Can Catering deliver best in class in a multi service FM Contract?….

Research shows that traditionally foodservice contracts for cafes, staff restaurants, hospitality and fine dining are procured as a single service outside of the wider facilities management, (FM) package, mainly due to its unique and complex nature in the family of FM services.

Clients are still cautious about including foodservice as part of a FM contract, although benefits of using one provider can be very attractive both in terms of cost and service delivery. At Bennett Hay we understand the reasons behind this careful approach and offer a unique Hotel FM model in UK workplaces that not only gives our clients the confidence to keep foodservice elements in scope in a FM contract but also enhances the one team delivery.

There are a few reasons why catering foodservice is looked at separately when it comes to outsourcing facilities management to external operators. The main concern is service sensitivity. Quality foodservice in the workplace is perceived as an important employee benefit. With long working hours and time poor, challenge rich working days, having breakfast, lunch and sometimes dinner at work is not just convenient but often a necessity and demonstrates a commitment to employee wellbeing. Top employers sometime take it to the next level and offer free meals and beverages to their people throughout the day.

Workplace catering is also the only service in the FM mix that depends not only on meeting client’s corporate objectives but also on customers willing to spend their money every day. Getting it right is as much about the quality of food as it is about outstanding customer service. People vote with their feet. With the high street competition stronger than ever there is plenty of choice elsewhere. So both the client’s and provider’s reputation is at stake with every daily transaction. At Bennett Hay we call it a guest touch point, where an impression of our client’s company brand and image is formed, an area which our service delivery has a direct impact.

Our hotel style FM proposition in UK workplaces is very much inspired by the five star hotel service ethos where each team member takes ownership of all service delivery areas as well as their own area of speciality. It’s also based on embracing our hospitality expertise in reception, concierge, housekeeping and mailroom. We strongly believe that a guest centric mindset is essential in reception and security, highest kitchen cleaning standards can improve cleaning service elsewhere in the building and proactive attitude of foodservice team can benefit overall operation of a FM contract.

The key to success is the right balance between catering specialism required and multi-skilling of a wider FM team. Why shouldn’t a mailroom operative responsible for distributing printed documents deliver a trolley service twice a day? Why shouldn’t members of the reception team help with the hospitality set up? And equally why shouldn’t the hospitality team support their reception colleagues when a group of delegates arrive for a conference?

Including catering in a FM contract can bring benefits in a way not possible with different providers involved. It strengthens the one team delivery by playing to individual strengths in an integrated team context and adds cohesion to contract structure.

By offering both service specialism and focus on one team working to enhance client brand and reputation at every guest touch point, our hotel style FM approach gives much sought after confidence to our clients concerned with achieving seamless FM delivery with catering in scope.