About

Seasalt Cornwall is a retail company founded in 1981, with its first store in Cornwall. Initially, it operated as a multi-brand retailer, purchasing and selling other brands’ stock. Over time, the business transitioned to designing and selling its own clothing line. Today, Seasalt Cornwall has approximately 80 retail stores, primarily in the UK and Ireland, with its latest expansion to two locations in the United States.

The brand is deeply connected to Cornwall’s maritime heritage, which influences its designs and offerings. Seasalt Cornwall specializes in women’s clothing and footwear, with a growing focus on menswear.

Sophie Littlefair is the Senior Customer Service Manager at Seasalt Cornwall, where she has been a key member of the team for the past three years. With over 20 years of experience in retail and a decade spent in contact center environments, Sophie brings a wealth of knowledge and leadership to her role. Her deep understanding of customer service and retail operations enables her to drive excellence across the customer service function, ensuring every customer interaction reflects the values and quality of the Seasalt brand.

Challenges before Peopleware

Before implementing Peopleware, Seasalt Cornwall faced several difficulties in managing their customer service operation. The company relied on Excel for workforce forecasting, which, while functional, lacked the flexibility to adapt to the fluctuating seasonal demands throughout the year. This made the forecasting process slow and prone to errors, resulting in inconsistent service delivery across multiple channels. The need for a robust workforce management (WFM) solution became evident to optimize scheduling, improve forecasting, and enhance both the customer and employee experience.

“Our forecasting was definitely inaccurate and open to error. It wasn't quick enough, nor nimble enough.”

Maintaining consistent service levels was further complicated by the challenge of handling a diverse range of enquiries. This inconsistency created unpredictable customer experiences as the team struggled to meet demands across different channels. At the same time, increased call volumes contributed to employee burnout. Customer service agents found themselves spending long periods on calls with little variety in their tasks, which led to exhaustion.

"People just burn out. Talking to somebody all day every day is really, really hard."

The absence of a system to track employee tasks only made matters worse, as it became difficult to ensure that work was being completed on time, particularly with a fully remote workforce. Manual checks provided only limited visibility, making it challenging to maintain accountability. This lack of visibility also extended to reporting, which was manual and reliant on Excel. This not only consumed significant time but also made it difficult to track key performance indicators (KPIs) and make informed decisions.

Introducing Peopleware

Seasalt Cornwall needed a solution to streamline and improve workforce management processes, replacing outdated manual systems with a more accurate, data-driven approach. Facing these challenges, Sophie began in-depth research into a workforce management (WFM) system with a clear set of requirements. The ideal solution needed robust functionality, strong forecasting capabilities, and the ability to manage multiple channels—including calls, tickets, chat, email, and social media. Additionally, it had to integrate seamlessly with existing platforms; Freshdesk, Freshchat, Freshcaller and Evaluagent QA.

After evaluating multiple WFM providers, Sophie and her team decided that Peopleware’s workforce management solution offered the perfect fit. Its intuitive interface, real-time reporting capabilities, and powerful forecasting and scheduling tools gave Seasalt the control and clarity they had been missing. The ability to integrate various channels was key in streamlining their operations and making their processes more robust and reliable.

By adopting Peopleware, Seasalt could finally move away from time-consuming manual planning and rely on data-driven insights that empowered them to manage their team more efficiently. With the added benefit of better forecasting, Sophie and her team could now approach their scheduling with more confidence, knowing they had the data to back up their decisions.

“We all work remotely, so you need to trust that people are working. Manual checks can give you some visibility, but it’s not the same as what we have now. I mean, it’s a game changer,” said Sophie

The Peopleware journey

Once signed up to Peopleware, the implementation was quick. From kickoff to go-live took approximately 10 weeks, including set-up, integration and training. That was quicker than Sophie was expecting. Implementation went without a hitch and Seasalt received excellent support from the Peopleware team, who provided patient and expert guidance. The entire Seasalt team was kept informed throughout the process, ensuring a smooth transition. Peopleware's cloud-based platform and easy integration with existing systems meant there was no involvement from the IT team needed. 

"It really was just a very simple, straightforward process for something that could be really complicated," Littlefair stated.

“Ray was incredibly patient and kept the training sessions at just the right level. He understood that while a WFM system has its complexities, breaking it down effectively is key to getting the most out of it. If I ever struggled to grasp something, he took the time to slow down, explain it thoroughly, and make sure I was comfortable before moving on. His support was key to the success of this project.”.

Value and achievements

Since adopting Peopleware, Seasalt has experienced significant improvements across various aspects of its operations. The most notable achievement is the shift from manual, time-intensive processes to a data-driven approach, allowing Sophie and her team to make more accurate and confident decisions. Forecasting demand and scheduling resources have become far more efficient, with the ability to access up-to-date data that supports every decision.

One of the key values of Peopleware for Seasalt has been its ability to provide detailed insights into their operations. Sophie can now present clear, data-backed arguments when requesting additional resources or adjusting operational strategies, giving her more influence and control over budgeting and resourcing. With Peopleware, she no longer needs to rely on rough estimations or “finger-in-the-air” calculations. The system’s powerful analytics allow for precise forecasting and more effective use of their workforce.

With just one click, Seasalt integrated Peopleware into its existing systems and significantly improved operational efficiency. The integration has allowed the team to automate previously manual tasks, such as scheduling and tracking real-time performance. This not only saves valuable time, but also ensures accuracy in operations, eliminating the risks associated with human error in spreadsheet-based systems.

Furthermore, Peopleware improved employee engagement and experience across Seasalt’s service organization. With more streamlined processes in place, employees are empowered with clearer expectations and better visibility of their schedules. The team can now focus more on delivering excellent service rather than getting bogged down by administrative tasks, which has helped improve overall morale and job satisfaction.

“Our team isn't wasting time rescheduling and reorganizing workloads like we used to. That time is now spent coaching our frontline staff, making sure they offer better service.”

Customer Benefits

By having the right number of staff at the right times, Seasalt Cornwall has been able to provide a more consistent and reliable customer experience. Customers have directly benefited from faster response times and improved service levels. The ability to monitor and adjust staffing in real time has ensured fewer delays and improved resolution rates.

• Ticket response time was reduced by 3 hours and 57 minutes, from 9 hrs 58 mins in 2023 to 6 hrs 55 secs in 2024
• Service level rose by 1.22%, reaching a new high of 97.41%, up from 96.24% in 2023
• First contact resolution achieved a solid increase, improving from 81.5% to 82.14%
• Chat response time was optimized, improving from 61 seconds to 56 seconds
• Call wait time decreased by 12 seconds, dropping from 126 seconds to 114 seconds
• Call drop rate decreased by 1%, improving from 7.2% to 6.2%

Employee Benefits

Employees have expressed positive feedback, noting the much-needed clarity and control over their schedules. The platform’s ease of use meant they could quickly see their shifts, request time off, and get real-time updates without having to deal with the hassle of spreadsheets or manual requests.

The result? Happier employees who felt more in control of their work schedules, leading to greater satisfaction and a more positive workplace culture.

Business Benefits

Peopleware has significantly reduced the number of administrative errors, leading to improved scheduling accuracy and more effective planning. Better staffing decisions have helped the company manage its resources more efficiently. With Peopleware, the business gained the tools to make smarter, data-driven decisions that directly contributed to its success.

Planning Team Benefits

For the planning team, Peopleware has been a game-changer. The platform’s automation features have cut down on the time spent on manual tasks, allowing the team to focus on more strategic initiatives. Real-time data and accurate forecasting have also made the planning process faster and more efficient, leading to better coordination with HR, finance, and other departments.

The Future

Looking ahead, Seasalt Cornwall aims to further enhance its workforce management by:

• Implementing shift swaps, giving employees more flexibility
• Adding new customer service channels, such as WhatsApp
• Integrating Peopleware with their new HR system to eliminate duplicate data entry and ensure accuracy across departments.

While it is still early days, the company has already seen notable improvements in efficiency, service levels, and employee satisfaction. With continued optimization and future integrations, they are confident that their workforce management capabilities will only strengthen, benefiting both customers and employees.

Looking ahead, Seasalt Cornwall plans to further leverage Peopleware’s tools to refine its workforce management strategy. They are eager to explore new features and integrations that will enhance operations even further. With the flexibility Peopleware provides, the company is confident in its ability to adapt to the ever-evolving needs of its business and workforce.

Sophie has volunteered to be contacted if you have any questions about her Peopleware journey or if you’d simply like to exchange experiences. Check out her LinkedIn profile and get connected.