Geiger Ready-Mix Improves Decision Making and Controls Costs with Kronos^®

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Geiger Ready-Mix is a 5th-generation family-owned business that has provided building materials to the greater Kansas City metropolitan area since 1892. In 1949 the company established its first ready-mix concrete plant and today it has five plants and 100 trucks in operation.

The concrete and trucking operations are set up as two separate businesses under the Geiger name. Both businesses began using Workforce Timekeeper™, part of the Kronos^® Workforce Central^® suite but were using non-Kronos solutions for HR and payroll. Difficulty in sharing information across the different applications, plus an increased need to track historical workforce data led the company to add Workforce HR™ and Workforce Payroll™ to its existing workforce management solution. Geiger also selected the Platinum Plus support plan. Since implementing the suite, Geiger has streamlined workforce management, increased efficiency, and gained access to accurate, timely information for more proactive decision making.

Getting a better handle on workforce information

Before Geiger implemented Workforce Timekeeper, employees' time was captured on paper timecards that required manual processing — a significant challenge for an organization with a weekly payroll cycle. While the system could handle some of Geiger's unique pay features, the company had no way to track this information historically. Keeping track of two separate companies with different systems presented additional management challenges. "One of the nice things about using the Kronos solution is that we can report on the two companies separately or roll everything up to one report if we want to," says Blaine Weeks, Geiger's chief financial officer. "With our previous system we had to maintain two identities and two logins, and it could be hard to manage at times."

"Trying to keep two databases up to speed was a challenge," Weeks continues. "It was like having two islands of information and sometimes the bridge between them was open and sometimes it wasn't. If something was changed in one database it wasn't necessarily changed in the other, so it made sense for us to add Workforce HR and Workforce Payroll."

Improving the compliance picture

All Geiger Ready-Mix drivers must comply with a number of Department of Transportation regulations, and Geiger turns to its Kronos solution to help ensure compliance. From regulations that govern how many hours per day and per week drivers can be behind the wheel, to biannual physicals and commercial driver's license renewals, Geiger's Kronos solution tracks and documents the data necessary to meet all of these requirements.

Easily managing a complex pay environment

The Kronos solution also easily handles a number of unique pay features, including shift differentials for hours drivers spend training, as well as premium pay that "certified Geiger" drivers can receive for remaining accident-free and completing refresher courses. Geiger's previous system wasn't able to record historical pay information, which created big headaches when it came time to adjust a driver's pay. "If a certified Geiger driver had an accident and lost his certification for six months, there was no way to keep track of when his pay should be readjusted, other than going back manually through the detailed check history," says Weeks.

Saving time with comprehensive reporting

Weeks has embraced the reporting capabilities of the Workforce Central suite and calls himself a "reports guy." Using the reporting, Geiger has been able to speed information retrieval and have more confidence in the accuracy of the information. "Instead of spending all our time doing payroll and compiling spreadsheets from static data, we're able to use reports that are timely and give us more accurate information," says Weeks. "We're able to provide information to whoever needs it and use that information to make the best possible decisions."

This enhanced reporting is particularly valuable to a manufacturer like Geiger. "Everyone in manufacturing is trying to keep an eye on their costs. With Kronos, we're able to tie our costs to our manufacturing output. I receive daily reports that show the previous day's departmental labor totals. I can look at costs compared to production and see how one day compares to the next. You couldn't even fathom doing something like that with a manual system."

Platinum Plus support has been a big plus

With an IT staff of one, Geiger knew it needed to purchase a support package that would help the company manage its Kronos solution efficiently and cost-effectively. Weeks chose the Platinum Plus plan, which includes a dedicated Technical Account Manager. The choice has paid off handsomely, both by saving Geiger the cost of hiring another IT staff person and through the quality of the support the company has received. "This is one of the best situations I've ever had for support," says Weeks. "Having direct contact with our Technical Account Manager helps us resolve issues faster, and there's nothing like picking up the phone and being able to speak to someone you know who is familiar with your exact situation."

The Technical Account Manager has also helped encourage Geiger to use more of the functionality in the Kronos solution. "She'll ask us about how our company is set up and how we are doing certain things, and propose projects we might not have thought of or gotten around to implementing," says Weeks. One example is the company's flexible spending account, which was set up by Geiger's Technical Account Manager. "That would not have been done if she hadn't helped us."

"The Technical Account Manager is really like having another employee — I feel like she's part of our organization. The relationship is very good, very strong, and that's a real positive for us."