CARY, N.C. -- Major Southeast convenience retailer The Pantry Inc. recently selected Ultimate Software, a leading cloud provider of people management solutions, to address its human resources and payroll issues, enhance talent acquisition and streamline its onboarding experience with the UltiPro solution.
Based in Cary, N.C., The Pantry operates approximately 1,560 stores in 13 states mostly under the Kangaroo Express banner.
Previously, the company used a "homegrown" AS400 Legacy system to manage its human capital management (HCM) alongside multiple systems and spreadsheets, which Ultimate Software said hindered productivity. Challenged by integrating legacy systems and a growing, distributed workforce, The Pantry's leadership began to look for enhanced HR technology with features that would organize and strengthen the entire people management process.
The Pantry selected UltiPro for its cloud-based, end-to-end functionality for HR, payroll and talent management and went live on UltiPro in January 2013.
"Our previous system had been customized so much that it limited opportunities for improvements," said Heather Clawson, HRIT manager at The Pantry. "UltiPro's payroll capabilities are strong, and employee data moves easily across all areas of HCM, from recruitment to onboarding to payroll. We also chose UltiPro for its ease of use, strategic reporting tools, and its ability to integrate well with other applications, which are all important to our business. UltiPro has helped us better integrate the systems and improve processes."
Delivered in the cloud, UltiPro provides businesses with end-to-end HCM functionality, including HR, payroll, benefits, recruitment, onboarding, performance management and reviews, succession planning, career development, time and attendance and 24/7 access to information for managers and employees. The Pantry now has one system of record to consolidate and manage workforce information, supported with cohesive business intelligence for fast, and extensive, reporting and analysis.
"UltiPro has strengthened and simplified our HR operations and made them much smoother," said Clawson. "Now with UltiPro, we're completely paper-free for our recruitment and onboarding."
With UltiPro Onboarding, The Pantry is expediting the transition process for new employees. It can use preliminary new-hire information captured during recruitment to pre-populate required forms. This saves time for managers and HR staff, eliminates duplicate data entry, reduces errors and improves the overall experience for everyone involved. A secure web portal, guides new hires step-by-step through the completion process. A legally compliant "click signature" feature makes the entire process paperless. The system then encrypts completed forms and stores them in an electronic document repository.
"UltiPro Onboarding is a huge win for our business because it expedites time to productivity, puts more control in the employees' hands and reduces costs," said Clawson.
"Unified, end-to-end HCM is the optimal way to achieve efficiencies and elevate productivity to best support your people, especially for businesses like The Pantry that have thousands of employees, dispersed locations and goals for more expansion," said Greg Swick, Ultimate Software's chief sales officer.
Weston, Fla.-based Ultimate Software has more than 2,500 customers with employees in 144 countries, including Adobe Systems, Culligan International, Major League Baseball (MLB), the New York Yankees, Pep Boys and Texas Roadhouse.
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