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Jul 08, 2023

By Olivia Schuster and Sprockets | August 28, 2023

Sponsored by Sprockets

In the realm of convenience stores, the challenge of finding and retaining qualified employees remains a persistent struggle. In an era dominated by the “click-to-apply” culture, where job applications flood in within moments, operators are left wading through a sea of candidates, only a fraction of which might be suitable for the job. The ensuing paperwork, callbacks, and interviews demand valuable time and resources, further complicating the hiring process.

These same challenges are all too familiar to the food service industry, and c-stores often compete for the same applicants in the hourly workforce as restaurants. So, the key to solving your staffing challenges may lie within the success story of this Dairy Queen owner who found a solution that streamlined their hiring process and boosted employee retention.

This Dairy Queen owner, also the vice president of the Michigan chapter of the Dairy Queen Operators Association in Pontiac, Michigan, discovered Sprockets. This transformative platform significantly improved their hiring process and raised retention rates to an impressive 86 percent. Ryan Ignasiak shared his experience, noting the challenges he faced post-Covid in sourcing reliable help and finding genuinely motivated and qualified candidates.

Sprockets emerges as an intelligent hiring platform tailored perfectly to both industries, offering a remedy to employee turnover woes. By harnessing advanced analytics and data-driven insights, the platform optimizes the hiring journey, aiding operators in making well-informed decisions when selecting potential team members. Notably, Ignasiak emphasized the convenience of accessing applicant data across multiple locations from your smartphone or computer. “Having a dashboard with everything at your fingertips simplifies the process and keeps you organized… All of the employee’s information is right in front of me.”

The platform’s instant alerts feature facilitates a streamlined approach to hiring. Managers receive immediate notifications from Sprockets when it identifies high-scoring applicants, allowing them to swiftly engage with promising candidates. Ignasiak attests, “I get notifications of activity as it happens. I can respond quickly to candidates, take notes, and update their status on the same platform.” Through Sprockets’ automated tools, managers can fine-tune their hiring methods, resulting in a more efficient and effective process for both employers and applicants.

What sets Sprockets apart is its ability to identify candidates who align with the location’s culture and values. Unlike conventional interview questions, Sprockets employs a brief, three-question survey to gauge “fit.” Natural language processing picks out key personality traits from their responses and compares them to those of top-performing employees. Sprockets then rates applicants based on their likelihood to succeed and stay long-term. Ignasiak explains, “The ratings have helped us reduce potential time wasted on those that may not fit our business approach/model.”

This calculated approach enables operators to make smarter hiring decisions — faster — ultimately curbing turnover rates. Ignasiak’s testimony speaks volumes: “I have hired 14 applicants that have come in through Sprockets, and 12 of them are still with us.”

For convenience store operators and hiring managers, Sprockets presents a valuable resource, offering the tools and insights necessary to cultivate a stable and prosperous workforce. As hiring challenges persist, lessons from the Dairy Queen owner’s success with Sprockets shed light on innovative ways to navigate the intricate landscape of post-COVID hiring.

Visit the Sprockets website to learn more about transforming your hiring process.