A Conversation with Doug Dagger on the Real-World Impact of Sprockets + HourWork

How One Domino’s Operator Streamlined Hiring and Boosted Retention With Ease

Hiring in the restaurant industry has never been easy — especially for leaders like Doug Dagger, who oversees 15 Domino’s locations under the NEPA Pizza brand. Before partnering with Sprockets and HourWork, Doug faced all-too-common challenges: disjointed tools, high turnover, and too much manual follow-up.

“If I took two days off, we’d go 48 to 72 hours with no contact to new applicants,” Doug explained. “That’s just not sustainable.”

Doug’s team was juggling SmartRecruiters, JobAlign, Google Sheets, and emails — all while trying to keep stores fully staffed and operations running smoothly. The result? Missed candidates, slow response times, and burnout.

From Frustration to Focus

There wasn’t one single tipping point. It was a growing realization that something had to give. Doug and his leadership team — including Franchisee Seth Gollhardt and Director of Operations Steve Crum — needed a better way to hire, onboard, and retain talent.

“The instant communication stood out. I’ve had people start within 24 hours of applying.”

With Sprockets, Doug centralized his hiring process. Applications flowed into one streamlined dashboard. Candidates were automatically scored, engaged, and scheduled — no more bouncing between platforms or losing hours to admin work.

Retention Starts After Day One

Doug now uses HourWork to stay in touch with new hires through automated check-ins at 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, and 180 days. Team members get helpful messages, company updates, and reminders — all through text.

“We didn’t realize how many people we weren’t reaching. HourWork changed that.”

What HourWork Adds

• Automated check-ins at 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, and 180 days
• Team members ask sensitive questions more comfortably
• Text campaigns generate 3X the response vs. previous methods
• Exit feedback now drives real operational changes

“It’s been a time-saver. It’s allowed me to do other things that directly impact retention — like being in stores, working with new hires.”

Final Takeaway

NEPA Pizza now has more team members on payroll than at any point since before the pandemic. Doug’s not chasing applicants or manually sending surveys anymore — he’s back where he belongs: supporting stores, coaching leaders, and building teams that thrive.

• 50 hires in 7 weeks
• 82% retention among new hires
• 6–7 hires in one week at a single, understaffed location
• Significantly reduced workload for Doug and his managers

“Those applicants with a 9+ score? Almost exclusively exceptional.”