Automated Analytics Podcast: Increasing Pizza Hut hires by 42%

Speaker 1: 0:10

Hi and welcome to this week's podcast. My name is Mark Taylor. I'm the CEO of Automated Analytics. I'm delighted to be joined by Heather from RMC, which is one of our clients in America, who's a pizza franchisee. Welcome to the podcast.

Speaker 2: 0:26

Thank you. Thank you for having me.

Speaker 1: 0:28

Absolutely Now. The good news is we're actually in Wichita at the moment, so this is the first podcast that I've ever recorded in America. Obviously, America is now one of our largest markets. We have over three and a half thousand clients and actually, Heather, you were one of the first clients that we worked with when we launched our business back in July. I've got a few questions for you, so hopefully nothing too grilling for you, but I just wanted to get a bit of background on RMC. Being a Pizza Hut franchisee, your role within the business, how long you've worked there.

Speaker 2: 0:57

Perfect, great Thank you for having me. I appreciate this opportunity. So Restaurant Management Company is a franchisee of Pizza Hut and KFC units. We are led by Hal McCoy Jr. He's our president. His father, hal Sr, actually started with Pizza Hut Incorporated when it was located here in Wichita, kansas, back in the 70s. So he was responsible for some research and planning and development and then he kind of decided that he would break off from the corporate world and start his own Pizza Hut back in 1974. So he's done that and kind of what RMC is known for is we like to acquire underperforming units and turn them into successful units. So that's kind of what we've done throughout the years. And one thing I will say is Hal Jr currently serves on the International Pizza Hut Franchise Holders Association Board. We have currently over 120 locations in seven states and actually this year, I'm happy to say, we're celebrating 50 years as a franchisee of Pizza Hut.

Speaker 1: 2:10

That's an amazing achievement because the connection with Pizza Hut in Wichita, which is where I'm from, is the first Pizza Hut was in Wichita right.

Speaker 2: 2:17

That is correct. Yes, yes, that is correct.

Speaker 1: 2:20

So, in terms of your role within RMC, when did you join and what's your background?

Speaker 2: 2:24

Yeah, perfect. So I started with the company back in 2001 as the HR assistant and worked my way up the ladder, and I'm currently serving as the chief people officer for a restaurant management company. I will say, throughout the years, human resources has evolved tremendously, just like any position, right. But one area that has really changed is recruitment, and I remember when I started in 2001, we were doing posts manually through local newspaper ads. We had piles of resumes on the desk, a yes, no, maybe pile. And you know like now it's completely changed and we're able to literally reach thousands of people in a matter of seconds, with some help from people like Talent Track.

Speaker 1: 3:14

Excellent, that's good to hear, cause it's really interesting that switch, as you say, from kind of. You started off as HR, now you're chief of people. That's some progress that you've made. Well done, congratulations. That's some real growth. That's really good. We met and I always remember, because I remember when we first met it was actually in this room actually.

Speaker 2: 3:33

Yes.

Speaker 1: 3:34

And I remember saying to Jason, who runs America for us, I was like we're going to Witcherwater, Where's that? So obviously we met a while ago when I came to the offices. So what was the challenge that you were facing back then?

Speaker 2: 3:48

Well, so really it kind of started after COVID, I think there was a fear that people had of working with people again. So we kind of experienced huge downfall in applications and the flow was just not there at all. So we really struggled with that and trying to get that back. We were spending the same amount of money actually even probably more since 2019. And it just the flow just was not happening. So what we did and then on top of that, you spend more money to sponsor these jobs, so they show up at the top of those internet search feeds we were just spending literally thousands of dollars with Indeed. So we knew something had to change and we were just, you know, racking our brains. What are we going to do? The pressure that our department felt from from our field operators to get that flow back it was, it was a challenge and I was tired of hearing the excuses. And this is the new norm. We had to change.

Speaker 1: 4:50

Yeah, and that that kind of application flow volume and that cost increasing. You know we see that quite a lot actually, but for you you were one of the first pizza franchisees to kind of use Talent Track what made you make that leap of faith?

Speaker 2: 5:05

Well, again, like I said, we had to change, actually, from our applicant tracking system forth. We were getting some emails back and forth about a new partnership they were working with and so I thought, okay. At first it was like, oh, this is spam, I'm not falling into that whole trap and gonna get something, some sort of virus.

Speaker 2: 5:29

So I was like not doing that, but you something with the thousands of dollars we were spending and not making any improvement. I thought you know what? Why not take a chance here? And so I started asking some of those questions and I started reaching out to Talent Track directly, and I was actually getting responses fairly quickly.

Speaker 1: 5:50

I was like whoa.

Speaker 2: 5:51

Yeah, it was amazing. I was like, wow, they're actually answering the questions that I'm asking. And the answers made sense and I thought, you know, the risk wasn't too bad. There was already a partnership there. There was little to no risk really on our end. So I thought, uh, gosh, let's do it.

Speaker 1: 6:14

And I'm so grateful we did. And when you say little to no risk, as in terms of you know you're spending the same amount of money on. Indeed, if I see a better um, kind of you know application flow, then I know it's going to work. But it can't get any worse, right, right exactly, that's exactly right good.

Speaker 1: 6:30

So, obviously, being one of our first uh franchisees and one of the first pizzas that we work with, what were the first um kind of results that you saw from using time track? So I remember the day that we sent you live because it was a big day for us, because you were like one of the biggest clients or first biggest clients that we sent live and we were really proud to be working with the pizza brand in the states. So what kind of results did you get?

Speaker 2: 6:52

Oh my gosh, I was shocked. I couldn't believe the numbers. I thought there's absolutely no way these are correct. I thought they're triple counting these numbers because there's absolutely no way. But I asked you know the sources? I'm like can you please verify? I do not want to present these numbers to my field operators and have them, you know, question me without triple checking these numbers. But I couldn't believe the number. I mean we increased from after one month of going live with you all. It was like three, you know, 300% improvement in the flow alone in one month. I just I was in shock. Our cost per application went from over $12 to $2 in one month. I mean it was just astonishing. So I was no longer hearing, even in one month. I was no longer hearing. We just need people to apply.

Speaker 1: 7:49

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 7:50

So it worked. I know that the field was like whoa, I don't know. I don't have time to even look at these people, but I think overall, as they've progressed through this, this time they've really adapted.

Speaker 1: 8:03

I remember being sat in this meeting room six months ago actually presenting the application flow to you and actually saying look, can you see what we can see? Look, can you see what we can see, because we're seeing way more application flow than you've ever had before. And it really was almost like that rubber stamping of the results of TalentTrack in terms of reducing your cost per app but also increasing your hires. So did those results continue?

Speaker 2: 8:26

Yes, they have continued all the way. I mean, every month. We see I compare them to pre-COVID era, I compare them to last year's numbers. It's shocking, it really is, and I'm so glad we've taken this leap. But so the cost per hire has even. You know, the drop from the cost that we were spending per hire was $56 to as low as $17 for a hire. So, in addition to that increase in volume that we were seeing, you guys use some sort of AI technology. I'm going to get into words that I'm going to get in trouble with here. But the way you guys use our budget, you guys save us thousands of dollars in just recruiting. The way you use the budget, the way you guys also use the tool that you have, it's much more smarter and efficient than Indeed. We're not having our HR generalists post those jobs you know manually anymore, so it's just taking our dollars and using them smarter and more wisely.

Speaker 1: 9:37

Good. Well, I'm glad you've had the results. I mean, that's why we create Talent Track in the first place was to drive those cost efficiencies and those product efficiencies. Now, obviously, from implementing an AI-based system. There's a lot of talk, particularly in the media and the press, of the damage that potentially AI can cause to business, or people don't trust it or they're very aware of it. But you were very brave because, like I said, you're one of our first major clients in the US to actually implement our AI solution for generating application flow. So do you, you know? Have you ever, or since you've implemented RIA solution? Are you seeing a reduction in people that you're hiring? Is it costing anybody their job? You know? Do you even trust AI now?

Speaker 2: 10:25

I trust it exponentially. I don't even know how to use those words, any other, any other words to use there, but the ability that you all have to see when our people are on their computer applying for our type of jobs is is makes sense, it really does, and so, no, it's not replaced anybody's job. We actually can focus on our efforts to retain the people who we want to keep. So no is, if anything, it's, I feel, like's another partner, another tool in our belt that we can use that's helping us spend more time and more focus on those people that we want to keep.

Speaker 1: 11:06

And increasing productivity. Right Correct, which is what you want AI to do.

Speaker 2: 11:09

Correct.

Speaker 1: 11:10

Now I am very pleased to say that you actually obviously not just us, but obviously the work that you've done you've actually ended up winning an award. You got recognized for what you did, which I thought was absolutely fantastic because you know you've been a great client of ours. We've really enjoyed working with you. But you also got recognized by Pizza right.

Speaker 2: 11:29

I did. Thank you for mentioning that. I appreciate that it really was great being recognized. Thank you for mentioning that. I appreciate that it really was great being recognized, you know, as a change agent for the brand. Not only that, but I've been able to network with a lot more of the HR representatives from other franchisees, you know through Pizza Hut, and I've been able to present on several of our weekly monthly calls and it's great to have that recognition. But I also want to make sure I mention my department here Ashton.

Speaker 1: 12:00

Oh, ashton's been great. She's been great, she's been superb. She's a real asset to your business. She has.

Speaker 2: 12:05

She's really helped that back end work and function. So good.

Speaker 1: 12:10

Well, congratulations on your award. So if, if anybody's in a similar place where they're looking, you know, to increase application flow, reduce application costs, but increase hires, what would you recommend to them? What's been the magic bullet for you?

Speaker 2: 12:25

Oh, I would say, first and foremost, you know, understand how your dollars are being spent currently. Ask the questions you know. Are they spending your budget dollars wisely? Are they using AI? Do they know what time of day your people your people who are working for your industry are on their computers looking for jobs? Are they refreshing your jobs when it makes sense? Those were some of the key questions that I got answers right away from you all, and it just everything made sense, and think of AI as a tool that can help your department become more efficient. Don't be scared of it.

Speaker 1: 13:05

Yeah, definitely. Yeah, well, listen, Heather, it's been great chatting. I really appreciate the opportunity to come back to Wichita.

Speaker 2: 13:11

I never thought when.

Speaker 1: 13:12

I set up a USA business. I'd be in Wichita twice in six months, but I'm delighted to have come back and to do this podcast with you. Thank you for being a great client.

Speaker 1: 13:22

We love having you as a client and thank you for embracing our technology and our platform. I'm glad you got the results that you got. I mean, they're amazing results that you've got and it's been great working with you and it's great to continue working with you and developing the results you need to support your growth as a business. That's the end of the podcast. Guys, I hope you've enjoyed meeting Heather and being in Wichita with us today. The next version of this, or the next episode of this, I should say, is going to be episode six, which we'll be recording next few weeks. But thanks for listening and for tuning in. We'll catch up with you soon.

Speaker 2: 13:59

Thank you.