Adams hae award submission 8 final

Adams Catering Equipment & Furniture Hire

Complete catering hire for your event

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

Introduction

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

Over the last 13 years of running Adams Catering Hire I’ve learnt an awful lot. When I took over the business it was relatively small and relied on a few corporate clients. My vision was to build a family company with customer service at its heart and to work with our customers - not for them.

I’m very happy to say that that’s what I’ve achieved.

As soon as I took over I started writing handwritten thank you cards to clients. Other people thought I was mad but I knew that without doing an excellent job and showing how much I appreciated our customers I wouldn’t have a business to run.

It’s rewarding to see that within this time turnover has trebled and the workforce has quadrupled. The team prides itself on getting the job done and making our client’s experience with us as stress free as possible. I hope you agree that our commitment, our approach, our support, our success and our vision make us a deserving winner. The best way to demonstrate these qualities is with real examples of how we solve problems - do take a look at the next couple of pages.

We value every single customer we work with and our job is to solve whatever need or issue they come to us with...

Stef Lowry, Adams Catering Hire

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

This is how we do it ...

Problem: I’m not sure what I

need, I’m having six people for supper in two weeks.

Solution: All of our staff are trained and familiar with our huge range of catering equipment and furniture. When new items are purchased, we make sure everyone knows what it is and what it does. We always want to have the right equipment for our customers.

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

Problem: Have you got the

new bit of kit I saw Delia Smith using the other night?

Solution: We’ll do our best to source it. We keep up-to-date with the catering world but we also recognise that customers are best placed to know what they want and we are happy to purchase equipment that they recommend.

Problem: Thanks for the

Problem: I’ve got the caterers

arriving in 45 minutes, the DJ just got here, the Mother of the Bride’s gone AWOL and I wondered where my delivery’s got to?

Solution: There are tracking devices in all of our vehicles so we can tell the customer exactly where their order is, when to expect it and put their mind at rest.

Problem: I want to feel like I

matter, is Adams all corporate now it’s grown?

Solution: Since taking over the company in 2000, Adams has grown - thanks largely to the way we look after clients - but it is very much a family firm. I work with one of my daughters and we’re all part of the same dedicated team.

memories boss but I’m off to pastures new.

Solution: We’ve minimised staff turnover by investing in our team. We believe that if we commit to our staff, they are more likely to commit to us. Staff are encouraged to do regular training in IT, First Aid and telephone sales to develop their skills and most of them have been with Adams for over 10 years.

Problem: I’ve got 2913 pieces

of crockery, 1 is missing

Solution: We check and double-check that everything has been included so that mistakes are minimised though of course they can still happen. When they do we sort out additional items or replacements as quickly as possible with no fuss.

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

This is how we do it ...

Problem: I spoke to a lovely

lady in the office yesterday but the driver today was rude.

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

Problem: I never speak to the

same person twice.

Customers do with Adams! We assign a dedicated person to each customer so they feel confident that one person is managing their order and event. As clients come back to us time and again, they build relationships with the team, which is great for both sides.

Solution:

All of our staff are trained to offer the highest level of service to everyone at all times. Whether they’re a sales person, the office manager, a driver - even the office mascot, Spud the dog - you won’t find that any of them are ever rude. They will be helpful, knowledgeable, efficient and will do their best to provide clients with exactly what they want.

Solution:

Problem: I’d like to make a

Problem: Help! It’s 4 a.m.,

the conference is tomorrow, the fire alarm went off and everything is drenched.

complaint

We ask customers to give us feedback - good or bad - and on the rare occasion that a client wishes to complain we have a Complaints Procedure to deal professionally and promptly to resolve the issue.

Solution:

Solution: If some sort of incident happens at a venue, the staff have been trained to cope with it quickly and calmly.

A member of staff is available 24/7 through a dedicated mobile number and they’ll always do their best to resolve any situation, night or day.

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

5 Good Reasons Why We Deserve to Win...

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

1. Our Commitment • Adams

is committed to providing the highest level of service to all of our clients whether they are organising a small event or a conference for ‘00s.

• We understand that our clients appreciate good service and know how we differ from some other suppliers. They stay with us because we get the job done.

• Our clients appreciate our positive and cheerful sales staff, helpful delivery drivers and specially designed crates for glassware and plates to ensure items arrive in perfect condition.

• Our customers come back to us time and again and many of our original clients from when we started in 2000 are still with us today.

• We are committed to being as environmentally sustainable as possible and recycle all of our old pieces of equipment.

The thing that sets Adams apart from the other companies is the fantastic staff... I will always recommend Adams to anyone that needs any of their services

Daisy Terry, 86 Food + Events Catering

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

5 Good Reasons Why We Deserve to Win...

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

2. Our approach • We strive to be the best so we offer a huge range of event and catering equipment to hire from our 15,000 square foot warehouse.

• We will happily go out of our way to help customers with last-minute orders or changes and our staff are efficient and responsive at all times.

• All of our staff are trained so that they can advise clients as to what they may need and they have detailed knowledge of all of our equipment so we can provide exactly what a client wants.

• If customers request an item that we don’t stock we will do our best to source it and are happy to purchase items that are recommended by our customers.

• Adams has gained a reputation in the catering hire business for delivering exactly what we say we’re going to: no frills, just plates and quality service.

• We are available 24/7 if anything goes wrong, via email, two out of hours phones and Blackberry Messenger.

Always on time with a great standard of equipment and happy and willing to rectify problems – whoever made the mistake

Daniel Maher, Boulevard Events

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

5 Good Reasons Why We Deserve to Win...

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

3. Our Support • Adams’ staff are supported to ensure that they do the best job they can and the team is encouraged to undertake First Aid, IT, Fire Safety and Customer Services training.

• We have adopted EHA online training to help all our staff learn and keep up-to-date on all safety measures and to help their personal improvement • Adams Catering Hire supports a number of charities. In 2012 we supported Haven House Children’s Hospice by donating £500-worth of our services for their fundraising events. We donated free equipment hire to the NSPCC, sponsored the Wellchilds Awards, have supported the MS Society by taking part in their fundraising events and sponsored a young person through Centrepoint. In 2013 we will support emerging young musicians by becoming a key sponsor of the Saatchi Gallery Education Department’s spring event - ‘Sounds Outstanding’.

• We have close links with our Boroughs, Waltham Forest Women in Business and the North London Chamber of Commerce, and we support local businesses whenever and however we can.

• In 2013 we are going to employ two apprentices, one in the office and one in the warehouse, and help two young people gain employment and valuable work experience.

Your contributions have without a doubt improved the quality of life for the elderly and homeless in our community

Kim Bacchus, Homeless Projects throughout London

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

5 Good Reasons Why We Deserve to Win...

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

4. Our Successes • I n the 13 years that Adams has been operating we have increased our warehouse space tenfold to 15,000 square feet of space.

• Our turnover has trebled and our work force, made up of local people, has quadrupled.

• Stephanie has just received the ‘Wedding Industry Expert – London’ Award, with acknowledgement by her peers • We were thrilled to be the Wedding Industry Experts 2012 Winner.

• Adams was runner-up in the ‘Company of the Year’ category at the HAE EHA Awards in 2011 and 2012.

• In a recent survey, 100% of the customers that responded to the question said they would use us again or recommend us to other people.

• Adams Catering Hire has grown enormously since 2000 yet we are still a friendly family-owned and run business.

• Our staff stay with us for many years which is testament to Adams’ investment in them, many have been at Adams for the last 13 years.

• We are approved suppliers to Searcys, Geronimo Inns and the John Lewis Partnership.

I have used Adams Catering Hire now for over 7 years and have always been very happy with their friendly and professional service

Adrian Collischon, Eden Fine Dining

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

5 Good Reasons Why We Deserve to Win...

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

5. Our Vision • To make Adams the company everyone wants to work for.

• T o give our team the tools to improve their knowledge of the industry within a safe & secure working environment • To give security of employment to all our staff • H aving been in our ‘new’ warehouse for just under 2 years, we are already feeling cramped, the next move and expansion is forecast for 2015 • G row Adams catering Equipment & Furniture Hire – to ‘Infinity & Beyond’

Adams have been absolutely fantastic this past year. Nothing is ever too much and they are always on hand to help with any last minute requests.

Eleanor Clegg, Head of Event Operations

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

WHAT WINNING WOULD MEAN TO US

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

Winning ‘Company of the Year’ would be a great honour and a wonderful reward for the hard work and dedication of the Adams team.

• H aving come so close on two other occasions, we have shown that we are always willing to learn and improve.

• W inning the award would show Adams’ commitment to continue providing great levels of service, and our determination and desire to succeed.

• I t would show what can be achieved through hard work, commitment to excellent service and working with - not for - our customers.

I would like to recommend Adams Catering Hire for their high quality of customer care as each year you prove your efficiency and reliability

Jess, Wellchilds Awards

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000

The Team

Dave Sheperd

Stef Lowry Stef has been working in the events industry since 1986, and took over Adams Catering Hire in January 2000. With her flair for nurturing Clients and meeting their needs, she has gained a reputation for her complete dedication to every event.

Scarlett Lowry Having left Lansdowne College, Bayswater in 2007, Scarlett joined Adams to learn the business. She has performed every job from picking and delivering to now manage the office, so she really understands what our Clients are asking us to do and the logistics behind every job. Her talent lies in top customer service, attention to detail with a friendly yet professional approach.

Rest of the Team

Dave has been with Adams Catering Hire for over 10 years and he is now Warehouse Manager. With experience of warehouse management he maintains the warehouse at Adams Catering Hire with great precision and care with his team, making sure all products ordered by the clients are correct.

Sherrie Waters Sherrie is in charge of Promotions and Advertising at Adams Catering Hire. Her background includes experience in events and hospitality and she maintains one of our most trusted staff.

Spud Lowry

Spud is a unique and special member of the Adams Catering Garry Hire team. He is cross Quaif between a Dachshund and Jack Russell and was Having joined Adams won on a ‘toss of a coin’ from the start, Garry has in 2006. Spud has never really seen the changes missed a days work since. in the Company. He’s Health and safety is a now in control of every priority, so when Spud piece of equipment we is busy working in the Warehouse he wears a own. That includes, maintaining the fleet of hi-vis jacket with his own vehicles to the required name-tag on it. Regulars who visit the Warehouse standard of cleanliness and safety, electrical and love Spud and he can be usually found downstairs gas compliance and, working or having a rest with Dave, keeping the warehouse running at an in his bed by Stef’s desk. extremely high standard.

All the drivers, porters and maintenance staff work hard to make sure Adams Catering Hire get it right First time, every time!

HAE Awards 2013

EHA Company of the Year (single outlet)

www.cateringhire.co.uk T: 0870 300 6000