LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER BUSY YEAR AHEAD

07 February 2002 by
LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER BUSY YEAR AHEAD

Another year gone and a new one beginning. If 2002 is anything like last year, we are in for an exciting 12 months.

As district manager for Sodexho, I have to travel around two of the biggest counties in England, Devon and Cornwall. Although my area is large, I have responsibility for just three contracts, one of which is an extremely large and varied facilities management contract for the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary.

The other contracts are a new police station in Weymouth, Dorset, and a top-secret unit in Cornwall, about which I cannot disclose any other information.

A major challenge for me in 2001 was retendering for the Devon & Cornwall police contract against some stiff competition. But, with the help of all the team, our hard work paid off and we celebrated not only the contract, but also the extension of services provided to include facilities management.

For me, winning was enough reward, but in November, at the company's annual awards, to my amazement I received an award for my work on winning the retender. To say I was speechless would be an understatement. But that wasn't all - my area supervisor also received an award, making it a double whammy for the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary team.

Celebrations were soon over, though, and December began with the production of the Christmas staff newsletter and signing Christmas cards for 200 or so staff members. I can sympathise with celebrities at book-signings - their hands must ache so much afterwards.

December was a month full of meetings both with the client and internally. I have had discussions on prisoner-feeding outside normal hours for a new police headquarters in Weymouth.

For another meeting, labour costings had to be calculated for the possibility of extra training on-site, which would lead to a seven-day service for catering and possibly cleaning.

I consider myself luckier than some because my job takes in a diverse range of roles, from providing the catering at the main headquarters and seven area stations in the two counties, to managing the cleaning at around 100 police stations.

However, it is at the force's headquarters in Exeter that we have the biggest presence. We not only provide catering, cleaning, security, reception and mailroom services, but we also have responsibility for cleaning the swimming pool and the helicopter.

December also saw the sales team for the Government Services division at Sodexho meet with the National Police Training Panel, and I was asked to present with an operator focus rather than the traditional sales approach. We eagerly await the outcome.

SARA CARLESS is Sodexho's district manager for the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary
Next diary from Sara Carless: 21 March

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