Whether you have been managing your business for a while or if you have just started running your operations, you might have heard of Buddy Punch. As one of the most popular time tracking software for cafes and other businesses, it is a favorite of many small business owners and managers. Much of it is due to the employee management features that it brings to the table, which provides much-needed relief in the grueling task of managing a business.
Not only that, but Buddy Punch also earns rave reviews from experts and critics, who agree that it is one of the best time-tracking solutions for the modern workplace. That is why many businesses turn towards Buddy Punch for effective time tracking and efficient employee management. As a fan favorite of small businesses, the solution’s clientele includes a variety of restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops.
I have outlined some of the most glaring pros and cons of using Buddy Punch as time tracking software for cafes. Knowing them would help you determine whether the solution proves to be a good fit for your business or not.
1. Pro: It’s Intuitive and Easy to Use
One of the qualities that set Buddy Punch apart from other time-tracking solutions is its ease of use. The solution is considered as having one of the simplest interfaces in time-tracking software, which makes it stand out from those software applications that take days for users to get acclimated.
Instead of being restricted to a native portal that works only on your business’ local area network, your employees could punch in and out through any web browser or smartphone. This could be possible through login credentials, or even through a QR code. The availability of iOS and Android apps makes the solution even more accessible for employees and makes the solution one of the best time tracking software for cafes.
While Buddy Punch is very easy to use for employees, it is just as simple to operate for business owners and managers. Carrying out different actions such as employee assignment, shift changes or automatic break management only requires a click or two. This adds to the overall value proposition of the software.
Be sure to also check out “Best Small Business Apps for General Productivity” for more helpful apps to increase productivity at your establishment.
2. Con: It’s Not Compatible with Traditional Time Clocks
If your business has invested in traditional time clocks, then you would be dismayed to hear that Buddy Punch is not compatible with them. Being a completely digital solution, the software is not as friendly with older devices as it is with modern ones.
For example, while you cannot pair up your Buddy Punch with a traditional time clock, you can easily do so with a designated smartphone or tablet. This bias towards modern devices could be a problem for your business if you have already invested a significant amount in older solutions. But if your coffee shop follows a modern infrastructure, you could benefit from Buddy Punch as a great time tracking software for cafes.
3. Pro: It Eliminates “Buddy Punching” Through Facial Recognition
While Buddy Punch is a helpful solution to track employee time, “buddy punching” as a phrase is anything but beneficial to a business.
As you might be aware, buddy punching refers to the practice of an employee clocking in for another coworker. It’s not just unethical, but also presents businesses with a great deal of stress in implementing employee efficiency. It also makes it difficult to manage to spend on actual work performed. Most of all, it pollutes your work culture and leads your employees towards greater schemes to avert productivity.
Buddy Punch lets you eliminate this through facial recognition. Whenever someone is trying to clock in or out, the camera on the smartphone, tablet or laptop could take a picture and identify the employee right away. This eliminates the possibility of buddy punching altogether and makes Buddy Punch a good choice in time tracking software for cafes.
Need help getting your employees more inspired to come into work every day? Check out “How to Motivate an Employee Who’s Underperforming in Your Café” for helpful tips.
4. Con: It Charges Extra for Scheduling Features
As noted by various critics, Buddy Punch charges additionally for providing users with scheduling features.
For example, the pricing for Buddy Punch with time and attendance for 1-4 employees is $25/month, while the pricing along with scheduling features adds another $10 to it. This takes the standard pricing to $35/month instead. For larger corporations with more employees, the difference could increase even further than just a few dollars.
This irks many business owners and managers, mainly due to how other time tracking software usually comes with scheduling features included within the standard pricing. If you are on a very tight budget or simply do not want to pay extra for scheduling features, then you might find this to be quite bothersome.
Thinking of opening a cafe shop but don’t know how to budget or need assistance in seeing how much it would all cost? Then be sure to also read “Calculating Cost of Opening Cafe? Here’s What to Consider“.
5. Pro: It Can Be Integrated with Multiple Applications
Another big quality of Buddy Punch is how easily it integrates with other applications. From QuickBooks to ADP, and from Paylocity to WorkDay, it supports several of the most popular payroll solutions to make sure that your time tracking is automated and your employees get their fair share of compensation without any issues.
With the support for multiple payroll applications, Buddy Punch also allows you to track overtime hours for employees and report them to the respective application, so you could ensure that you do not receive any discrepancies at the time of disbursing the payroll. This is another quality that sets Buddy Punch apart from other time tracking software for cafes.
6. Con: Live Customer Support Could Be Better
Customer support is the backbone of any service, especially one that is as crucial to your operations as a time tracking application. If you run into any issues, knowing that you have someone reliable to turn to provides you with a sense of assurance that can hardly be obtained through anything else.
Buddy Punch is quite good in terms of providing live chat as well as a knowledge base/FAQ section to help its customers. But it lacks in terms of prompt phone support. You can only speak to a Buddy Punch phone support agent if you fix an appointment beforehand.
If you are one to feel more comfortable with discussing your issues with a support agent over the phone than text, then this could seem like an unnecessary hassle to you. Otherwise, the level of support provided by Buddy Punch is on par with similar services.
Overall, Buddy Punch is a very good fit in terms of time tracking software for cafes. If you are not easily bothered by issues such as slightly higher pricing or lack of phone support, then you might find Buddy Punch to be extremely helpful in your day to day solutions. Check out other helpful content to maintain your cafe shop well managed like “Tools For Tracking Employee Performance at Your Cafe“.
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