Case study
Corporate Centres
What we found
This client was in the process of developing a series of managed offices with a difference! The company provides Grade A, high quality serviced and managed offices in city centre locations. They have a portfolio of five buildings that offer flexible serviced space – Peter House (Manchester), One Victoria Square (Birmingham), Castlemead (Bristol), Davidson House, Forbury Square (Reading) and the prestigious New Broad Street House, City of London.
Their concept of flexible managed space appeals to customers who want all the benefits of serviced offices as well as greater flexibility to manage changing space requirements in connection with the growth and fluctuations in their business. In addition, this client has an exclusive agreement with the Institute of Directors. Through this partnership they are able to deliver within each of these buildings, an IoD hub which provides touch down resource, and a Directors Room for IoD members similar in style to a first-class airport lounge.
With customer service as a key focus and point of differentiation in their offering, this client was looking for an FM partner that would meet and exceed their vision across all of their prestigious offices.
What we did
The awarded contract covered the provision of a total facilities management provision through delivered in-house teams and managed services. Work Facilities operates an FM services programme across all areas key to the delivery of the the client's ‘5-star’ customer service vision. These include reception, telephony, cleaning, conferencing and concierge services as well as 24-hour security. In addition, they manage operational ‘hard’ services including Mechanical and Electrical Maintenance, fabric maintenance and waste management.
Delivered services through an in-house team: cleaning and janitorial services, reception, manned security, action desk, porterage, switchboard, mail room, hospitality, concierge, business services including fax, printing and binding, and fabric maintenance.
Managed services: M&E, HVAC, electronic security, washroom services, waste disposal and all building management services all via a national and local network of trusted suppliers.
Making it work
“What we’re looking for in the service is something imperceptible, anticipatory and seamless”
Client Managing Director
The emphasis on customer service excellence made it imperative to create dedicated on-site teams with the knowledge and skill to respond effectively to a demanding operational environment. For this reason, mobilisation of the contract became a critical operation and involved a series of specially designed ‘visioning’ workshops, involving senior directors. Throughout these sessions they explored expectations of service quality and focussed on team building and training agenda for on-site staff.
This drive to deliver world-class customer service is highlighted through several service initiatives that Work Facilities has put in place across the all the corporate centre sites; ‘Toolbox Talks’ , ‘Always Be First’, ‘15 minutes’ are all initiatives that form part of the Work Facilities ‘Service Excellence Vision’ which gives clear direction, encourages team work, provides a cheerful work environment and encourages positive thinking.
“Multi-skilling is an investment in the company’s staff and this tends to be repaid in effort and loyalty”
Client, Managing Director
The provision of multi-skilled on-site teams has removed the issue of functional silos and has encouraged more effective team-working. In addition to the advantages for resource planning, the on-sites teams have worked more effectively, learning new skills. It also means that the on-site teams have developed a committed joint responsibility for providing the range of services across the sites.
“From our first meeting with Bill Squires and his team, it was obvious that we had discovered a creative and energetic team committed to exceeding the expectations of our customers. Their initiatives have produced many benefits and are rapidly enabling us to place customer satisfaction at the very top of our list of key points of differentiation"
Client, Managing Director
