Overview
The Brakes Group is the UK's leading supplier to the catering industry. With 9000 committed staff based in over 70 locations. Their thorough understanding of caterers' needs is underpinned by 50 years experience and a passion for innovation, quality and service.
In addition to their catering services, they offer a complete end-to-end service including; logistic solutions, product and menu development, as well as a food manufacturing division. In order to meet the seasonal demands for their solutions, the Brakes Group operate with significant number of temporary workers.
Case Study
The Brakes Group is the UK's leading supplier to the catering industry. With 9000 committed staff based in over 70 locations. Their thorough understanding of caterers' needs is underpinned by 50 years experience and a passion for innovation, quality and service.
In addition to their catering services, they offer a complete end-to-end service including; logistic solutions, product and menu development, as well as a food manufacturing division. In order to meet the seasonal demands for their solutions, the Brakes Group operate with significant number of temporary workers.
Client's Issues
Brakes wished to operate with a preferred agency supplier list, enabling them to standardise pay rates and introduce service agreements.
Approach
de Poel's analysis process included a thorough comparison of agency timesheets and invoices, this provided Brakes with:
- Site rates and spend summary per site, and the composite rate structure.
- Pricing summary, this compared current pay rates with de Poel's recommendations
- Savings overview, highlighting savings per location with an annual projected spend and savings report
All supplying agencies were invited to a Brakes agency seminar, which outlined the preferred agency panel requirements and provided agencies to register their interest.
Our analysis team visited key locations to obtain financial data and to gain an insight into their operation and process for requesting temporary agency workers.
Our support services team conducted e-tips® training ready for the implementation of our electronic timesheet and invoicing processing system.
Results
8% cost savings delivered on annual temporary agency spend
Preferred agency panel operating with Brakes standard terms and conditions, including fixed pay and agency margin rates
70% of existing agencies joined the new panel
Service agreements in place with KPI's to monitor agency performance
Reduction of multiple invoices to 52 with 100% invoice accuracy
Real-time management information available
95% compliance across all 34 locations
A smooth implementation resulted in very little disruption any issues were dealt swiftly and to Brakes satisfaction.
Benefits
Three months after implementation, benefits included:
Cost savings and more control over forecasting temporary spend
Visibility and control of spend at all levels, by job category or location
Ability to monitor agency performance and improve service levels
Very little change, with agency relationship retained at local level
Highly efficient processing of invoices and timesheets
Ongoing risk mitigationOngoing agency management
