Amid extensive financial pressures, businesses are investigating efficient strategies to maintain quality and service standards. Soaring energy costs, rises in National Insurance contributions, and the cessation of VAT relief have particularly impacted the hospitality sector. As organizations strive to streamline operations, outsourcing front of house duties has emerged as an increasingly viable option. Portico, a provider of workplace guest services, highlights that 80% of new clients experience an average 20% reduction in costs through outsourcing.
Cost Savings Through Efficiency
A significant portion of these savings stems from improved efficiency in team management, administration, recruitment, and delivery, freeing up approximately one day a week in time savings. Portico reports receiving 75% more job applications for outsourced positions compared to in-house vacancies and notes a 15% progression of employees into leadership roles, reducing overall turnover.
This system allows businesses to allocate their focus towards strategic growth rather than the daily management of front of house operations. By outsourcing these duties, companies can redirect time and resources to more critical business areas.
Excellence in Service Provision
A common investment for employers is in the learning and development (L&D) of staff, crucial for honing skills and sustaining motivation. Outsourcing these functions to specialists like Portico can enhance service delivery due to the expertise in developing and delivering comprehensive training programs. With a portfolio exceeding 70 courses, many recognized for their industry excellence, these programs are continuously updated to align with industry trends.
Redefining the Role of Receptionists
The duties of receptionists have transformed beyond traditional tasks towards becoming community builders within their workplaces. Portico aims to equip its staff to cultivate vibrant and welcoming environments, offering experiences that distinguish office life from remote work. The role now extends to creating engaging events and interactions that promote workplace identity.
Integrating External Teams into Client Cultures
One prevailing misconception about outsourcing is the challenge of external teams fully engaging with a client’s internal culture. Portico emphasizes full integration with both their corporate culture and the hosting client's culture. Employees partake in comprehensive induction programs, familiarizing themselves with client values, customer demographics, and corporate social responsibilities.
In cases where clients lack structured induction programs, Portico collaborates to develop them, ensuring seamless integration. This bidirectional engagement fosters a sense of belonging to both Portico's and the client’s "families," enriching the workplace dynamics.
Addressing Current Business Challenges
Amidst tightening budgets and efforts to reestablish in-office work environments post-remote working periods, outsourcing front of house operations presents a strategic measure to mitigate operational burdens. For companies looking to balance cost-cutting with efficient service delivery, this approach offers tangible advantages.
It is no secret that businesses are operating under enormous financial pressures. Energy prices are at record highs, National Insurance contributions have risen, and VAT relief has ended for hospitality firms after being hammered by the pandemic.
Organisations are therefore looking for efficiencies anywhere they can be found, providing they don’t compromise on quality and service.
While outsourcing reception duties may not be the first option on many bosses’ minds, it should certainly be a consideration – 80% of the clients who opt to outsource for the first time see their costs reduced by an average of 20%.
Time saved deliverables
It is largely down to how one can deliver time saved (around a day a week) in team management, administration, recruitment, and delivery.
Recruitment is a good example. Portico typically receive 75% more applicants than in-house vacancies, and on top of that around 15% of the colleagues move into new leadership positions, helping to reduce employee turnover.
Not only does all of this create cost efficiencies, but it also enables clients to focus their time and energies away from the day-to-day of front of house and onto more strategic matters that will drive growth in their business.
Service excellence
Learning and development is a big (and necessary) investment that employers make
Even more of that time is liberated by not having to invest in reception/front of house training.
Learning and development is a big (and necessary) investment that employers make to hone the skills of their staff and keep them motivated. A specialist outsourcing provider can cover this, and in the vast majority of cases can cover it better.
The programmes are devised and delivered by subject matter experts. Portico can have more than 70 courses available to employees, many of them recognised as best-in-class within the guest services industry. This is because they are constantly evolved to remain on trend.
Role of receptionists
In recent years, the role of receptionists has been evolving away from traditional secretarial duties and towards a community builder responsible for creating a compelling and friendly experience for building occupants.
Portico trains and develop their colleagues so they can make a buzz around their clients’ workspaces, creating events and experiences that will provide a crucial differentiation from home working.
Fully engaged employees
Employees are fully engaged, which itself comes from being a part of two families – Portico's and the client’s
This is only possible because the employees are fully engaged, which itself comes from being a part of two families – Portico's and the client’s – enabling them to combine the best of Portico’s culture and values with those of the companies they are representing.
This is another common myth associated with outsourcing, that external colleagues cannot fully engage and get on board with internal culture.
Portico ensures employees join their clients’ induction programmes that cover key elements such as values, customer base, ambitions, CSR and more. If a client lacks a formalised induction programme, we offer to sit down with them and build one together.
The road ahead
Times are tough. Businesses are tightening their belts while also trying to open up their workplaces for employees to return following long stretches of remote working.
On both of these levels, outsourcing front of house duties could help to alleviate some of the associated stresses and strains.
