Reference Check Playbook For Shyft Vendor Evaluation

Customer reference checks are a critical component of the vendor evaluation process when selecting scheduling software for your business. These checks provide real-world insights into how a vendor’s solutions perform in environments similar to yours, offering valuable perspectives beyond marketing materials and sales presentations. For businesses considering scheduling solutions like Shyft, reference checks serve as a reality check, helping you understand the actual experience of working with the vendor and using their product on a daily basis.

The process involves speaking with current or past clients of the vendor to gather authentic feedback about their experiences. This due diligence step helps organizations make informed decisions by validating vendor claims, understanding implementation challenges, and identifying potential issues before signing contracts. In today’s competitive scheduling software market, where features and capabilities often seem similar across platforms, customer references can highlight the subtle differences in vendor support, system reliability, and overall satisfaction that make all the difference in a successful implementation.

The Strategic Value of Customer Reference Checks

Customer reference checks provide strategic insights that go beyond feature lists and pricing comparisons. When evaluating scheduling software vendors like Shyft, these references offer a window into the real-world application of the solution. Properly conducted reference checks can significantly reduce the risk of selecting a vendor whose product doesn’t meet your organization’s needs.

• Validate Vendor Claims: References help verify whether the vendor’s promises about implementation timelines, system performance, and support quality hold true in real-world scenarios.
• Identify Potential Issues: Current customers can highlight challenges they faced that might not be apparent during sales presentations or demos.
• Understand Implementation Realities: References provide insights into how smoothly the implementation process actually runs and what resources are required.
• Gauge Vendor Relationship: How a vendor treats existing customers often predicts how they’ll treat you after the sale.
• Assess Long-term Value: References who have used the system for extended periods can share how the solution has evolved and whether the vendor continues to innovate.

According to system performance evaluation best practices, organizations that conduct thorough reference checks are 62% more likely to report satisfaction with their scheduling software purchase one year after implementation. This demonstrates how this often-overlooked step can have lasting implications for your organization’s operational efficiency.

Preparing for Effective Reference Checks

Preparation is crucial for maximizing the value of customer reference conversations. Before speaking with references provided by scheduling software vendors, take time to develop a strategic approach that will yield the most relevant insights for your organization’s specific needs.

• Define Your Objectives: Clearly identify what you hope to learn from reference checks, based on your organization’s priorities for employee scheduling solutions.
• Request Relevant References: Ask vendors for references from organizations similar to yours in size, industry, and scheduling complexity.
• Prepare Structured Questions: Develop a consistent set of questions to ask each reference, enabling easier comparison across vendor options.
• Research the Reference Organizations: Understanding the reference’s business context helps you interpret their feedback appropriately.
• Involve Key Stakeholders: Include representatives from departments that will use or support the scheduling system in reference conversations.

When preparing your question list, consider both technical and relationship aspects of working with the vendor. The vendor comparison frameworks suggest categorizing questions around implementation experience, ongoing support quality, system reliability, and overall ROI to ensure comprehensive coverage. Document your findings systematically to facilitate objective comparison later in the decision process.

Key Questions to Ask During Reference Checks

The questions you ask during reference calls will determine the quality and relevance of insights you gather. When evaluating scheduling software vendors like Shyft, focus on questions that reveal both the strengths and potential weaknesses of the solution and vendor relationship. An effective reference check should go beyond surface-level satisfaction to uncover specific experiences that might impact your implementation.

• Implementation Experience: How long did implementation take compared to the initial estimate? What challenges arose during implementation, and how did the vendor address them?
• System Performance: Has the system met your expectations for reliability, speed, and functionality? Have you experienced any significant downtime or performance issues?
• Support Quality: How responsive is the vendor’s support team? How effectively do they resolve issues? Are there dedicated account managers?
• User Adoption: How did your employees adapt to the system? What training and support resources were provided?
• ROI Realization: What measurable benefits have you seen since implementing the solution? How long did it take to achieve ROI?

Don’t hesitate to ask probing follow-up questions, especially about areas that are particularly important to your organization’s scheduling needs. For example, if shift marketplace functionality is critical for your business, ask specific questions about how this feature performs in real-world scenarios. The most valuable reference checks often come from conversations that go beyond the standard script to address your unique requirements.

Identifying Red Flags in Reference Feedback

During reference conversations, certain responses might signal potential issues with a vendor or their scheduling solution. Being alert to these warning signs can help you avoid costly mistakes in your vendor selection process. The way references discuss their experience often contains subtle cues about the true nature of their satisfaction with the vendor relationship.

• Hesitation or Vague Responses: If references seem reluctant to provide specific details or speak in generalities, they might be concealing negative experiences.
• Inconsistent Implementation Timelines: Significant discrepancies between promised and actual implementation times may indicate poor project management by the vendor.
• Frequent System Issues: Multiple mentions of downtime, performance problems, or bugs suggest potential reliability concerns with the software’s performance.
• Support Complaints: Patterns of slow response times or unresolved issues point to potential post-sale support problems.
• Feature Limitations: Mentions of workarounds or manual processes may indicate that the system doesn’t fully deliver on its promised capabilities.

Pay particular attention to how references describe their communication with the vendor team. Communication breakdowns during implementation often foreshadow ongoing relationship challenges. Similarly, if references mention that promised features were significantly delayed or never delivered, this could indicate potential gaps between the vendor’s sales promises and actual product capabilities.

Going Beyond Provided References

While vendor-provided references are valuable, they represent a carefully selected subset of customers likely to give positive feedback. To gain a more complete picture, consider expanding your reference check process beyond the list provided by the vendor. This additional due diligence can reveal insights that might not emerge from official references.

• Industry Networks: Leverage professional networks to find organizations using the scheduling software you’re considering.
• Online Reviews: Research independent review sites for candid feedback from current and former customers.
• User Forums: Explore user communities where customers discuss their experiences with the vendor and product.
• Industry Analysts: Consult reports from analysts who evaluate key features of scheduling software.
• Social Media: Check social media platforms for mentions of the vendor and how they respond to public feedback.

When researching beyond provided references, pay attention to patterns rather than isolated comments. A single negative review may not be representative, but consistent mentions of the same issues across multiple sources warrant further investigation. Additionally, consider how the vendor responds to negative feedback in public forums—their approach to addressing concerns can reveal much about their customer service philosophy and commitment to performance improvement.

Evaluating References in Context

Not all reference feedback should be weighted equally in your decision-making process. The value of insights from a reference depends significantly on how closely their organization’s profile, needs, and usage patterns match your own. Contextualizing reference feedback helps you determine which insights are most relevant to your specific situation.

• Industry Relevance: Feedback from organizations in your industry may highlight sector-specific considerations that others wouldn’t encounter.
• Organization Size Comparison: References from similarly sized organizations will likely face comparable scaling and complexity challenges.
• Use Case Alignment: How closely does the reference’s use of the system match your intended implementation of scheduling software?
• Implementation Timeframe: Recent implementations might provide more relevant insights than those from several years ago.
• Technical Environment: Consider similarities and differences in technical infrastructure and system integration requirements.

Create a framework for evaluating reference feedback based on these contextual factors. For example, you might assign higher weight to insights from references with similar scheduling complexity or those who have integrated the system with similar third-party applications. This contextual analysis helps you distinguish between issues that are likely to affect your implementation and those that are specific to different use cases or environments.

Incorporating Reference Insights into Your Decision Process

After gathering feedback from multiple references, the challenge becomes integrating these insights into your overall vendor evaluation process. Reference check findings should inform your decision-making alongside other factors such as feature sets, pricing, technical requirements, and strategic fit. A systematic approach to incorporating reference feedback ensures it receives appropriate consideration.

• Document Systematically: Create a structured format for recording reference feedback that allows for easy comparison across vendors.
• Weight by Relevance: Assign different weights to reference insights based on their relevance to your organization’s priorities.
• Address Concerns: For any issues identified through references, ask vendors for their perspective and mitigation plans.
• Validate Critical Requirements: Use reference feedback to verify that your must-have features perform as expected in real-world environments.
• Inform Contract Negotiations: Leverage insights from references to negotiate service level agreements and contract terms that address potential risk areas.

Consider developing a scorecard that incorporates reference feedback alongside other evaluation criteria. This approach helps maintain objectivity and ensures that emotional responses to particularly positive or negative references don’t disproportionately influence the final decision. Remember that data-driven decision making requires balancing multiple information sources, with reference checks serving as one important component of a comprehensive evaluation process.

Managing the Reference Check Process

Effectively managing the reference check process requires thoughtful planning and coordination. When evaluating scheduling software vendors like Shyft, establishing a structured approach to reference checks ensures consistency and comprehensiveness across all vendor evaluations. This methodical approach helps your organization gather comparable insights that can meaningfully inform your decision-making.

• Designate a Coordinator: Assign one team member to oversee the reference check process, ensuring consistency and follow-through.
• Schedule Strategically: Plan reference calls with sufficient time to digest findings before decision deadlines.
• Prepare Participants: Brief team members who will participate in reference calls about objectives and question frameworks.
• Respect References’ Time: Keep calls focused and adhere to scheduled timeframes—references are doing you a favor.
• Document Immediately: Capture insights shortly after each call while observations are fresh and details clear.

Consider using a collaborative tool to compile reference check findings, making it easier for all stakeholders to access insights and contribute to the evaluation. This approach supports technology adoption assessment by ensuring that diverse perspectives within your organization are considered. Remember to send thank-you notes to references who take time to speak with you—maintaining professional courtesy may even help you build a network of peers facing similar scheduling challenges.

Addressing Vendor Reluctance to Provide References

Occasionally, vendors may be hesitant to provide customer references, citing reasons such as client confidentiality, overwhelming demand for references, or simply being too new to have an established customer base. How a vendor responds to reference requests can itself be revealing about their transparency and customer relationships. When faced with reluctance, consider these alternative approaches and what they might indicate.

• Request Anonymous References: Some clients may be willing to speak if their company name remains confidential.
• Ask for Industry-Specific References: If a vendor claims client confidentiality, ask for references specifically in your industry where competitive concerns may be minimal.
• Consider Case Studies: Detailed case studies with metrics and outcomes can supplement direct references.
• Request Site Visits: For major investments, the opportunity to see the system in action at a current client site can be invaluable.
• Evaluate User Conferences: Attending vendor user conferences provides opportunities to speak with multiple customers in an unofficial capacity.

Persistent refusal to provide any form of reference should raise concerns about the vendor’s customer satisfaction and relationship transparency. While there are legitimate reasons for some limitations on references, complete unwillingness to facilitate customer conversations may indicate underlying issues with product success and customer feedback. For industry-specific implementations, understanding how the vendor has navigated industry-specific regulations is particularly important and often best verified through peer references.

Reference Checks for Ongoing Vendor Management

Reference checks shouldn’t be viewed solely as a pre-purchase activity. They can also serve as a valuable tool for ongoing vendor management after you’ve implemented a scheduling solution. Establishing relationships with other customers of your chosen vendor creates a peer network that can provide support, insights, and collective leverage throughout your relationship with the vendor.

• User Groups: Join or form user groups with other customers to share experiences, workarounds, and best practices.
• Benchmarking: Use peer connections to benchmark your implementation success and system performance.
• Feature Advocacy: Collaborate with other customers to advocate for new features or improvements with greater collective impact.
• Implementation Insights: Learn from peers who are further along in their implementation journey or who have tackled similar challenges.
• Upgrade Preparation: Gather insights from organizations that have already completed upgrades you’re planning to undertake.

Maintaining these peer connections can significantly enhance your implementation support resources beyond what the vendor provides directly. Many organizations find that the collective knowledge of the user community becomes an invaluable resource for maximizing their return on investment in scheduling software. Additionally, staying connected with the vendor’s customer base keeps you informed about changes in service quality or strategic direction that might affect your organization.

The Shyft Approach to Customer References

When evaluating Shyft as a potential scheduling software provider, understanding their approach to customer references can provide insights into their confidence in their product and commitment to customer success. Shyft’s reference process reflects their overall philosophy toward customer relationships and transparency in the sales process.

• Industry-Matched References: Shyft typically provides references from organizations in your specific industry, ensuring relevant comparisons.
• Implementation Stage Options: They offer connections with customers at various stages of implementation, from recent adopters to long-term users.
• Feature-Specific References: If you’re particularly interested in specific capabilities like shift marketplace functionality, Shyft can connect you with references who actively use those features.
• Transparency Commitment: Shyft encourages open, unscripted conversations with references, demonstrating confidence in their customer relationships.
• Customer Community Access: Beyond individual references, Shyft offers prospective customers opportunities to engage with their broader user community.

This customer-centric approach to references aligns with Shyft’s overall commitment to user support and service quality. By facilitating meaningful connections with current customers, Shyft demonstrates transparency and confidence in their product’s ability to deliver value across different organizational contexts and scheduling requirements.

Conclusion

Customer reference checks are an essential component of a thorough vendor evaluation process when selecting scheduling software. They provide real-world validation of vendor claims and offer insights into the actual experience of implementing and using the system that can’t be gleaned from sales presentations or product demonstrations. By speaking directly with organizations already using a vendor’s solution, you gain valuable perspective on what to expect throughout your own implementation journey and beyond.

To maximize the value of reference checks, approach them strategically with clear objectives, thoughtful questions, and systematic documentation. Look beyond vendor-provided references when possible, evaluate feedback in the context of your organization’s specific needs, and use the insights gathered to inform both your vendor selection decision and subsequent implementation planning. Remember that the goal isn’t simply to check a box in the evaluation process but to gather actionable intelligence that reduces risk and increases the likelihood of a successful scheduling software implementation. With this comprehensive approach to customer reference checks, you’ll be well-positioned to select a scheduling solution that truly meets your organization’s needs and supports your operational goals.

FAQ

1. How many customer references should I check when evaluating scheduling software vendors?

The ideal number of references depends on the size and complexity of your implementation, but as a general rule, aim to speak with at least 3-5 references for each vendor on your shortlist. Try to include references from organizations of similar size, industry, and with similar scheduling needs to your own. For enterprise-level implementations or highly specialized requirements, you may want to check additional references to ensure you have a comprehensive understanding of the vendor’s capabilities in your specific context. Quality matters more than quantity—a few in-depth conversations with relevant references provide more value than numerous superficial discussions.

2. When in the vendor selection process should I conduct reference checks?

Reference checks are most valuable after you’ve narrowed your options to a shortlist of vendors (typically 2-4) that meet your technical requirements and budget constraints. Conducting them too early may waste time on vendors that don’t make your shortlist for other reasons, while waiting until you’ve selected a final vendor removes the opportunity to use reference insights in your decision-making process. The ideal timing is after demos and technical evaluations but before final selection and contract negotiations, as reference feedback can inform both your final choice and how you structure your contract to address any potential concerns.

3. What should I do if a vendor’s references all seem overly positive?

While genuinely satisfied customers are certainly possible, uniformly glowing references without any mention of challenges may indicate that you’re not getting the full picture. In such cases, dig deeper with more specific questions about implementation challenges, support responsiveness during issues, and feature limitations. Ask about the vendor’s response to feature requests or system problems. Also, expand your research beyond provided references by consulting online reviews, user forums, and your professional network. Consider asking the vendor for references who have experienced and overcome specific challenges, as these often provide more balanced and insightful perspectives on the vendor’s problem-solving capabilities.

4. How can I tell if a vendor is cherry-picking only their most successful customers as references?

All vendors naturally tend to select satisfied customers as references, but there are ways to get beyond this limitation. Request references that match specific criteria relevant to your implementation rather than accepting a generic list. For example, ask for references who recently completed implementation, who integrated with the same systems you use, or who are in your industry with similar complexity. Ask references about their awareness of other customers’ experiences, as they may have insights from user groups or conferences. Additionally, request references at different stages of the customer lifecycle—new customers can speak to current implementation practices, while long-term customers can address evolving support quality and product development.

5. What red flags in reference feedback should immediately disqualify a vendor?

While individual references may have unique negative experiences that shouldn’t necessarily disqualify a vendor, certain patterns across multiple references should raise serious concerns. Consistent reports of missed implementation deadlines or budget overruns suggest project management issues. Repeated mentions of unresolved technical problems or performance issues indicate product stability problems. Multiple references reporting abandoned promised features or customizations point to overpromising during sales processes. Widespread dissatisfaction with support responsiveness or quality suggests systematic service problems. Also concerning is high staff turnover at the vendor mentioned by multiple references, as this can impact support quality and product development. These patterns, especially when consistent across references, warrant serious reconsideration of the vendor.