Living up to his reputation and business acumen, LCC Support Service’s Executive Chairman Bob Vincent has once again bucked all business trends by adding £5m of new business in the first quarter of 2010. In a time where cost is constantly being cut we talked to Bob about his reputation of being the ‘Invincible Vincent’.
When most cleaning and support service contracts are being scrutinised to make major savings, LCC has in this austere environment, been winning major new clients. In the past three months Bob’s team has attracted a string of new clients wanting quality daily office cleans (DOCs) including both daytime and traditional night time cleaning.
Major wins include a portfolio of buildings throughout London and the south with Property Managing Agents Cushman and Wakefield, T K Maxx’s headquarters in Watford in partnership with Vinci Facilities and the Department of International Development and Axa UK with sites in London and the south in partnership with Carillion
All the new business has been awarded following competitive tender, but what is Bob’s secret recipe for success?
“There is no individual recipe for success in a deep recession,” said Bob, “Keep your head down, focus on the business and don’t be distracted. First keep a constant eye on your existing business and ensure that you have included every possible added value benefit to your service offer. If in doubt, call a client meeting and discuss new opportunities and the increased service levels you can add.”
On the subject of new business, for which LCC has a great success story over many years, Bob said: “In a recession go for the work you do best as your existing customer case studies and references are your best marketing tool. We have a wide range of clients each with very differing needs but because we are big in DOCs, offices and the education sector, we have focused our new business activities on these areas.”
Looking at the key ingredients for tendering in recession Bob’s advice is “Look at every task, timetable, cleaning method and equipment and ask – ‘is there a better/more efficient/cost saving/added value way of doing this?’ Most customers buy on deliverables, added value and price. This is where ‘Output Specification’ contracts have been so successful for us. They focus on achieving desired results and keeping premises continually in perfect condition. Today not many clients care about how many times the washroom inspection chart is signed each day, it is the condition of the loo 24/7 that matters. If we have to check every half hour in peak periods and every three at others, so be it if that is the way to maintain constant standards.”
Andrew Large, Chief Executive of the CSSA said: “Output specification is becoming a more popular performance monitoring tool. It gets away from the obsession with hours worked and focuses attention on how clean the building is. With output specification the proof of cleanliness is there to be seen and cannot be hidden behind a timesheet. It is one of many operational changes that our industry should aim for as it strives to become even more professional.”
Areas of change
Recessions bring out the best in the strong, well-managed and disciplined businesses. The saying ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going’ has never been more relevant.
You don’t have to lease new machines - there is plenty of well-serviced used equipment available. Equipment can be switched from one site to another if one is over specified for the site needs.
Consumables are constantly under the microscope and always will be. Contractors are asked to reduce amounts of product used and to save money, but the real issue is to ‘reduce cost in use’ – what it costs to perform a task. Sometimes a cheaper, lower grade product is adequate but usually we find a little of a quality product is best value – but only if the operators are taught how little to use and not continue to take the same amount as they did with the lower grade product. Don’t dismiss own label products as some of these are as good as the advertised branded goods and are made in the same factories. Own label is very often good business sense – it does what is says on the tin and it reduces ‘cost in use’.
Clients may review contracts annually but that can be too late if your business is put out for tender. Constantly reviewing staffing levels, products and schedules is the contractor’s responsibility and should be carried out on a monthly basis – it is the best business protector and added value that you can buy.
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LCC Support Services Limited
LCC Support Services Limited
LCC House
63 Tallon Road
Brentwood
Essex CM13 1TG
t:: 01277 268899
e:: info@lccss.co.uk
w:: www.lccss.co.uk