Wolters Kluwer
In May 2010 Charlton House won a contract to provide catering services to multinational organisation, Wolters Kluwer in Kingston and Hinckley. The previous year we had lost out to a competitor going in with an unrealistic pricing structure. Six months on, and disappointed with both the qualitative and financial performance of the contract, the client decided to review the catering provision as the incumbent had not delivered on promises made during the tender process. We were awarded the contract based on our relationship with Wolters Kluwer and our clear commitment and ability to deliver promises.
We set about mobilising an improved service at Kingston, where we serve 500 employees, and Hinckley, where we serve 200.
Both sites have diverse catering facilities and we also provide hospitality at both sites. Because of the variety of the offer and because of the client’s experience with the previous caterer, we carried out a thorough mobilisation to ensure that our changes were carried out safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to staff and our new client.
We are delighted that notable improvements have been made in all areas of the service, including the food quality; we have introduced freshly prepared dishes rather than the frozen products that were previously served.
Financially, we have provided the client with some much needed security and stability by reducing the subsidy substantially from day one, and fixing it, thus reducing risk to Wolters Kluwer and supporting their financial objectives.
“We had invested a lot of money in these new facilities because we see good quality food at a value for money price as paramount to the work performance of our staff. We were not getting what we had been promised and costs were getting out of control. Charlton House were strong with their financial commitment and I felt they were right to take the cafes to where we needed them. Their on-site teams are highly motivated and supported by the operational teams that regularly visit site and help drive ideas through. The new sales levels speak for themselves. I am delighted. My only regret is that we did not choose Charlton House the first time.’
Andrew Ayers - HR Director, Wolters Kluwer