Super Bowl LVII is expected to bring a significant wave of tourists to the Valley and businesses are turning to hospitality staffing company Qwick to fill thousands of temporary positions at restaurants and events.
The Phoenix-based company has partnered with the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee to become its exclusive staffing platform for several upcoming events, including the multi-day Super Bowl Experience at Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown Phoenix.
Qwick saw a rise in applicants as early as December for hospitality-related jobs on its platform, said Retta Kekic, Qwick’s chief marketing officer.
“We are really prepping to see a huge influx in demand for the Super Bowl,” she said.
Qwick’s app matches hospitality workers with shifts at restaurants, hotels, catering companies, stadiums, senior living facilities and more via an algorithm that considers users’ availability and location.
The Super Bowl and its related events are expected to bring more than 150,000 visitors to the Phoenix area, and Qwick has boosted its network to include more than 100,000 freelancers to fill one-time jobs.
“We continue to see that number go up every single day,” Kekic said.
The company works with more than 1,500 Arizona businesses to post temporary, one-time jobs to the thousands of freelance workers on the company’s platform, which include listings for bartenders, prep cooks, banquet servers, event setup and more.
Qwick forged a connection with the Super Bowl Host Committee via the company’s co-founder, Chris Loeffler, who met with the organization to discuss potential partnership opportunities, Kekic said.
The Super Bowl Host Committee is a nonprofit that serves as a resource and concierge for hotels, restaurants and other hospitality venues during the sporting event.
“Our work with stakeholders to ensure the Valley and surrounding areas are equipped to provide the best experience is perfectly complemented by Qwick’s network,” Kyle Hedstrom, senior vice president of finance and economic impact of the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee, said in a statement. “We’re looking forward to proudly showing off what Arizona has to offer come February.”
Preparations for Super Bowl hiring began early
To prepare for a rise in freelancers signing up on the app, Qwick began talks with business partners early on to understand the type of demand they were expecting and positions they were looking to fill for the Super Bowl and WM Phoenix Open.
“From there, we planned what type of onboarding we would need to do for freelancers to ensure they are qualified,” Kekic said. “Conversations started a few months ago to ensure we would have the volume of freelancers available to staff these big events.”
Qwick requires freelancers to have one year of recent work experience. Freelancers then go through a vetting process that includes a video call with an orientation specialist, Kekic said.
Tempe-based Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering, which is among a family of businesses that include the Farm at South Mountain and Palette at Phoenix Art Museum, will be using Qwick to fill more than 700 shifts during Super Bowl week, said Rebekah McIntyre, director of logistics for Tempe-based Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering.
“With the Super Bowl coming up, we are partnering with so many events that week across the Valley to have a reliable source with staffing and Qwick allows us to push the envelope with what we’re comfortable taking on,” she said. “Knowing that we have that option makes it a lot easier and we can elevate the experience we are offering at different events.”
McIntyre served as executive chef for Artisan by Santa Barbara Catering during Super Bowl XLIX, which was held in the Valley in 2015. She recalls having to fly in other catering companies to assist with events.
“It’s definitely a lot different now because we have the ability to do so much in advance and say, ‘I need seven Qwick freelancers to go to the farm and start assembling heaters because we need those for nighttime parties.’”
McIntyre said she’s looking forward to creating an unforgettable experience for Phoenix-area visitors in the coming weeks.
“I’m excited for people to comfortably enjoy themselves again post-Covid,” she said. “This is when we get to — as caterers — put on a show, execute the events we want to without restrictions and get to watch guests enjoy it again.”