By
Tom Mac Dermott, FCSI, President, Clarion Group
A version of this article appeared in the
online newsletter of Food Management magazine
“It
doesn’t matter which company, it’s the manager they send me that makes the
difference,” is a frequent comment by corporate facilities managers and others
who are responsible for their organizations’ on-site food services that are
operated by a food service management company.
And
they’re right – to an extent. The
manager of an on-site food service certainly has the primary responsibility
for the day-to-day operation, including the quality of meals, service and
catering; hiring, training and overseeing hourly employees; financial results,
and sometimes, more.
But
who ensures the on-site manager is doing the job properly, provides advice and
support and brings in the food service company’s specialized resources as
needed? That’s the district manager (or
equivalent title, such as director of operations).
Company
executives usually get most of the attention and credit, but it’s their district
managers who are in the field making sure everything goes right at the dozen or
so operations they supervise.
The
DM is the direct link between contractor and client. He or she is the direct overseer of the
on-site manager, is directly responsible for client relations, utilization of
the contractor’s resources to solve problems and improve services, and for the
company’s success or failure at a location.
How
do they manage their multiple responsibilities?
How do they coach their on-site managers, resolve problems, satisfy
clients, deal with personnel, budgets, sales and cost, profit or loss and other
issues?
Close
communication with the on-site manager and the client’s representative is the
key say district managers for several companies.
“No
surprises” is the way Adam Salem, a director of operations for the Flik
International division of Compass Group, sums it up. “I talk to or visit my clients every week and
keep in touch through e-mail.” He’s
responsible for food services at a group of corporate offices and law firms
in the Washington, DC area. With his
regional vice president, he also holds quarterly review meeting with his
clients.
Ken
McIntyre, a long-time director of operations for Guckenheimer overseeing
corporate headquarters accounts, was recently promoted to regional vice
president for the Middle Atlantic and Southeastern region.
He
says client relationship management is structured. The director of operations has “monthly
review meetings with our client and the on-site manager.” A quarterly major review is also attended by
him as regional vice president. “It’s
the centerpiece of the client relationship and a measuring tool [enabling us]
to measure and manage the operation.”
John
Gee, a Culinart Group West Coast district manager for corporate accounts,
agrees. “Getting off to a good start
with a new client is important to establish the relationship.” he says. He has mostly corporate and some education
accounts throughout California. He meets
with clients on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, “unless they have a question” in
the interim.
Gee,
a 20-year veteran with Culinart, has the unusual experience of having been a
district manager on both coasts. After
working in the company’s home region in the Northeast, he transferred in 2006
to their division in Los Angeles with accounts all along the Pacific Coast and
in the Southwest.
What’s
the difference in the business on the two coasts?
“New
York is very traditional – shirt, tie and suit,” he says. But despite the laid-back, no necktie attitude,
“California is not more relaxed when it comes to work. Don’t underestimated what happens out here.
[Clients expect] greater accountability than on the East Coast: ‘We want it done, and done tomorrow.’”
A
DM’s most important responsibility is ensuring his on-site managers are
performing well, both operationally and financially. This is accomplished by a combination of
individual coaching and formal training through periodic meetings of all the
district’s or region’s managers and online training programs.
Training
programs range from the basics, like culinary skills and accounting, to
regulatory compliance and human resources topics, such as disciplinary
procedures and the prevention and handling of harassment issues.
“I
have weekly meetings with all my managers and chefs via Webex (a web-based
conferencing program),” Guckenheimer’s McIntyre explains. “An HR person, our
regional health and wellness manager, marketing manager and corporate Director
of Culinary Operations (manager of the company’s regional executive chefs)
participate. We have a very chef-driven
culture.”
His
managers also are enrolled in an online training program. “Managers can pick their own topics, but
they’re also required to take some specific courses.”
Adam
Salem of Flik says, “Our regional resources, such as regional chef and
marketing specialist, provide training.
Regional meetings also provide training opportunities.”
“Training
is on-going” at Culinart, according to Gee.
“I have a senior manager work with the less-experienced managers to set
them up for success.”
Despite
their best efforts, things can go wrong at a DM’s account. What do they do when an angry client calls
with a complaint?
“You
can’t wait. You have to anticipate
trouble,” Salem says. “It’s most
important to get in front of the client right away.”
“Get
face-to-face as fast as possible – on the same day,” Gee echoes. “You can’t change the complaint. You have to correct whatever the problem is.”
McIntyre
agrees. “The first thing is to listen and assess the situation. I have to be open-minded and, most important,
be pro-active in responding.”
Like
McIntyre, both Salem and Gee utilize regional or corporate specialists to get
into the account and work with the manager to solve the problem and get the
operation back on track.
Gee’s
approach is to be positive. “I get
positive feedback from the client and [talk to the manager] about the good
things first, build on the good things.
Positive reinforcement is the most effective way” to get a manager to
see and resolve an issue.
“I
meet with the on-site team and go to our resources – the regional chef and
others – and create an action plan,” Salem explains. “I come back to the client with the plan and
follow up.”
But
what if the manager is the problem – he or she isn’t controlling the staff, has
let costs run away or has a conflict with the client?
“Like
a baseball team, we have to have a relief pitcher,” McIntyre says. “It’s very important to have the right person
ready to step in.” He prefers managers
with a culinary background. “Many
talented chefs get burned out in the kitchen and go into management.”
“Recruiting
is on-going,” according to Gee. “We try
to promote from within before going outside” when an on-site manager needs to
be changed.
“A
weak [on-site management team] means I have to spend a lot of time there. It’s not good for the client,” adds
Salem. “I’ve developed sources [to
identify potential managers].”
Financial
performance also is important, whether the operation is P&L (the operator
has the financial risk) or subsidized (client has the financial risk).
“I
have a weekly flash [report],” according to Gee. “By Monday, I have the results. I get on the phone, accounts with bad results
first.”
Other
DMs do essentially the same, relying on weekly “flash” reports from their
managers, usually on the first business day after the accounting week closes.
“I
review each account’s financial reports weekly,” Salem says. “If there’s an issue, I return to the account
and notify the client. It’s important that
there are no surprises.”
Salem
best sums up the job for all DMs: “I’m successful because of the team I’ve
built. Communication is the key to the
job.”
