Getting ahead in the Olympics Games in 2012
May 20, 2011
With the 80,000 capacity 2012 Olympic stadium in London completed ahead of schedule1 , caterers, hoteliers and hospitality managers must now look ahead and plan for the 9 million spectators expected to attend the event next year2 . The crowds of tourists predicted to come into London and the UK during the 2012 Olympic Games means the hospitality industry needs to be prepared for higher traffic and an elevated demand on services – and now is the time to get prepared.
Emma Nourry, Trade Marketing Manager at Georgia-Pacific GB Ltd, takes a look at the best products for fast and efficient service, as well as ways in which UK businesses can capitalise on this huge opportunity.
On Your Marks
Cafes and restaurants can expect an influx of custom through their doors during and in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games, with 320,0003 spectators predicted to visit the UK. An estimated 14,000,0004 meals will be served at 40 Olympic sites alone during the event, so caterers UK wide should prepare for increased demand on services.
Branding and image is crucial to attracting and maintaining customers within the catering sector, and coordinated commodities can help maintain style and consistency in service and keep tourists coming back during the Olympic season.
With the capability to apply Personal Print to JustOne® napkins from the Lotus Professional® brand, catering outlets can register a unique print onto 2-ply napkins, to match their company’s branding, with logos, slogans or other marketing messages. Offering the flexibility of up to 3 different colors, an establishment can create a distinctive style, without losing the key benefit of the JustOne® dispenser’s sheet by sheet dispensing.
JustOne® Personal Print allows catering managers to put their creative ideas into practice, whilst benefiting from a cost effective system, allowing them to stay ahead of their competitors during the Olympic season and beyond.
Get Set
A consistently reliable service can help caterers attract customers ahead of their competitors, so by ensuring they have co-ordinated napkins and tableware, businesses can create a sophisticated and lasting impression. Products like the mix ‘n’ match tabletop range from the Lotus Professional® brand enables outlets to select a preferred theme to compliment the tone and personality of their brand. Each theme in the mix n’ match range offers a complete collection of disposable tableware, including multiply napkins, LinStyle® napkins, slipcovers, tablerunners and placemats, facilitating full tabletop co-ordination and aesthetic consistency.
The option to create distinctive, matching tableware sets mean table top products can be co-ordinated with the exact design to suit a brand, offering a simple yet effective solution to renewing or establishing brand image.
Go!
Laying on special events and focused themed nights designed to target the expected clientele can help businesses to attract customers and give them the edge over their competitors. Investing in a big screen to show the various games, and creating themed events around each could be a good way to attract tourists and spectators.
Products like the mix n’ match disposable table-top range by the Lotus Professional® brand allows caterers to revise or promote their image with just a few small changes at minimal cost, to create a temporary theme, whilst eliminating the need for costs associated with more extravagant alterations to decor. The collection allows facilities managers to keep table decorations fresh by making it easy to change the setting style according to different themes and events, so as to always reflect the right look for the right occasion, even to match bunting and flag colours. This could easily extend to include the diverse nationalities and competing teams hosted up and down the UK, as well as the patriotic colours of red, white and blue.
The flexibility of the mix n’ match solution also offers the option to mix premium with lower cost products for different mealtimes and also provides an economical solution to creating personality and keeping the edge on competitors, at minimal expense.
Clean competition
As well as maintaining a presentable front-of-house, hotels, catering outlets and other public facilities should also work to ensure their toilets, washrooms and other amenities are of competitive standard.
A recent poll conducted by Harris Interactive5 reveals that 88% of people who encounter a dirty restroom at a restaurant think this reflects poorly on the sanitation of the rest of the establishment, including the kitchen and food preparation areas and a full 29% said they wouldn’t return to an establishment with poor washroom hygiene.
Washrooms can provide end-users with a window into the overall management and cleanliness of an establishment, so it is worth investing in the right products to ensure the very best level of service throughout. Products like the SmartOne® toilet tissue dispenser from the Lotus Professional® brand have a controlled dispensing function; meaning just one sheet of paper is issued at a time, reducing paper consumption by up to 40%* and preventing unnecessary waste. This function can also help facilities managers maintain a cleaner washroom, as the limited dispensing means less waste ends up on the floor. Facilities mangers across all sectors can simultaneously look after the environment save money and leave a lasting impression on end-users, including those attracted during the Olympics.
The sleek and elegant design of the SmartOne® dispenser is an added benefit for facilities managers wanting to ensure a high caliber of washroom style and a smooth image throughout the 2012 Olympic Games and beyond.
Going for Gold
The right products and a pro-active approach will enable businesses to capitalise on the opportunities to come, not only in London but across the UK as training camps and travelling tourists make their way across country, while sports such as sailing, rowing and road-cycling will also take place country-wide. This is an opportunity for UK commerce to demonstrate the most outstanding service and efficiency, as competition is going to be at an all time high, in and outside of the Olympic Stadium.
For more information about Lotus Professional® products please call 0114 2856665, or visit www.lotusprofessional.co.uk
3 http://www.breakingtravelnews.com/tags/tag/london+2012+olympics/P24/
5 http://blog.etundra.com/restaurant-management-and-operations/dirty-restaurant-restrooms/
* Statistics from internal research conducted in European countries on 7,729 users. Standard Lotus Professional® Maxi Jumbo against SmartOne® Mini Double. Reduction accounted in square metre used.
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