But as various products were added and expanded, that extensive suite was in need of an update. Recognizing the importance of providing exceptional service and staying competitive, Paycor’s leadership sought to develop a more cohesive and user-focused product experience strategy.

Addressing the Challenge

Despite having a talented internal team, the daily demands of building and maintaining products made it challenging to take a step back and holistically review the experience of the end user. “It was an opportune moment for us to enhance the experience of our prospect, especially with the integration of several new products into the Paycor ecosystem through M&A.” Anna Turner, Senior Vice President of Product, Commercialization, & User Experience at Paycor, explains.

To gain fresh insights and a neutral perspective, Paycor engaged Sightglass to help clarify and enhance their portfolio.

A Collaborative Approach

Led by John Jarosz and Jessi O’Neill from Sightglass, the approach was to work closely with Paycor’s teams across various levels to understand their goals and pain points.

 The inclusive approach involved not only the product and UX teams but also sales, customer experience, and strategy partners. By facilitating workshops and conducting interviews, Sightglass harnessed the collective insights and creativity of the entire team. This collaborative process allowed Paycor to develop a customer-centric strategy that was rooted in their own ideas and expertise.

“Sightglass facilitated workshops that enabled us to tap into the collective ideas and expertise from various areas within our company,” explains Turner. “We appreciated that it wasn’t a one-size-fits all approach. The solutions emerged organically from our own team, empowering us to take ownership of the process.”

The workshops not only fostered alignment but also inspired new thinking. Paycor’s teams found themselves looking at their products with fresh eyes, inspired to imagine greater possibilities. As O’Neill explains, “Our goal was to show them what could be possible and how to break down the barriers—whether technological, organizational, or mindset-related—that prevented them from achieving that vision.”

The Outcome: A Clear and Inspiring Vision

Sightglass produced a comprehensive set of deliverables, including reference designs that visualized Paycor’s future experience across the product suite. They also provided an experience vision that articulated new product principles and highlighted key opportunities, along with an  experience strategy detailing actionable steps to bring the vision to life. These artifacts made the future potential of Paycor’s product ecosystem tangible and exciting.

“The final designs exceeded our expectations,” Turner describes. “Sightglass pushed us to think differently and stretch our vision. But the solutions were still ours, inspired by our ideas. They brought the expertise to elevate and articulate our strategy.”

Sightglass’s ability to distill complex problems, facilitate deep collaboration, and deliver actionable insights proved invaluable. By the end of the engagement, Paycor not only had a well-defined vision for its portfolio experience but also a reinvigorated team that felt ownership of the enhanced strategic direction. “Working with Sightglass was empowering and inspiring, enabling Paycor to achieve in a few weeks what would have taken months without their involvement,” says Turner.