Pizza Pizza Undercover Boss

Pizza Pizza, Canada’s largest pizza chain, has been serving 30 million meals annually. However, with fierce competition in the fast food industry, the company must scrutinize every aspect of the business to keep customers satisfied. Founded by Michael Overs in 1967, the company has grown into a $360 million giant. After Overs’ passing in 2010, his son-in-law Paul Goddard took over as CEO.

Going Undercover

Paul Goddard, the CEO of Pizza Pizza, decided to go undercover to see firsthand if the company was performing to its full potential and to identify areas for improvement. He posed as an unemployed oil rigger, “Gavin Hamilton,” and applied for entry-level jobs. Goddard was followed by a documentary crew as he worked in kitchens and on the factory floor, living on a budget and adopting a new identity.

Challenges on the Front Line

Goddard’s experience on the front line was challenging. He struggled to keep up with the pace of the machine and felt overwhelmed. He also experienced back pain, a significant issue affecting staff morale and costing Canadian companies millions of dollars in lost revenue annually. Goddard was moved to the end of the dough line, where he had to work at a faster pace to keep up with the machines that cut and packaged the dough.

Pizza 73 Experience

Goddard also went undercover at Pizza 73, a sister brand of Pizza Pizza, in Edmonton. He met his new boss, 23-year-old Sarah, who ran the region’s most successful franchise. Goddard was trained by Sarah, who taught him how to spread sauce and add toppings to pizzas. He found the task more challenging than expected and needed to work on his technique to meet the 2-minute pizza preparation time.

Delivery Drivers

Pizza Pizza makes 10 million deliveries a year, with drivers playing a crucial frontline role in delivering pizzas promptly and efficiently to customers. Goddard worked as a delivery driver, meeting a young father from Iraq who worked as a pizza delivery driver, earning a living through delivery charges and tips. Despite the challenges, the driver was dedicated to his job and cared about the people he served.

Revelations and Rewards

After his undercover experience, Goddard returned to his job and reported back to his executives, sharing that he learned a lot, including that the company had fantastic and committed people. He met with employees who were called into head office and discussed plans to take the brands to the next level by opening lines of communication and learning from experiences. Goddard rewarded several employees for their exceptional work, including a delivery driver who was given a trip to Iraq to reunite with his family and a $110,000 education fund for his son.

Conclusion

Pizza Pizza’s undercover boss experience was a valuable learning experience for Goddard and the company. It highlighted the importance of understanding the front line and identifying areas for improvement. The company’s commitment to its employees and customers was evident in the rewards and recognition given to staff members. As Pizza Pizza continues to grow and innovate, its focus on people and community will remain a key part of its success.

Key Takeaways

• Pizza Pizza serves 30 million meals annually and faces fierce competition in the fast food industry.
• CEO Paul Goddard went undercover to identify areas for improvement and understand the front line.
• The company has a strong commitment to its employees and customers.
• Delivery drivers play a crucial frontline role in delivering pizzas promptly and efficiently to customers.
• The company rewards and recognizes exceptional employee performance.

Key Vocabulary

Watch The Video

Vocabulary Quiz

1. Which word means ‘to examine closely and carefully’ in the context of Pizza Pizza’s business operations?

A) Innovate
B) Scrutinize
C) Improve
D) Recognize

2. What is the term for the amount of money lost by companies due to staff morale issues, such as back pain, as experienced by Paul Goddard during his undercover work?

A) Revenue
B) Profit
C) Lost revenue
D) Annual income

3. Which phrase means ‘the most important or critical position’ in the context of Pizza Pizza’s delivery operations, as described in the experience of the young father from Iraq?

A) Front office
B) Front line
C) Customer service
D) Management team

4. What does the term ‘undercover’ mean in the context of Paul Goddard’s experience, where he posed as an unemployed oil rigger to work in the company’s kitchens and factory floor?

A) Working openly as the CEO
B) Working secretly as a normal employee
C) Working remotely as a consultant
D) Working temporarily as a manager

5. Which word means ‘to give someone a prize or reward for something they have done’ in the context of Paul Goddard rewarding several employees for their exceptional work?

A) Recognize
B) Reward
C) Improve
D) Innovate

Answer Key:

1. B
2. C
3. B
4. B
5. B

Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: The Use of the Present Perfect Continuous Tense

Grammar Quiz:

1. By the time Paul Goddard took over as CEO, the company ____________________ for over 40 years.

• A) has been operating
• B) operates
• C) was operating
• D) had operated

2. The documentary crew ____________________ Paul Goddard as he worked in kitchens and on the factory floor.

• A) has been following
• B) follows
• C) followed
• D) was following

3. By next year, Pizza Pizza ____________________ 30 million meals annually for five years.

• A) will have been serving
• B) serves
• C) has served
• D) is serving

4. The company ____________________ a significant issue affecting staff morale for several years.

• A) has been experiencing
• B) experiences
• C) experienced
• D) is experiencing

5. Paul Goddard ____________________ as an unemployed oil rigger to go undercover.

• A) posed
• B) has posed
• C) was posing
• D) had posed

Answer Key:

• 1. A) has been operating
• 2. C) followed
• 3. A) will have been serving
• 4. A) has been experiencing
• 5. A) posed