Clients often tell us that the contract monitoring service we provide, saves them a lot of time and effort in ensuring standards remain in place during the life of the contract, meal numbers are maintained, and the catering continues to develop.  Really it keeps the contractor on their toes!

We very much enjoy managing the tender of the catering contracts and are often even more enthusiastic about the opportunity to extend our work with the Schools, to ensure that they continue to receive the best value from the catering contract and that the service remains compliant and up-to-date. Having tendered the services, clients have usually made savings which free up funding to ensure the quality of service is maintained.

At Red Box we pride ourselves on offering a bespoke and flexible service to our clients. We firmly believe that each has a specific set of aims and requirements and that their customers also have unique needs. Therefore will always be pleased to adjust and update a package accordingly.

Following award of a catering tender, whether it be in a school, further or higher education site, or in Business and Industry, we can offer tailored support. 

An overview of our services could entail the following;

Operational and Financial Review

Red Box would attend and chair a review meeting with the contractor’s area or operations manager, following a service level audit, to discuss the service received at all sites. Representatives from the site could choose to attend or to forward information to Red Box prior to the meeting for discussion. The agenda would include; analysis of meal update numbers and any other sales achieved, progress against budget for all sales and costs, review of customer and client feedback, review of any new proposed menus and marketing initiatives, staff development, succession planning and training undertaken and planned, discussion of general operational observations, issues or proposals formulated from the service level audit. Minutes and an action plan would be produced and circulated.

Food Safety and Health and Safety Audit

This would involve Red Box assessing the standards of food safety and health and safety controls and systems in place in all kitchen and storage areas and at service locations. A report would then be produced that would provide the client with an independent and expert assessment of how the standards compare with legal obligations, the contract standards and industry best practice, together with an action plan for improvements as appropriate. We recommend that a minimum of one audit is undertaken per annum, to ensure that standards are maintained and that any potential issues are resolved prior to inspections by the EHO.

Annual Budget Development and Financial Negotiation

Red Box would meet with the contractor’s operations manager, three months before the end of the financial year, to review their proposed changes to their budget for the following year. This review would include benchmarking against the current industry going rates and negotiation with their senior team to ensure a fair return, competitive tariffs and excellent value-for-money are agreed and maintained for the future.

Helpline

This facility is available to clients and the contractor’s team during normal office hours, via email and telephone. Consultants will be available to assist and visit as required. This service is provided free of charge for all small amounts of advice. Additional work charged at the quoted day rate.

 The Benefits of using this Red Box service

• Our time spent on these tasks reduces the often invisible, but considerable, costs of management labour and time that otherwise the client would have to bear. 
• We are a dedicated and flexible company and therefore our services are bespoke to your needs. This will ensure that your sites get the catering services that best fulfil your requirements.
• We are the catering and support services experts! Our expertise in the services market place, and our particular experience in your sector, means that we will be able to draw upon ideas and knowledge of previous similar projects. This will enable us to assist you in maintaining best value and the most up-to-date approach for your facilities.
• Red Box are a dynamic and hardworking team and therefore we can and will respond to the client needs quickly. This will ensure that, once you have made the decision to continue to use us, we can start to implement the monitoring almost immediately to ensure that your desired timescales are achieved.
• Red Box is an independent company and therefore brings a truly impartial view to your services. Our loyalty remains to you at all times ensuring that your best interests are always met.