Good purchasing procedures at Hotel Riverton
We meet Svante Forslund, Restaurant Manager at Hotel Riverton, on Nores Day 2018 in Lillestrøm. He is an experienced Restaurant Manager, and according to him they save both time and money using Millum Procurement at the hotel.
I’m absolutely convinced that we save time and money on the agreement with Nores and Millum Procurement. Restaurant ManagerSvante Forslund
Quick and simple
Svante knows very well how much effort he and his colleagues need to put in before each restaurant guest can be served their meal. Svante has long experience in the industry, and knows the importance of planning and goods ordering. He says that there is much to gain by using an efficient procurement system.
We make around 80 per cent of our purchases via Buy at Nores. It’s by far the quickest, simplest way for us as we have repeat orders almost daily. The best thing about having our own procurement portal is that you can always find all your suppliers in one and the same place. This makes our hectic working day easier, and means we can work quickly and efficiently.
Management must show the way
The whole organisation at Hotel Riverton is characterised by commitment to efficient routines. It was the management that gave Svante and his co-workers the opportunity to properly learn how the Millum procurement portal works. The staff were also able to take the time necessary to fine-tune the system to their needs.
Systematising procurement requires a lot of preparation. It takes time to set up good shopping lists and routines. It’s absolutely crucial that the management shows the way and encourages people to use the system. It’s also important that everybody in the organisation takes responsibility for the solution and makes sure it gets used.
However, this does not happen by itself, but requires constant monitoring and communication.
Perhaps the most important thing for Nores to succeed in its efforts is to ensure that the management, or the person ultimately responsible in each member company, to understand Nores as an organisation. The procurement procedures should be designed to work in the long term. When new recruits join the company, a lot of the training should focus on the fact that we use Buy at Nores to do our purchasing. A lot of companies in the restaurant sector build up their own supplier contacts over the years, which is why it’s important that the management is clear on this from day one.
Understanding procurement agreements
Another key area is understanding how Nores thinks in its contract negotiations. A lot of the products that are purchased, for instance, are for a wide public. It’s also important that Nores communicates this to all its members effectively, so that every unit understands how they can save money.
Allocating responsibility
A procurement system can streamline processes and simplify day-to-day work. But it doesn’t happen automatically.
It’s not enough to simply press a button. In the beginning it may feel easier to simply pick up the phone instead, but you soon realise that’s not the case. Setting aside time for training is a smart investment that will make everyone’s working day easier.
If he is away from work, there are several others who can assume responsibility for ordering goods.
It’s good if as many people as possible can use the system. That way all the responsibility doesn’t lie with one person.
Svante recommends using fixed shopping lists as far as possible. Having said that, there is of course quite a difference between purchasing for the kitchen (food) and purchasing for the restaurant (beverages). Purchasing beverages is relatively constant, and is very easy once the lists have been drawn up. Ordering for the kitchen is more challenging, since the goods can vary in quality and menus change.
Nores + Millum = true
As a member of Nores, Svante and his co-workers can benefit from the collaboration with Millum. Svante, who has 15 years’ experience with Hotel Riverton, believes that the procurement portal should also be the first choice for other Nores members. He stresses how quick and simple it now is to use the portal since the design and functionality were upgraded in autumn 2017.
The only thing missing is an update of the inventory function, but I’ve heard that’s on its way. Other than that using the portal is simple and intuitive, which is crucial to ensure it doesn’t become a stress factor in the working day.
Nores advisor
To make sure you don’t fall behind in using Buy at Nores, I would recommend contacting the Nores advisor for tips and assistance. Here at Hotel Riverton we have at least two meetings a year attended by everyone involved in purchasing in some way. We review our purchases and see how we’re performing. There’s always the time and opportunity to reflect, which may reveal changes you want to make to improve your work routine. Work on Nores should be an ongoing process.
He would, however, like to have access to more information about the individual products.
It’s occasionally hard to find the product you’re looking for, especially when it comes to cooking ingredients. I would encourage suppliers to raise the quality of their product catalogues. The more information and the more pictures they provide, the easier it is for purchasers to find the products they’re looking for.
