Client Spotlight: Erica Davis and Dog Haus

HQ: Pasadena, California | Locations: 90

Erica Davis has worked in the food industry for a long time, and as a member of Dog Haus’ Corporate Operations and Training Team, she especially loves the brand’s ability to put a new spin on classic Americana. 

“We’ve been around for about 12 years,” she explained, but “[we’re still] involved in a lot of new kinds of ideas.”

As our friends at Dog Haus like to say, they’re not just fast food or fast casual– they’re Craft Casual: a fun brand that’s serious about their all-beef Haus Dogs, beers on tap, handcrafted Haus Sausages, and humanely raised Black Angus beef patties.

“We have beer gardens, where we sell 24 beers on tap. And we like to have a lot of fun at work. You know, we play a lot of music. We have a good time, work hard, play hard company.“

But in all her years as a training and development professional, Erica had never seen anything like 1Huddle. 

 “I’ve been in the restaurant industry for a very long time, and to be able to incorporate something like this into our training and our operations, was amazing. It was totally different. Kind of blew my mind at the fact that you could actually do these things. And create games for people to understand what’s going on.“

The return on investment was immediate.

As Erica explained, “repetition creates knowledge, which creates confidence.” Being able to coach and teach staff at store openings; and then to watch that repetition become knowledge and build confidence in franchisees in location after location in real time was something she found incredibly rewarding.

1Huddle’s ability to build culture that transcends location is uniquely valuable to franchisors. This is a quality Erica chalks up to 1Huddle’s background in team sports— and of course, the fun sense of competition that play inspires. 

“We’re in training and I’ve been doing this a very long time. And to have [a platform] with a sports team brand […] creates this different environment that goes along with restaurants because we’re all one team. 1Huddle creates a team atmosphere, which [helps] us invite our staff and our guests to understand what it’s all about.“

But perhaps most revolutionary to a food industry veteran?

No paper!

“You know, before I can write a piece of paper and check off their quizzes. But to actually be able to digitally see that, and show them and be able to coach and teach people to get better through this avenue, is amazing.“

Watch Our Interview with Erica

What follows is a full transcript of our conversation, edited for length and clarity.

Full Transcript

Erica Davis: My name’s Erica Davis. I work for Dog Haus. I’m part of the Operations and Training Team. Dog Haus is a new and growing brand. We’ve been around for about 12 years. We are involved in a lot of new kinds of ideas. 

We are craft casual. We do everything with nitrate free no hormones meat. We’re very proud of our never-ever clean meats. We have a hashtag as well. And we have beer gardens, where we sell 24 beers on tap. And we like to have a lot of fun at work. You know, we play a lot of music. We have a good time, work hard, play hard company. Pretty much. 

That sounds like 1Huddle! So you guys have been a customer for a while and you’ve seen a lot of stuff on the market. Were you here when Dog Haus made the decision to go with 1Huddle?

ED: Yes. I was here when Dog Haus made the decision to go 1Huddle. I’ve never heard of anything like it. When I found out about it and was actually able to use it throughout the process of what we do, it’s amazing. I have never thought of something like this because I’ve been in the restaurant industry for a very long time, and to be able to incorporate something like this into our training and our operations, was amazing. It was totally different. Kind of blew my mind at the fact that you could actually do these things. And create games for people to understand what’s going on.

What is your favorite thing about 1Huddle you had to pick one thing?

ED: My favorite thing is getting the ROI on it. You know, repetition creates knowledge, which creates confidence. So when I’m able to coach and teach that with my staff and at the store openings, it’s really cool to see the franchisees understand that and be able to pass it along to their staff when we’re out there. This is because they can use their own experience to coach and teach their staff and why it’s so important to use it.

If you were talking to someone about 1Huddle, how would you describe it in your own words?

ED: It is one of the best training platforms. Because we’re in training and I’ve been doing this a very long time. And to have something that was created number one, with kind of a sports team brand, you know, called 1Huddle, it creates this different environment that goes along with restaurants because we’re all one team. 1Huddle creates a team atmosphere, which creates us to invite our staff and our guests who understand what it’s all about. And to coach and teach the kids, I call ’em kids, to coach and teach the kids these days. Everyone’s on their phone right? So to get that involvement, that’s how it creates them to understand how it’s so important.

You said you’ve been in the restaurant industry for a while, so you’ve seen all the other stuff like LMS, the training manuals, etc. What would you say is the biggest difference between that and 1Huddle?

ED: No paper. You know, everything should evolve away from paper. You know, you can get everyone to do their quizzes online and those types of things. But seeing it actually be used as a platform where people can go on their phone, learn throughout the process, and create all these different games. It teaches them about any avenue that you want throughout the industry. It can be about guest service, it can be about your food builds, it can be about your corporate office. The difference between the actual company is what makes it really cool. 

Is there anything that players are saying that you’re like, ‘Well that’s awesome’. Or like stuff that you hear from them as they play their games? 

ED: Yes. You know, when I see them and talk to them about it and the next day I go in and I coach and teach them. I can go online and I can see when they played and how many games they played. It really shows that you’re on this and you studied because your test, quizzes and your knowledge level, goes into consideration with that.

The ROI on it again is so important and so fascinating because I get to see that live. You know, before I can write a piece of paper and check off their quizzes. But to actually be able to digitally see that, and show them and be able to coach and teach people to get better through this avenue, is amazing.

Can you think of a specific scenario where you really saw an individual get really impacted by doing well in a 1Huddle game?

ED: Yes. It’s not all about running contests. You know, we work with a lot of new store openings and once the employees are able to learn about it. It shows them that confidence to be able to speak to our guests. Being able to know the knowledge of the product that you are selling is the best way to be able to coach and teach them and just see that growth.

You know, it’s really motivating. Like I said, when someone gets in the top 10 and you’re able to push them and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, this was great. I really did learn from it’. And I’m like, ‘That’s what I’ve been telling you’. You just have to use it and utilize it. Then you actually learn from it. And you are a better employee because of that.

You get to coach and teach your own employees and be like, ‘Hey, you know, all competition is good competition, healthy competition is great’. And that’s how people learn is by learning off of each other and motivating each other to do better. 

That’s awesome. If there’s anything else you wanna add?

ED: You know, again, repetition creates knowledge which creates, you know, confidence. It’s all about having confidence in the product that you’re talking about. 

And that’s a wrap. You crushed it, Erica!

About 1Huddle

1Huddle is a coaching and development platform that uses quick-burst mobile games to more quickly and effectively educate, elevate, and energize your workforce — from frontline to full-time.

With a mobile-first approach to preparing the modern worker, a mobile library of 3,000+ quick-burst employee skill games, an on-demand game marketplace that covers 16 unique workforce skill areas, and the option for personalized content, 1Huddle is changing the way organizations think about their training – from a one-time boring onboarding experience to a continuous motivational tool. 

Key clients include Loews Hotels, Novartis, Madison Square Garden, PIMCO, TAO Group, and the United States Air Force. To learn more about 1Huddle and its platform, please visit 1huddle.co.