. Even then, the information was rarely available in time to influence the day’s outcome. 

With StoreForce, KPIs are aggregated into a single dashboard that updates in real time or near real time. Store leaders can immediately see sales, traffic, and productivity metrics without building custom reports. 

This immediate access allows teams to coach in the moment, pivot staffing decisions, and protect conversion before opportunities are lost. 

Traffic Per Labor Hour Became a Staffing Breakpoint Indicator 

A major shift for YETI was adopting Traffic Per Labor Hour as a measurable staffing guide. Previously, there was limited understanding of how traffic volume relative to labor hours impacted conversion. 

With StoreForce, leadership can now identify breakpoints where traffic exceeds optimal staffing levels and conversion begins to dip. This enables proactive schedule adjustments to maintain service levels and protect expected conversion rates. 

Rather than reacting after results decline, teams can monitor labor intensity as it happens and respond accordingly. 

Empowering Field Teams to Win the Day 

The field response has been immediate. With performance dashboards simplified and accessible, store teams no longer spend time hunting for information. They can focus on serving customers and coaching associates. 

This shift delivers measurable benefits: 

• Faster decision-making during peak periods 
• Clear ownership of sales floor accountability 
• Simplified segmentation of fleet performance 
• Stronger discipline around daily execution 

By pairing visibility with accountability, YETI strengthened what leadership refers to as the moment of truth, when customer engagement and staffing alignment directly determine results. 

In YETI’s Own Words… 

“StoreForce enabled us to aggregate a lot of those KPIs and see them when it matters so we can affect change. We didn’t have great visibility before. Now the team in the field loves it because they can see results in the moment and pivot to win the day. Traffic per labor hour has become a key barometer for us to understand when we’re at risk of missing conversion. As we grow, StoreForce is foundational because it gives us the visibility to our KPIs and helps us get the right people in the right place at the right time.” – Max Whitson, Senior Manager of Retail Operations at YETI 

Connect with StoreForce Today 

If you want the same real-time KPI visibility, smarter labor alignment, and growth-ready foundation that YETI achieved, it is time to see StoreForce in action. Whether you are expanding your retail footprint, introducing new performance metrics, or strengthening in-the-moment coaching, StoreForce gives your teams the clarity they need to win the day. Book a demo today and discover how better visibility turns into better results.