Case Studies

An Innovative Approach to Convention Center Catering Staffing

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An Innovative Approach to Convention Center Catering Staffing
Table of Contents

When this convention center lost their staffing agency, they took it as a chance to modernize their operations.

At a glance

Filling shifts more flexibly while maintaining great service

Mesa Convention Center, a hub for corporate and community events, was facing staffing challenges post-Covid in late 2021. With contracts dependent on their services, the difficulty in securing an adequate number of qualified staff for their massive banquets and other events put their business at risk. When General Manager, Jon Maunders, learned about Qwick and the platform’s ability to readily provide up to hundreds of hospitality professionals, he knew this was the solution to ensure the smooth execution of Mesa Convention Center’s events moving forward.

About Mesa Convention Center

A leader in large-scale events and catering

The Mesa Convention Center is a versatile venue in Arizona that hosts over 300 events annually, including corporate meetings, tradeshows, banquets, and expos. With a commitment to providing exceptional customer service, they’ve built a reputation for going above and beyond for their clientele. Of course, every great event includes food and beverage, which is where Personal Touch Catering comes in—the convention center’s exclusive caterer.

The challenge

The pandemic aftermath left the convention center short-handed and without a dependable staffing source.

When events started to return after the Covid-19 pandemic, Mesa Convention Center struggled to staff them. Their previous staffing agency had discontinued business, leaving them in a lurch. With important contracts to fulfill, the convention center needed to find staff fast, and a lot of them. “We sometimes need 30-40 servers for events like 800-person dinners,” said Jon of their staffing needs.

A Qwick solution

A reliable staffing resource that’s not only flexible and fast, but preserves quality of service 

Jon first learned about Qwick from a prior associate who joined the platform to pick up shifts as a professional. Upon signup, Mesa Convention Center gained access to an easy-to-use platform to post shifts and a network of hundreds of thousands of vetted hospitality professionals to fill them. With Qwick, their team can easily customize each shift and request any number of personnel, ensuring each and every event is fully staffed and executed with exceptional service.

Not only is filling shifts no longer an issue, but the professionals that fill them are carefully matched to each shift based on their skills and experience. When asked for his thoughts on the Qwick crew, Jon says, “Staff come in on time. They come to work. They have great attitudes, and they work as a team.” All of these qualities contribute to Mesa Convention Center’s average professional rating of 4.9/5 stars.

"The normal no-show rate we used to experience before using Qwick has disappeared. This has removed a possible source of stress for us," says Jon, who has noticed increased efficiency and flexibility in business operations since partnering with Qwick. “Catering is fluid, so adapting day-by-day to event nuances is key.” 

Staff come in on time. They come to work. They have great attitudes, and they work as a team.

1,500 shifts and counting...

Elevated events and business growth fueled by the Qwick network

What started as a post-pandemic solution is now a continued partnership. Since 2021, Jon has filled over 1,500 shifts on the Qwick platform across 11 different catering and event roles, including banquet servers, concession workers, dishwashers, food assemblers, and more. As a result, Mesa Convention Center no longer has to scramble for servers leading up to a big event. They’re able to call in the Qwick crew whenever needed for service that upholds their standards and strengthens relationships with clientele. 

Another bonus of being a Qwick business partner is getting access to an attentive support team, including an account manager and a nearly 24-hour support text line. If there’s ever an instance when Mesa Convention Center needs additional assistance, they know that Qwick has them covered. 

Tap into the Qwick crew for your next event. 

Take on more BEOs and bookings with less staffing stress

Whether you need a banquet captain, five event chefs, hundreds of setup crew, or anything in between, Qwick is here to help. Create an account for free today and post your first shift to see what the Qwick crew can do for your business.


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Kitchen staff posing

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