Old business, new style
Domino’s Pizza implementing new features, young leadership
Velijah Cato knows the recipe for a good pizza, and a good business.
The Domino’s Pizza general manager has been making pizza for the company since he was 16 and is now leading a team at the chain’s 16325 N May location. Cato strives to serve customers through a combination of innovative practices, positive culture, customer service and, of course, good pizza.
Domino’s innovation is on display at the store managed by Cato, which features what is being called a “pizza theater” to allow customers the ability to watch their pizza being made.
“The pizza theater setup lets our customers walk through and be able to see,” Cato said. “Kids will get up on the ladders, it can get interesting. Some of the more experienced people can toss the dough and stuff like that, put on a show.”
The setup seems strange for a company so devoted to the delivery model, but it’s indicative of a change throughout the company to improve its image, as well as its product.
“Domino’s has just been flipping their company around trying to get it to be the best pizza company in the world,” Cato said. “They changed some of their recipes a couple years back and went through all the stores and looked at them and said, ‘You know, these places are starting to look a little bit ratty. We don’t really like the presentation that’s coming with it, our customers need to see something great if they’re going to come in to the best pizza company, they need to see something better than what Pizza Hut or Papa John’s has to offer.’”
An insider’s perspective
Cato’s history with the company gives him an inside look at the changes being made.
“I started as a cashier,” Cato said. “I’ve been able to move up through the ranks and the brand itself is always growing.”
The changes are affecting the bottom line, according to Cato. Customers are responding to improved standards, higher levels of professionalism and customer service. Cato attended a gathering of managers hosted by Domino’s Pizza in Las Vegas two years ago to receive training on
the changes, and learned the value of improving service.
“The CEO of Domino’s was there, he was leading some of the stuff for us, and he got to set down some of the stats of the changes we have made and how they have improved our businesses,” Cato said.
“As a 16-year-old kid, you don’t really realize it too much, but as you get into the management field and aspect of it, and really get into the business part of it, I see the sales growth of just crazy numbers.”
Cato saw the change firsthand when he was asked to manage another location before the opening of the store on north May. After making several changes to cleanliness and promptness of delivery, the store saw a 20 percent change in sales in one year.
However, Cato believes a change in service was the leading cause for the boost.
“If a customer calls me with a complaint, I’m able to realize we made a mistake and fix it for them,” Cato said. “I actually do care when someone has an issue.”
‘It’s pretty cool’
One of Cato’s employees, Baylee Roach, has worked for Domino’s for a little more than four months, but is working to adjust to a new location and new teammates.
“Our franchise has kind of merged our stores and are trying to get in the groove of finding our own way to do things here,” Roach said.
Roach sees the value of the pizza theater with customers while she works to prepare their food.
“People love that,” Roach said. “Especially the step up (ladder) for the kids. It’s pretty cool, I enjoy it.”
Turning a Domino’s Pizza into an enjoyable workplace is something Cato strives to accomplish for his employees through competitions and company culture. After attending the conference in Las Vegas — where competitions are held for fastest pizza making times, or most boxes folded — he encourages the same friendly competition among his employees.
But speed is still on the manager’s side.
“He’s fast,” Roach said. “Really fast.”
The speed is crucial in the pizza delivery business, and the fast-food industry overall. Cato cites Chick-fil-A as an example of a restaurant that can have a parking lot full of cars wrapped around its store, but customers still get their food relatively quick. Similarly, if orders pile up in a Domino’s Pizza, the speed training is needed to keep up.
This work supports Cato’s dream to continue to move up within the company. He hopes to expand his supervisory role to other stores and learn as much as he can from the franchise owner. His long-term plan? It involves less day-to-day pizza making, but Cato sees himself with Domino’s for years to come.
“I want to step into owning stores eventually,” Cato said.