Utilizing Gigpro Across Multiple Roles & Outlets at Historic Hotel & Event Venue
Nestled in the heart of Savannah, Georgia, The DeSoto Hotel stands as a beacon of historic charm, epitomizing boutique elegance. With 245 rooms and a rich legacy, it is one of the oldest boutique hotels in the city, celebrated for its architecture and high-end neighborhood location. However, this hotel has faced a pressing challenge – heightened competition, lack of nearby affordable housing for workers, and difficulty finding quality workers.
Lauren Teague, the visionary Executive Chef and Director of Food and Beverage at the DeSoto Hotel, embarked on a journey to overcome staffing hurdles. The hotel faced the dual dilemma of increased competition and a local workforce struggling to keep pace with its standards, exacerbated by the cost of living issues in the area. The demand for quality staff in a city witnessing a surge in new hotels and restaurants posed a significant hurdle. The discovery of Gigpro during a meeting marked a turning point for these challenges.
Teague's foray into Gigpro's platform was not just about filling roles; it was about elevating the quality of The DeSoto Hotel's workforce. Previous attempts to use a staffing agency left Teague with little control of who would be coming into work at the hotel and often provided inconsistently skilled employees. Gigpro provided transparency into who she would be hiring. The platform's flexibility seamlessly aligned with the hotel's varied staffing needs for banquets, restaurants, and beyond. By creating a list of “favorite” Pros on the platform, Teague has been able to build teams and staff shifts with Pros she trusts. What emerged was not just a transactional engagement but a strategic partnership, with Gigpro catering to the hotel's preference for shorter-term postings and adapting to the ebb and flow of its dynamic requirements.
Gigpro is now fully enmeshed into the DeSoto Hotel's daily operations. Since fully adopting the platform, the hotel posts positions almost daily, ensuring a constant flow of potential hires. The commitment goes beyond the kitchen, with four additional managers at the hotel leveraging Gigpro to streamline their staffing needs across various departments.
The Gigpro experience has also extended beyond immediate staffing needs. It became a conduit for workforce development, enabling the evaluation of potential long-term hires through firsthand observations. Successful transitions from Gigpro shifts to full-time employment showcased the platform's role in nurturing talent and providing individuals the space to explore diverse roles without taking the risk of hiring full-time without a trial period.
In the dynamic world of hospitality, where adaptability is paramount, The DeSoto Hotel found a steadfast ally in Gigpro. Beyond a transactional service, it became a strategic partner, empowering the hotel to navigate challenges, foster talent, and embrace uncertainty with resilience.
We were formerly using temp agencies, and we were getting the lowest quality of workers, paying high labor rates, and not getting the coverage we needed during service. With Gigpro, we have full control to choose workers that are best suited for the supplemental shifts we need across each outlet. It’s really nice to have the option of true quality people. We not only found that Gigpro has workers we can count on, but we have also saved $7,000 on labor since we started using your platform’s workers.
- Lauren Teague- Executive Chef & Food and Beverage Director
