If you're a workforce planner, ops manager, or contact center lead, you've likely run into one of these “enterprise-grade” workforce management platforms.
You know the ones.
They cost as much as a new Audi.
Take months to implement.
And after all that? Your managers still hate them.
Let's call it what it is: scheduling shouldn't feel like you're filing taxes in Excel... with oven mitts on.
So why are we still stuck with tools like Kronos, Verint, or Workday? Because they’ve become industry defaults. Not because they're great.
Today, we’re naming names.
And we’re showing you that yes, there’s finally a better way.
😖 The Usual Suspects: Big, Bloated, and Barely Bearable
Here are five of the most common (and painful) WFM systems in enterprise environments. Yes, they’re powerful. But also… deeply uncool to use.
1. Kronos / UKG
“The Godzilla of WFM. Giant. Unstoppable. Not friendly.”
- Used in: Hospitals, government agencies, big-box retail.
- Known for: Decades of functionality. Ironclad compliance.
- Scheduling? Oh, sure after 14 clicks and a certification course.
- Vibe: “We bought it in 2011 and nobody knows how to change anything.”
Bottom line: Kronos will do what you want… eventually. Just don’t expect it to be easy, intuitive, or even remotely enjoyable.
2. Verint WFM
“Impressive. Overwhelming. Like piloting a nuclear sub to schedule lunch shifts.”
- Used in: Large contact centers, banks, government.
- Known for: Powerful forecasting and adherence tools.
- Scheduling? Yes, technically. But not without a translator.
- Vibe: “What if Excel spreadsheets had modal windows?”
Bottom line: Forecasting? Impressive. Scheduling? A 1997-style UI with too many tabs.
3. SAP SuccessFactors
“If your HR team loves it, your frontline managers probably don’t.”
- Used in: Global enterprises that already run on SAP.
- Known for: Integrated HCM platform, deep data reporting.
- Scheduling? Buried under menus and HR workflows.
- Vibe: “I think we need to raise a ticket… to raise a ticket.”
Bottom line: Great for top-down HR planning. Terrible for day-to-day scheduling needs.
4. Genesys WEM (Workforce Engagement Management)
“Awesome for contact queues. Awful for real-life flexibility.”
- Used in: Contact centers that live inside the Genesys stack.
- Known for: Call routing, real-time agent metrics.
- Scheduling? Designed for call volumes, not humans.
- Vibe: “Yes, it forecasts well. No, I still can’t swap a shift easily.”
Bottom line: Great if you're scheduling robots. Less so for teams with real-world lives.
5. Workday Time & Scheduling
“Beautiful dashboards. Ugly workflow.”
- Used in: Large enterprises who buy into the Workday ecosystem.
- Known for: Sleek HR design. Strong data models.
- Scheduling? Available as an add-on. With limitations.
- Vibe: “Clean UI. Until you try to make a real schedule.”
Bottom line: If Workday is the iPhone of HR… the scheduling module is the Notes app. Functional, but not built for power use.
😩 What These Tools Have in Common
Despite the branding and billions in revenue, these platforms share the same flaws:
- 💸 Expensive to buy, expensive to maintain
- 🐢 Slow to implement and adapt
- 🤖 Designed for admins, not actual humans
- 🎧 Layers of account managers, no real product input
- 🧊 Cold, enterprise vibes that kill agility and team happiness
These tools weren’t built to be delightful.
They were built to check boxes.
They’re powerful, but at the cost of your team’s sanity.
✨ Enter: Soon, The Human Scheduling Alternative
Now for something different.
Soon is a workforce management platform that people actually enjoy using.
It’s light. Fast. Flexible. And (brace yourself)... even a little fun.
We didn’t set out to build Yet Another Scheduling Platform.
We set out to make scheduling feel human again.
Here’s what makes Soon stand out from the enterprise dinosaurs:
💡 Easy to Use. Seriously.
Your team shouldn’t need training videos to swap a shift.
Soon’s interface is clean, modern, and intuitive, designed for real people who don’t have time to dig through menus or update 6 different settings just to add a late shift.
Less frustration. Fewer clicks. More control.
⚙️ AI-Powered Auto-Scheduling That Works With You
No more manual jigsaw puzzles.
Soon uses constraint-based auto-scheduling to build fair, compliant, optimized rosters in minutes. You still set the rules you just don’t have to babysit the process.
🤝 Built for Collaboration, Not Isolation
- Let teams handle swaps and leave requests.
- Managers stay in control, without the admin overload.
- Everyone gets transparency, structure, and predictability.
It’s scheduling designed for trust, not micromanagement.
🔮 Forecasting That Doesn’t Require a Data Analyst
You don’t need a PhD to predict staffing gaps.
Soon gives you smart, simple forecasts based on historical patterns, so you can plan with confidence and shift before you're stuck.
📞 Talk to People Who Actually Build the Product
Here’s the kicker:
When you need help, you’re not stuck with a “Success Manager” reading from a script.
You can actually talk to the founders. The designers. The engineers.
Try asking that of Oracle.
With Soon, you're not just buying a product. You're joining a team that listens.
🧠 Final Thought: You Deserve Better Than “That’s Just How It Works”
You’re the one holding the team together.
You deserve a tool that helps, not hurts.
Soon is for operations managers who don’t want to wrestle with clunky legacy software.
It’s for HR teams who value fairness and transparency.
It’s for businesses that want a modern, fast-moving team, not an IT project.
📣 Try the WFM platform built for humans.
👉 Start Your Free Trial
👉 Book a Demo With Someone Who Actually Cares
Tired of enterprise tools that feel like punishment?
You’re not alone.
We built Soon for you.
