Dar Dowling 
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March 25, 2018 
What if you could manage key aspects of your business while lying on the beach? Create schedules or finalize payroll while sipping an exotic beverage, or even get the low down on how the weather will impact your scheduling back home while watching the sunset?
If any of that sounds good to you then Deputy might just be up your alley. It is software designed to streamline scheduling and workforce management. Companies like Amazon, Nike, and McDonald’s are already using Deputy, and so is NASA, along with local mom-and-pop stores looking to get the most out of their money and time.
Deputy lets business owners manage everything from employee schedules and tasks to payroll, all from an app installed on their phone, a smart device or via their computer, which is why it can be used just about anywhere. “Deputy was built so that people can go on vacation, and still manage their company,” says Dan Westmoreland, marketing campaigns manager at Deputy.
Along with all the usual bells and whistles, the software can aggregate a wide range of data to cut down on errors, and yes, help save money. This includes keeping an eye on weather trends and last year’s sales patterns in order to provide companies with scheduling suggestions. For instance, if a snowstorm is coming and it might impact the flow of customers, the system will let users know so they can adjust their schedule.
A sheriff looking for a deputy
How did Deputy get started? It was the brainchild of Steve Shelley who in 1992 was running a business in Australia. Over the initial five years his company really took off, and so did his employee roster. As you may expect along with all that growth came a lot of paperwork, which included everything from scheduling and reworking timetables to managing tasks and payroll.
All of which, while necessary, made it hard for him to do what he loved the best – grow his company. As any entrepreneur might do he figured out a way to fix this problem in 2004 with the help of Ashik Ahmed, who designed a new platform for the company which took much of this time-consuming administrative work off his hands, which included automating staff scheduling and attendance management.
The data the system generated also helped him see where waste was happening so he could prevent it thereby saving both time and money. This way he could put his energy into the parts of this business he really loved. Yet ever the entrepreneur a new idea emerged – offering the software, which is now known as Deputy, to other companies. With the help of Ashik Ahmed, who is now the companies CEO, CTO, and co-founder, Deputy was launched.
Why call it Deputy? The answer was pretty simple. “The software became his right-hand man,” said Westmoreland. Yes, Steve was the sheriff, and the software platform became his deputy. Deputy was launched in 2008, and it’s grown by leaps and bounds. They have over 100,000 users and it is being used in over 70 countries by big and small businesses alike.
Looking for a deputy of your own?
In many ways, Deputy is one-stop shopping when it comes to workforce management letting businesses streamline a wide range of functions whether it’s a huge company like Amazon, a space program like NASA or a small mom-and-pop shop. It’s being used to manage tasks, have employees clock in and out, manage scheduling, and communicate more effectively. Other systems like payroll and POS can also be integrated into the software to streamline doing business.
There are three options available for businesses, with costing starting at $2 per user and up, depending on the needs of the company. While it might seem like it will take a while to learn, Deputy provides 24/7 full support, help with set up, and it’s designed to be user-friendly using drag and drop technology. “Many businesses are up and running with hours of getting the software,” says Westmoreland.
That’s not all. As all businesses know regulations change often, and compliance can be an issue, but with Deputy in the picture, compliance can be streamlined. “Deputy is built to accommodate regulations as they change,” says Westmoreland. For example, if an overtime regulations change, the system will account for that in real time.
Updates often
With Ahmed, the creator of the Deputy software, onboard as the companies CEO and CTO also means that the company is focused on growing their technology. “Our feature releases are weekly,” says Westmoreland. “Having a CEO who developed the software means that we are always looking to update the software and add new features,” he added.
When running a business time is money and both are precious, so Deputy might just be a great option for business owners looking to save both. For more information, people can check out the website.
