Chapter 8: Managed Services

Part One:  The unique features of Managed Services (F&B)

• food service is not the core business

Managed catering service is like outsoucing the catering business to an outsider, or an expertise to act as the food service provider (i.e. restaurant).  It is because there are always a need or demand for food and beverage in a place, e.g. school, stadium, shopping mall etc.  Thus, catering business is only one of the services provided in these place, but not the major one.

• necessary to please and meet the needs of both guests and the client

Since the managed catering service acts like a food service provider for guests on one hand, and also the business partner of major service site (e.g. hospital) on the other hand.  Thus, it is important to please both parties when providing the catering service. 


For a restaurant, the only thing to do is to please their guests, so as to win their positive word of mouth and satisfaction; while for managed catering service, besides pleasing the guests, also it is important to please the client, so as to gain their confidence for the extension of the operation contract or renewal of contract.  Therefore, it imposes double times of challenges to operate.

• captive clientele --- guests are captured in the area

For example, in the airport, when people are going to departure, they can find nowhere to eat except inside the airport.  So, they are captured in the place, and have no other options or alternatives for catering.


Because of this reason, the volume of business is quite constant and also consistent in demand.  There are always more or less the same demand everyday, for instance, at school, students visit the student canteen almost in the same period of time everyday.  So, it also makes food service provider an advantage to forecast demand.

• efficiency is important

As catering is not the major business, customers may not want to spend so much time in the restaurant.  For example, in a stadium, people are watching foodball match, they just want to get some refreshments during the break.  Therefore, food service provider should be able to provide food and beverage quickly, to meet customers' demand.  Thus, efficiency is a key.

Part Two: Challenges and recent trends of (a)Airlines and airports; (b) Schools; (c) Health care

(a) Airlines and airports

Challenges:

- It is hard for airline catering business to keep food fresh, or look fresh when it is served.  It is because food are prepared before the flight departed, then transported to flight.  When it is served to the customers, it is already two hours later maybe, therefore, it is a challenge for them to keep food fresh when it is served.

- Food choices are limited for airline catering business, because there are many limitations, for example, boneless food should be provided for safety reason.  Also, limited choices can help customers to make faster decision on what to eat, however, it may lowers the satisfaction of customers in returns, so it becomes a challenge.

- In airport, the food service provider should emphasize on efficiency, since people are usually in a rush in airport, people may not be able to spend few hours to eat in a fine-dining restaurant.  Therefore, fast food restaurant are usually be the choice in airport.

Trend:

- Customers are demanding, and may want a variety choices of cusine or food types.

- Low-calories or low-fat food may also be included on plane, because people care about "healthy diet" nowadays.

(b) Schools

Challenges:

- Balance on nutritions is always the top concern for food provided at schools.

- Staff to serve is another issue, since extra workers are needed to serve students, therefore, extra cost is imposed.

- Students may be bored by the cyclical menus, more choices may be needed.

Trend:

- childhood obesity is being concerned, so balanced diet and healthy food should be included in the food menu.

(c) Health care

Challenges:

-Menu planning is a challenge, since clients in the health care centre have different needs, for instance, low-fat; low-salt; low-sugar etc. Thus, F&B in health care centre should prepare for various types of food to meet the demand.

- Because of the above reason, demand forecasting will be another challenge.  It is difficult to determine how much to prepare, and how much customers will come, in order to avoid over-supply of food that creates wastage, or not enough supply.

Trend:

- Balanced diet with low calories and low fat is a current tendency, restaurants should take this into consideration when planning the menu.