Chapter 8: Managed Services

Differences between managed services operations and commercial food-services

5 Differences: 1) Managed service operators must meet the needs of both the guest and the client. In a restaurant, the challenge is to please the guest. 2) Often, they have "captive" audiences. 3) Many managed service operations are housed in "host" organizations that do not have foodservice as their primary business. 4) Most managed service operations prepare food in large quantities to be served during specific hours. This is called batch cooking. 5) The volume of business is more consistent and easier to forecast.

Why did airlines have decreased in-flight food-service?

Because airlines see in-flight food-service as an expense that needs to be controlled; so to trim costs, most domestic airlines now sell snacks instead of meals.

How different is budgeting within managed services operations and commercial food-services?

Budgeting in managed services is not very different from any commercial restaurant but simplified because the on-campus students have already paid for their meals and, therefore, numbers are easier to forecast.

Why using Managed Services companies?

Co.'s that their core business isn't in that line of business, financial reasons, quality of program, recruitment, expertise, resources, labor relations & other support, outsourcing makes more sense. For example for JMU, their core business is not in food services so they partnered/hired Aramark as their campus exclusive managed services company. Managed services are services that can be leased to professional management companies.

Contractors

Companies that operate food-service for the client on a contractual basis.

Self- operators

Companies that operate their own food-service operations.

Why would companies use contract management?

Different reasons: financial, quality of program, recruitment, expertise, resources, labor relations & other support, outsourcing.

Define in-flight food-service

In-flight food-service is a complex logistical operation. The food must be able to withstand the transport conditions and the extended hot or cold holding period from the time of preparation to the time of service. If a food item is to be served hot, it must be able to re-thermalize well on the plate. Other complications involve time, space, and appearance.

Daily rate

It is the amount of money required per day from each person to pay for the foodservice = expenses for one semester divided per nr of days divided by the operation nr. of students eating.

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides what?

NSLP provides federal funding for school food-service. Under NSLP regulations, schools must meet dietary guidelines in order to receive funding. Under these regulations, students must select three to five meal components from a commonly called "Type A" menu, which has limited amounts of fat and saturated fat.

Liaison personnel

Responsible for translating corporate philosophy to the contractor and overseeing the contractor. Do realize that most malls that have a food court hire a "liaison personnel manager" often with an HM degree?

Most of the Healthcare Facilities food services is provided how?

The main focus of hospital food-service is the tray line. These are very complex because they must meet the needs of clientele with special needs, distributed at different times and room locations, meals must be consumed in a short period of time (30 minutes usually) and must have a varied menu.

What are Managed Services other than food?

There are a lot other managed services, often under the area of facilities management, as the following services: -Housekeeping/custodial, environment services, Maintenance and engineering, Grounds and landscaping, Procurement and materials management, Office and mail services, Concierge services, Patient transportation services (in hospitals case)

Name the food-service operations that constitute managed services

These include: airlines, military, elementary and secondary schools, colleges, healthcare facilities, business and industry, leisure and recreation, conference centers, airports, travel plazas.

What roles other than those strictly related to food-service does the food-service manager perform?

These roles include: -Employee Relations -Human Resource Management -Financial Budgeting -Safety Administration and -Budget -Food Production/Service -Sanitation/FBI (food-borne illness) Prevention -Purchasing/Recruiting -Staff Training/Development