ShiftHero - SMS-Based Staff Scheduling for Restaurants
9/10
Demand Score
Staff no-shows cost restaurants $3,000+/month. Current solutions require app downloads that staff ignore. SMS has 98% open rate vs 20% for apps.
8/10
Blue Ocean
Competition Level
$99-199
Price/Month
Predicted customer spend
30 days
Time to MVP
Difficulty: Easy
The Problem
HCSS Blog: https://www.hcss.com/blog/excel-vs-estimating-software/
🔗 Validated by Real User Complaints
This problem has been verified through 1 real user complaints:
Competitor Landscape
- When I Work - Requires app downloads, $2.50/user/month minimum
- 7shifts - Restaurant-focused but complex, $29.99/location + per user
- HotSchedules - Enterprise solution, expensive and complex
Must-Have Features for MVP
100% SMS/WhatsApp based - no apps
Automatic shift filling from availability pool
Shift swap codes for easy trading
Daily schedule reminders
Manager dashboard for oversight
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- SMS costs at scale
- Convincing owners that simple is better
- Competition from established players
Risk Level: Low
🎯 Keys to Success
- Target restaurants with 10-50 hourly employees
- Emphasize 'no app download' as key differentiator
- Price below competitors while being simpler
- Focus on quick service and casual dining segments
Ready to Build This?
This easy-difficulty project could be your next micro-SaaS success.