The Munich software startup Crewmeister aims to win over other companies with super easy digital HR processes. Founded in 2015, the startup now has more than 2,000 customers and nearly 20 employees, with an upward trend. Our ‘7 Questions’ were answered by Lukas Schöngut, Chief Marketing Officer of Crewmeister.
1. Who are you and what do you do?
We’re Crewmeister and we digitalize HR processes in smaller companies from all industries with our software. We started with time tracking and the Crewmeister shift planner.
The big advantage of our solution is its simplicity. Registering for a free trial account on our website and successfully launching time tracking and shift planning often takes just a few minutes.
Our CEO, Florian Forster, created Crewmeister as an intrapreneurship project in 2015 as a spin-off from a larger company (Atoss Software – note from editor). I joined in 2016 and have been responsible for all things marketing and sales since then.
2. But that’s nothing out of the box!
At first glance, you’re absolutely right. There are hundreds of other companies that offer time tracking software in Germany. That being said, they’re expensive, complicated and much too expansive. The majority of companies in Germany would rather have simple, affordable solutions that can be implemented without effort.
Especially due to the ruling by the European Court of Justice, which will make systematic time tracking obligatory for all companies and startups in Germany in a few months, there has been a sharp increase in demand for simple, flexible solutions with a fair pricing model. We’re the perfect solution for that target group.
Crewmeister: “Well on our way to making an international breakthrough”
3. What are the three main ingredients in your recipe for success?
An unfailing focus on our target group when it comes to product development is of particular importance to us. Before we add a new function, we carefully consider the extent to which the function will add value for the majority of our customers. That’s how we make sure the software always maintains the delicate balance between functionality and user friendliness.
Our personal support also plays a major role. To implement the software, we make sure every customer has a free personal advisor by their side who is ready to share his expertise to answer any questions that might come up about the software. With automated, impersonal customer support, we would never have gotten to where we are today.
At the end of the day, however, it’s usually the simplicity of the product that wins our customers over…
4. Now let’s get down to the nitty-gritty: How is business going?
Nearly 2,000 companies with more than 40,000 employees regularly use our software for time tracking, vacation planning and shift planning. And ever since the requirement to track time was announced, we’ve been growing even faster.
We can’t complain, but still have major challenges and goals ahead. So far, we’ve been strongly represented in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. But because our software is already available in English, we are well on our way to making an international breakthrough.
Munich: A blessing and a curse
5. What does Munich mean to you?
Munich is both a blessing and a curse as a business location. The competition for talented employees is definitely more pronounced here than in perhaps any other German city. That’s why we now find most of our software developers abroad. For them, however, the high quality of living in Munich plays a major role in their decision to come work for Crewmeister. So in a sense, we also benefit highly from the fantastic virtues the city has to offer.
There’s also so much happening in the startup scene right now. Our office in the Werksviertel near the Ostbahnhof is in the middle of Munich’s digital hub. There are lots of young companies you can meet up with for lunch to talk about current topics.
For me personally, Munich is a great place to live and a little piece of home. The combination of the mountains right on your doorstep along with big-city diversity, culture and lifestyle is pretty unique.
“Epic Fail Night? Not with us!”
6. How will your startup become the next unicorn? Or will we be seeing you at an Epic Fail Night soon?
Epic Fail Night? Not with us! Crewmeister’s goal is to digitize small companies’ analog HR processes across the globe. We’re already in an excellent position to achieve that vision and also have long-term financing.
7. Hiking or beer garden?
Beer garden. Prost!