CHELMSFORD, Mass., Oct. 18, 2004 -- To help retailers increase employee productivity while improving the in-store customer experience, Kronos(R) Incorporated (Nasdaq: KRON) announced availability of Kronos for Retail. This enterprise offering includes both the software and services necessary to enable store managers to control labor costs, make better decisions, and improve employee satisfaction. Already, leading retailers such as Best Buy Canada, Discount Tire Company, Roundy's Supermarkets, and Superior Super Warehouse are leveraging Kronos for Retail to standardize their enterprise workforce management process to meet the needs of their business, customers, and employees.

"We are happy to be another example of Kronos' success. We completed phase one of our Kronos for Retail implementation ahead of schedule and already are confident that the solution will help us take the effectiveness and efficiency of our business operations to the next level," said Rich Kuipers, senior vice president, store operations, Discount Tire Company. "Kronos' knowledge of the retail industry, as well as their one-of-a-kind solution, is what allowed for this implementation to exceed our expectations."

The Tools Needed to Improve Store Operations

At the heart of Kronos for Retail is a Web-based, integrated software solution, Workforce Central(R) for Retail, which allows store operations to effectively manage the workforce through a comprehensive set of budgeting, forecasting, scheduling, time and labor, and analytics tools. By automating and optimizing all of these processes, managers provide customers with the shopping experience they desire while controlling the retailer's largest controllable expense -- labor.

Scheduling -- Kronos' most advanced scheduling solution, Workforce Scheduler(TM), offers newly available optimization capabilities designed specifically for retailers. This retail scheduling solution accurately forecasts business, calculates labor needs, and creates an optimized schedule to meet customer demand based on employee attributes such as skill set, availability, seniority, and work rules. Budget constraints and employee work/life preferences including availability, job assignment, and hours worked also are taken into consideration. By creating a schedule that not only meets the needs of customers, but employees as well, organizations improve employee satisfaction leading to increased productivity and reduced turnover.

Time and labor -- Kronos for Retail gives managers real-time access to time and labor data, which allows them to determine how, when, and at what cost employee resources are used. They are able to calculate actual hours worked, track special pay and accruals, and enforce schedules. By integrating time and labor with other store operation processes, organizations automate and streamline repetitive processes and improve visibility throughout the enterprise, which leads to reduced costs and the ability to make more informed business decisions. Also, with Kronos for Retail, organizations engage employees with self-service access to time and labor data, which improves employee satisfaction.

Analytics -- By leveraging real-time analytics, managers across the enterprise are always aware of up-to-date labor costs and able to compare that data against sales from budget to actual and to company key performance indicators (KPIs). Managers are able to determine earned hours and productivity rates for department, store, or any other level of the enterprise. Kronos for Retail also helps managers minimize over- and under-staffing, manage variance from plan, and quickly identify targets for improved productivity, ultimately leading to improved business performance.

The Benefits of a Successful Implementation

The key to a successful software investment is the implementation process, which is why Kronos includes services as part of the new solution. Kronos' Retail Service Team is charged with successfully implementing Workforce Central for Retail, managing the delivery of customer expectations, and is designed to work with partners to extend its service offerings. The Team has deep-rooted retail industry expertise and understands how to truly optimize a retailer's workforce at every level. Combined, this services Team has more than 75 years of experience in implementing workforce management retail solutions across the enterprise.

Undisputed Leadership in Retail

Kronos has long been recognized as a leader in employee-centric solutions to the retail industry. Its vast retail scheduling customer base includes Coles-Myer, CompUSA, Hannaford Bros., Kash n' Karry, The Pep Boy's, Raley's, Shaw's, and Yankee Candle. Retailers around the world, totaling more than 19,000 stores and 900,000 employees, depend on Kronos solutions to help them optimize their workforce.

"Our vertical-specific approach and the combined knowledge of workforce management and the retail business are what make us unique in the industry," said John Anderson, retail industry manager at Kronos. "Many vendors say that they offer a solution comparable to Kronos for Retail, but none have been able to prove it. The successes that our early adopters have already achieved, as well as our long-term success in retail, are proof of our ability to exceed the needs of our customers."

About Kronos Incorporated

Kronos Incorporated is the most trusted name in workforce management. Kronos helps organizations staff, develop, deploy, track, and reward their workforce, resulting in reduced costs, increased productivity, better decision-making, improved employee satisfaction, and alignment with organizational objectives. More than 20 million people use a Kronos solution every day. Learn more about Kronos' high-impact enterprise solutions at www.kronos.com.

(C) 2004 Kronos Incorporated. Kronos, Workforce Central, and the Kronos logo are registered trademarks and All other product and company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Kronos Incorporated
Michele Glorie, 978-947-2855
mglorie@kronos.com