One aspect of the experiential marketing industry that draws independently-minded individuals is the fact they get to operate as their own agents. Brand ambassadors choose their shifts, and often work without management on site. It takes a very dependable  and trustworthy person to work in this kind of environment.  

Unfortunately, not everyone is cut out for this kind of work. A brand ambassador may interview extremely well and say all the things we want to  hear, but, as they say, the proof is in the pudding.  

HFA is very engaged with all aspects of our demo and event executions across the country, especially when it relates to new hires. We have a full-time On-Call Manager available to ensure brand ambassadors have the support they need during their demos and events. 

We nickname this role the “Fire Extinguisher,” because the On Call Manager puts out any fires that come up during activations. In addition to providing support, the On Call Manager spot-checks our brand ambassadors during their first three events with HFA to make sure everything is going as smoothly as possible. We find these calls not only benefit us but our clients as well.  

Our clients trust that  we will hire someone whose work ethic aligns with our standards. To hold ourselves  accountable to this expectation, we check in on the new hires in real time during their scheduled event. 

Our On-Call Manager has a game plan to call a store or department manager in the middle of a demo for a few reasons:  

1. It gives the brand ambassador a moment to get settled into their event comfortably. Working as a brand ambassador on a new program can be a little nerve wracking, especially during the first hour. 

2. It gives the store’s management time to digest how the demo is going so they can provide us feedback. And we are open to all feedback! 

 3. We want to ensure the brand ambassador is on site and didn’t leave their location. We know, it’s crazy to think someone will show up to a store, clock in for their shift, leave for a while, and then show up again only to clock out but it’s happened! 

All information, big or small, will be documented after these calls and shared with our internal team. Based on the store management’s feedback, we will know  firsthand if our newest brand ambassador is going to be a good fit for our company and for our clients. We will also be able to learn very quickly if a brand ambassador  shines in one demo program but maybe not another one.  Spot check calls will always be required for our new hires, even the most seasoned brand ambassadors.  

Most of the time, we hear positive feedback, which fills our hearts. But, when the feedback isn’t so great, we make it a point to address the situation quickly.  

Have you ever had a brand ambassador who interviewed amazingly but let you down in the field?