There's plenty of research that tells us one of the most common client criticisms today is the perceived lack of proactive innovation, but how do service providers address this effectively and stand out from the crowd? In the world of technology, clearly, innovation is at the forefront, and although different sectors and organizations differ in the levels of acceptable risk, there is a common thread - they all want to know what innovations exist that can improve their business (and your) performance. In Silicon Valley, "fail fast" is a common phrase which tells of the culture and recognition that to truly push the boundaries of innovation, then failure is okay but make sure failure is fast, and move on. In other sectors like Higher Education (experimenters), in Healthcare (explorers), in Financial Services (cautionaries), Manufacturing (traditionalists), they all want to know about innovation but their level of acceptable risk is different. Then, come to the pervasive corporate structure in traditional businesses. Leadership, senior managers, employees careers, salaries, and bonuses are not structured in a way to encourage risk taking on innovation, in fact, quite the opposite. "These employment fundamentals are designed to reward steady, and predictable performance, and results. They are not typically designed to reward and encourage the types of risk takers you need to truly drive impactful and disruptive innovation." That's why we created the 4xi Explorers Innovation Directory. The 4xi Explorers Innovation Directory de-risks innovation for the individuals within your business, yet provides your organization with insights into what proven innovations are out there to drive your businesses innovation pipeline. Our carefully curated list of innovators includes products, services, technologies, and things, all with one common criteria - that they can drive significant impact and business improvement. From artificial intelligence, robotics, computer vision, or platforms that increase visibility. From employee health data that drives work experience design, big data and data analytics, to employee experience apps and food waste solutions. The Explorers Innovation Directory has a growing stable of innovations that will help you steer your business into the future. All our Innovation Partners are selected for their proven ability to provide business impact, here are some of those delivered through the Explorers Innovation Directory Partners today: Predictive clean air monitoring, providing confidence and safety. Customer Experience: driving a culture of success and growth. Point of sale that accelerates consumer transactions by 4X. Pipeline tools to gain greater visibility and increase sales effectiveness. Vacuuming robotics that remove dust particles by up to to 8X. Maintenance as a Service (MaaS): reducing work orders and cost by up to 37%. Employee Experience: better places to work, employee attraction and retention. Food waste solutions that can reduce waste by 10%+. Insights: a deeper understand of what employees really think, and feel. Reduce food related purchasing costs by between 3% and 9%+. TRUE NORTH: Win better, retain better business. As go forward on our journey, we will continue our curation of Innovation Partners bringing tangible business benefit to our clients and partners. Check out this video that features just three of our Innovation Partners: If you would like access to a regular flow of a carefully curated Innovation Pipeline to impact your business, or if you are searching for a specific innovation to solve a specific dilemma, then the team at 4xi are here to help. Stand out from the crowd and be recognized at the leading edge of innovation. Whether you are a corporation seeking better effectiveness from your partners, a service provider seeking to accelerate your innovation pipeline, or a portfolio investor looking to drive efficiency, to learn more, reach out to us at: hello@4xiconsulting.com 4xi: Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Tokyo

Tony Johnson interviews 4xi's Global Remote Sites Consultant, Peter Roles on the often extreme challenges of operating sites in some of the most remote and dangerous environments on the planet. In this episode, Tony and Peter talk about the challenges of employee engagement and delivering quality in these remote locations. Fascinating insights into what really matters: Employees in remote locations value the things that we often take for granted - good food, comfortable accommodation, even connectivity with family back home. Home from home, continuous improvement, constant innovation, including 'eatertainment' is a critical way of motivating and engaging consumers - the smallest things can make a big difference. Leveraging technology to drive efficiency, connectivity, and experiences is key. Supply chain is critical to delivering services within the remote site environment. Getting engaged with local people and communities is essential to long term integration, and success - sustained investment in the community. Listen to the podcast HERE 4xi Senior Consultant, Peter Roles has an impressive resume in the field of global remote site services, equaled by few in the business. Prior to joining 4xi he was lead of a flagship project at HKIA base, Kabul in Afghanistan working with NATO and running an 8,000-person camp. With stints across Africa, Australasia, and the Middle East, Peter has led operations in Australia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Mali, Kuwait, Haiti, Germany, Angola, Congo, Somalia, Zambia, and Sierra Leone. He was also the Honorary Consul for Australia for while in Angola! Tony Johnson has a stunning background in hospitality and retail management – leading large and diverse teams to grow sales and delight customers over the past 2 decades. He served as Customer Experience Officer for 4 years with Aramark Corporation, leading their global CX strategy and deployment for their food and facilities businesses. Tony is now the owner of Ignite Your Service Training and Strategy, where he is proud to partner with 4xi Global Consulting as CXO and CX strategist. The power of the 4xi collective allows Tony’s customer centric approach to seamlessly integrate and complement the host of other experts available to help your business thrive and inspire the future of work, together. Drop us an email at hello@4xiconsulting.com to explore how 4xi can help you to elevate your business to the next level. For more information on 4xi including our Global Remote Site solutions visit: www.4xiconsulting.com Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Sharing the latest episode of On-Verve's podcast hosted by Bianca Angelico, founder and Managing Director of exciting new guest services provider, On Verve. Bianca is also the co-chair and co-founder of Emerging Workplace Leaders and a leading light in the world of facilities management. Have your customer service levels been impacted due to your business growing? If the answer is yes, or if you are you are looking at creating a WOW experience for your clients, then listen to this podcast episode with Tony Johnson, CCXP LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE ON SPOTIFY: ‎Scaling your customer experience as your business grows with Tony Johnson (spotify.com) Welcome back to On Verve: Modern Approach to Customer Experience podcast. Today's episode we went international as our guest this week is based in Florida. Tony Johnson is an award-winning customer experience speaker, trainer, and consultant who helps organizations grow through cx strategy, leadership development, and employee engagement. Tony was previously the Customer Experience Officer for Aramark and now he is the founder of Ignite your service training and consulting. He also serves as 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions Customer Experience Officer in Residence. Topics in this episode: Key ingredients needed when creating an incredible customer experience programme. As your business grows, how do you ensure your customer experience is consistent and creating wow moments for your guests, clients, and employees. Tips on creating your own customer experience training & defining success. Future of customer service. Make sure to follow On Verve on social to get the latest updates and subscribe to our podcast - On Verve: Modern Approach to Customer Experience. #BringTheEnergy #ServiceWithEnthusiasm #CustomerExperience #FacMan #GuestServices #Workplace #FrontOfHouse #CustomerService #Scalingyourbusiness #disney #employeeengagement #strategy Inspiring the future, together. On Verve is set to bring energy and enthusiasm to workplaces with our core ethos of being 'the makers of someone's day. Our fresh approach to guest and employee services will re-establish workplaces as a destination that enriches the employee experience and creates the right atmosphere for your guests. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Tony Johnson, Customer Experience Strategist, and Chief Experience Officer in Residence at 4xi Global Consulting interviews Customer Success Lead, Bennett Bennett at 4xi Innovation Partner, Mashgin. In this episode, Tony and Bennett discuss technology, deployment, and customer self-service, including: Educating customers is key to removing the mystery from technology and empowering users. Infrastructure must be a consideration of any organizational improvements, including technology. Self-service is about providing options to ensure that customers have a path that makes sense for them. Enabling self-service frees up employees for higher-value tasks, such as guest engagement and stocking shelves. It's time for the great service comeback! Listen to the full podcast HERE 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Tony Johnson, Chief Experience Officer in Residence at 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions. During the pandemic we all flexed. We all did what we had to do to keep our companies solvent and our missions intact. We all made tough decisions to reduce workforce, offerings, and footprint. We closed offices and sold off inventory. We did it knowing that we would come out on the other side and that our customers needed us to be there for them, now more than ever. No industry was hit as hard as the contract food service industry. Think about it, within a few weeks the colleges, stadiums, businesses, and resorts they served were shut down completely. Of course, the amazing healthcare space remained open, but the food service offerings were pared back to accommodate the urgent nature of the pandemic. "I grew up in foodservice – it's a fundamental part of my leadership journey. I learned to take care of people in this space and have worked in almost every sector – although much of my early years were spent in Higher Education and Sports & Entertainment." Foodservice, focused on those dining away from home while working, playing, learning, or recuperating – is an important, but underappreciated market. And one coming back from a true gut punch. It has been a rough road to get back to something more familiar, but as fall approaches many of the markets that depend on contract food service are coming back in strength. The following points are useful even if you don’t have a contractor in the mix. You may be a hospital or university who self operates food service and wants to ensure the best hospitality and efficiency. It’s time for your comeback. It’s time to think about what’s next. The one thing that you can always count on is that customers, guests, consumers, employees, patients, fans, and students will continue to evolve in their expectations. Compounding this notion of a people-first approach is the changing needs of not just your external customers but your own teams - recruitment, retention and in the current climate just attracting them back to the physical workplace. Regardless of the customer group, here are some of my musings of what's important as we think about our customer experience and how we flex, design, and deliver to create the right conditions to get the best out of your customer experience proposition: CUSTOMERS WANT TO FEEL VALUED This is nothing new, but it has been dialed up to 10+ during and as we evolve through the pandemic. This is reinforcing the need for teams to lead with empathy, understanding, and vision. Customers want to know that brands are deserving of their loyalty by getting to know them and making their experiences easy and safe. Customers still want you to solve their problems, but they also want to be sure that your values align with theirs. THE JOURNEY MATTERS Your customers and employees take a journey within your company every day. Understanding their needs, wants, and emotions from their point of view will allow you to eliminate friction, frustration, and thus reduce churn. This requires the ability to look into your organization from the vantage point of your guests and what they are trying to accomplish – and then to take action on what you discover. THE WORKPLACE IS CHANGED FOREVER You may be shrinking your real estate footprint or staying lean with your headcount – either way it changes the way you approach your amenities on property. What will the future of your dining, front desk, security, and facilities programs look like? To find success, you must remain agile to the changing demands for offerings and design. TO CONTRACT OR NOT TO CONTRACT This is the classic question. Is your space one with enough room for a contractor and do you want to cede responsibility for your employee and guest satisfaction to a company on your behalf. The argument revolves around core competency and will running auxiliary services and amenities take focus from your fundamental mission. Making this decision to keep or install a contractor (or take the journey to self-operation) is a personal one – and the stakes are incredibly high to get this right. TRAINING YOUR TEAM CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE Many organizations parted ways with their training and development teams during the pandemic and now, as teams are coming back to work, there is a need to motivate, inspire, and train them to succeed in this new chapter. Organizations may struggle in this area, as standing up a training organization takes intentionality and organizational alignment to be successful. The problem many are experiencing now is around finding the right talent and translating evolving customer demands into brand execution. While many are embracing a return to something more normal, the marketplace is changed forever. Now more than ever the need to understand customers, engage employees, and deliver innovative solutions will determine success or failure as the economy continues to reopen. Much as rental car agencies sold off their fleet and are now struggling to replenish inventory, many businesses are finding that the people they released during the pandemic are harder than anticipated to replace. In many cases the value-added teams in customer experience, training, design, development, and strategy were the first to be furloughed and now those channels are the most needed to fuel success and growth. "The one thing that many businesses are finding impactful is a fractional approach to leadership and innovation. Have you considered a consultative approach to roles such as your Customer Experience Officer (CXO), training and development, or amenities services design?" This process allows you to bring in amazing talent at a fraction of the cost – and to mix and match solutions in new and creative ways to grow your business. At 4xi we have created a team that is agile enough to move quickly but talented enough to drive results. We have a background both on the client side and the operations side to bring a unique perspective into the world of work, employee engagement, and strategic planning. We are pleased to offer the following support to your business: Amenity Design & Programming Executive Coaching & Client Development Strategic Planning & Partnerships Customer Experience Strategy Training & Development Deployment Transition To a Self-Operated Model We also bring a wealth of technology and innovation partners to complement our unique offerings. We believe that the best solutions take a holistic approach to success and create a seamless integration of services - at 4xi we have built a carefully curated Explorers Innovation Directory of Innovation Partners with either a product, service, innovation, or technology that really helps you drive impact to your business. Here are just some examples: BlueRunner Solutions provides a cohesive, end-to-end employee experience for food and beverage, order pick up, wayfinding, building access, and rewards + loyalty. This will quickly become your app for everything. MyFieldAudits brings you the peace of mind when you can’t touch your four walls. Scale personalized checklist and validation solutions across your organization with the visibility you need to drive consistent quality. Mashgin allows your customers to self-check in the most hassle free and accurate way possible. This goes beyond labor optimization – it is about higher value tasks for employees and more accurate order completion for customers. Winnow uses a blend of A.I. and an intuitive user interface to help you measure food waste and cut your operating costs. Food is too valuable to waste and too precious a commodity to take for granted. Take a look at our introductory video and our approach to curating the best in-class innovations for your business. "The strength of our collective relationships brings a wealth of talent, resources, and options to your organization." We look forward to sharing our curated partnerships with you as together we chart a course forward in this ever-evolving marketplace. For more information on 4xi visit www.4xiconsulting.com Inspiring the future, together. Tony Johnson, Founder of Ignite Your Service Training and 4xi Customer Experience Officer in Residence, lives in Central Florida, the hospitality capital of North America. He can help your organization create customer experience strategies and training with a future looking mindset. Tony has a background in hospitality and retail management – leading large and diverse teams to grow sales and delight customers over 2 decades. He served as Customer Experience Officer for 4 years with Aramark Corporation, leading their global CX strategy and deployment for their food and facilities businesses. Tony is now the owner of Ignite Your Service Training and Strategy, where he is proud to partner with 4xi Global Consulting as CXO and CX strategist. The power of the 4xi's collective allows Tony’s customer centric approach to seamlessly integrate and complement the host of other expertise available to help your business thrive and inspire the future of work, together. For information on our Partnership Success program or Customer Experience strategies and solutions, contact Tony at: TonyJohnson@4xiConsulting.com 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is delighted to announce that we've just gone multi-lingual on our website thanks to translation App, Weglot. With offices in San Francisco and New York, and our network of consultants based in North Carolina, Florida, Colorado, and in London, Porto, Tokyo, Santiago, and Silicon Valley we provide our services world wide - 4xi: reshaping the future of work and customer experience. Visit our website to learn more. Inspiring the future together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions freut sich bekannt zu geben, dass wir dank der Übersetzungs-App Weglot mehrsprachig auf unserer Website gegangen sind. Mit Büros in San Francisco und New York und unserem Beraternetzwerk mit Sitz in North Carolina, Florida, Colorado und in London, Porto, Tokio, Santiago und Silicon Valley bieten wir unsere Dienstleistungen weltweit an - 4xi: die Zukunft der Arbeit und des Kundenerlebnisses neu gestalten. Besuchen Sie unsere Website, um mehr zu erfahren. Gemeinsam die Zukunft inspirieren. 4xi 全球咨询和解决方案很高兴地宣布，由于翻译应用程序 Weglot，我们刚刚在我们的网站上进行了多语种。我们在旧金山和纽约设有办事处，我们的顾问网络设在北卡罗来纳州、佛罗里达州、科罗拉多州以及伦敦、波尔图、东京、圣地亚哥和硅谷，我们在世界各地提供服务 - 4xi：重塑工作和客户体验的未来。访问我们的网站了解更多信息。 一起激励未来。 4xi Global Consulting &Solutions se complace en anunciar que acabamos de pasar a ser multilingües en nuestro sitio web gracias a la aplicación de traducción, Weglot. Con oficinas en San Francisco y Nueva York, y nuestra red de consultores con sede en Carolina del Norte, Florida, Colorado, y en Londres, Oporto, Tokio, Santiago y Silicon Valley, brindamos nuestros servicios en todo el mundo - 4xi: remodelando el futuro del trabajo y la experiencia del cliente. Visite nuestro sitio web para obtener más información. Inspirando el futuro juntos. 4xi Global Consulting &Solutions est ravi d’annoncer que nous venons de passer à la multilingue sur notre site Web grâce à l’application de traduction Weglot. Avec des bureaux à San Francisco et à New York, et notre réseau de consultants basés en Caroline du Nord, en Floride, au Colorado et à Londres, Porto, Tokyo, Santiago et silicon valley, nous fournissons nos services dans le monde entier - 4xi: remodeler l’avenir du travail et de l’expérience client. Visitez notre site Web pour en savoir plus. Inspirer l’avenir ensemble. A 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions tem o prazer de anunciar que acabamos de ser multilingues no nosso site graças à App de tradução, Weglot. Com escritórios em São Francisco e Nova Iorque, e a nossa rede de consultores sediada na Carolina do Norte, Florida, Colorado, e em Londres, Porto, Tóquio, Santiago e Silicon Valley, fornecemos os nossos serviços em todo o mundo - 4xi: remodelar o futuro do trabalho e da experiência do cliente. Visite o nosso site para saber mais. Inspirando o futuro juntos. For more information on 4xi visit www.4xiconsulting.com Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Peter Roles, Senior Consultant, 4xi Global Remote Site Consulting I remember when working in the UK, many years ago, and absolutely dreaded the day that the auditor arrived with their checklist and clipboard. They would come to check the accuracy of the inventory or count the petty cash - in both cases a £10 shortfall in either was considered a 'breach of the regulations' but paled into insignificance for the multi-million £ operation and thousands of daily customers I was overseeing. The auditors were normally accountants looking for problems or non-compliance so they could report it back to the boss more to justify their existence than actually improve the businesses. "In the bigger scheme of things this meant nothing at all!! They never looked at the standards of operations, service standards, food quality, or customer satisfaction - these non-material issues became more important than what really mattered for the long term success of the business." I wanted to refine auditing to operational matters. I spent 5 years visiting sites around the world for an international company and we dropped the word 'auditor' from our title and renamed ourselves Operational Advisors. We were focused on standards through the lens of the customer first and foremost and the company in second - this was a refreshing approach that was less about compliance with sometimes unnecessary rules but focusing on the things that really mattered. We spent most of our time talking to clients and customers about the quality of the services and how we could improve our offering and experience. Of course, compliance with the fundamentals around financials, governance, health and safety remained extremely important but through the lens of materiality our focus was on where we could make the biggest and most important impact. Rather than applying a 'Gothca' approach of catching the operations teams out for not complying with some irrelevant rule, we worked with them on practical ways of how to improve - once they saw us with them shoulder to shoulder, vested together to improve their businesses, rather than dread, they welcomed us with open arms as trusted advisors and solving challenges together. Having spent the last 30 years working in remote site services around the world this experience has taught me that 'auditing' and the way that word is interpreted, is no different now as it was when I started in the hospitality industry. Compliance is of course important, but unless material it is not the be all and end all of the business - in fact often diverted operators into administrators rather than business leaders and entrepreneurs focused on the customer experience. "We've all witnessed operations managers being bogged down in the office with piles of overwhelming paperwork. What they should be doing is greeting their guests at the front door, welcoming them, connecting with them, understanding how they can make their guest experiences the best it possibly can be." Looking after the interests of the clients and customers is more important because if we can encourage and help to get this right, the financials will fall in place. Remote sites should be a 'home away from home' for all on the site and once that is working properly other aspects of the operation will improve, and in many cases exceed expectations. Our approach to this is simple. Give us the opportunity to advise you so that you can concentrate on your core business, whether it is mining, oil and gas, or any other market sector. 4xi Senior Consultant, Peter Roles has an impressive resume in the field of global remote site services, equaled by few in the business. Prior to joining 4xi he was lead of a flagship project at HKIA base, Kabul in Afghanistan working with NATO and running an 8,000-person camp. With stints across Africa, Australasia, and the Middle East, Peter has led operations in Australia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Mali, Kuwait, Haiti, Germany, Angola, Congo, Somalia, Zambia, and Sierra Leone. He was also the Honorary Consul for Australia for while in Angola! Peter is also joined by Gary Mackay, another global remote site operations expert based in Santiago, Chile. 4xi, headquartered in the US with co-founders Simon Elliot based in San Francisco and Barbara Boden based in New York continues to grow its range of services and expertise, focused on driving value in the world of work. Their global remote site practice focuses on Oil & Gas, onshore and offshore, Mining, Military and Government and Construction projects helping them get a better work experience, drive efficiency and transparency in operations and performance. “We see a lot of opportunity in this field where often the camp management and services are ripe for driving efficiency and improvement, and an industry that will benefit from our global expertise.” Utilizing not just our experience and expertise, and the collective strength of the 4xi network, we will be leveraging our Innovation Partner, MyFieldAudits and with this technology that gives clients 24/7 visibility into operations and tracking key performance indicators in real time. 4xi is approaching the business from the essential building foundations of Health & Safety, and Quality Assurance of the facilities services. But we're really drilling down into the efficiency of each individual service provided – from food to housekeeping to maintenance to transportation, and the personnel employed, supply chain, and the actual quality and cost of the outcomes delivered. “Our 4xi Global Remote Site Consulting offering is designed to really help clients get hold of their camp management services, hold their contractors accountable, and get the very best experience for their people at a fair and reasonable price.” For more information on 4xi visit www.4xiconsulting.com Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Imagine: your consumers, your building occupants having greater confidence than ever before as they re-enter the physical environment. Imagine at every one of your outlets, a QR code that not only tells consumers current levels of air quality but the opportunity to predict future air quality. Imagine being able to log in and check the air quality before you even arrive! This vision is now a reality thanks to 4xi Innovation Partner, Ambisense. This state-of-the-art sensor is completely 'Plug & Play' and costs as little as $2 a day. What's the value of your consumer and occupant confidence? The ambisense clean air monitoring system, AmbiAir has a multitude of applications for all public places including: Micro retail stores Medical Offices Restaurants Bank branches Pharmacies Hotels (bedrooms) Venues Offices and workplaces Public departments (such as DMV, passport office, etc.) The Ambisense, AmbiAir product is also ideal for facilities management companies keen to drive value and opportunity with existing and new clients. To learn more visit our website at www.4xiconsulting.com or contact us at hello@4xiconsulting.com Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Building the right onsite food program and aligning the experience to your organizations culture, and even to some of the firms’ initiatives, can be complex – how do you compare apples, lemons, and oranges? Typical C-Suite level questions include: How will the food program improve my employee’s day? Will it save them time? Is the food safe? What will it cost? How will it benefit the business? Food programs today help save employees time and help firms build an inclusive community driven culture. Employee’s morale improves and they feel appreciated when the company invests in programs that enhance their day. “Figuring out what’s best for your firm is the tricky part. How do you compare the Apples, the Limes, and the Oranges and make sense of it all?” As you commence this journey, it is imperative to define what foodservice means to your organization. Ensuring the executive team is aligned to the programs goal and purpose is critical. Questions to answer and discuss: What are the goals of your foodservice program? Is it a service that is viewed as a normal cost of doing business and will you fund a percentage of the expense, or do you expect the employee to cover some or all the cost? Is it a key feature of your overall value proposition for your employees? Is it central to your strategy of driving employee morale, engagement and building the right community at work? Are you looking to provide a full-service café, a coffee bar with food options, or a self-service pantry? Or a combination of all the options? Understanding these things first will allow you to determine the options that make the most sense for your organization. Then deciding whether to outsource or insource the program is a natural next step. Insourcing vs. Outsourcing Each industry and sector are different and there are different drivers to why an organization would insource versus outsource. In business & industry for example, the level of food service outsourcing is by far the highest at approximately 95%+ of the market, and for the most part, those that do insource are usually very large in nature, and even then, in some cases they still outsource pockets of their food service portfolio or certain parts of the operation like general staffing. "Because foodservice is not a core part of the business, many organizations are hesitant to invest in the labor, infrastructure, and health and safety of their operations." In some markets, high levels of Union involvement can make it more difficult to outsource, but even then, there are management only models where the partner manages the client retained employees. It may also be, like in some other sectors such as Senior Living for example, that there is an affinity and protectionism to long term employees and they prefer to retain direct employment of their teams and hire management companies to manage efficiency. On the flip side it can save a firm cost to outsource as the labor pool may be less experienced and lower in salary. Although you may well have many of the functional support functions required to manage food service like finance, Human Resources, health, and safety, is the in-house breadth of expertise sufficient to cover the nuances of food service effectively? “Then, what other additional expertise would you need to add to your team to address and manage a safe, thriving, and successful foodservice operation?” For most, that is too big of a responsibility and diversification from core business to swallow. So, couldn’t I just get a local restaurant to take it on? The short answer is that yes you could but be aware of the many pitfalls in taking such a decision. Firstly, for the most part, the food service business is a very different model - usually lower consumer pricing, access to a lower number of potential customers than a high street restaurant, with different expectations, price points, cost sensitivity, usually absence of alcohol sales (a major source of profit for restaurants), limited operations hours/days, and the list goes on. That said, if your operating environment is a parallel to the restaurant environment then this may be an option but likely preserved to such areas as Leisure, Museums, Stadiums, and Airports for example – high volume, retail priced opportunities with a similar profile to the high street. "All in all, unless you are operating in such a high-volume environment, then the financial construct is very different and a decision to take on a high street restaurant, may be with all the best intentions in the world can often (and in most cases) be doing the restauranteur a disservice in the long run." If you are looking for local food, from local restaurants some of the food companies can utilize a station for this purpose and manage a local restaurant program. In this scenario you have the onsite food team for everything else in the program such as breakfast, other lunch stations or grab and go options, snacks, beverages, pantry services, coffee bars and catering. THE BIG 5 The foodservice industry is a global big multi-billion industry with a handful of large global players, otherwise known as the BIG 5, including (in order of size): For clients who have large, multi-location operations, even internationally, these global giants can not only handle big volume accounts in multiple parts of the world but they also often provide additional service extensions for bundled services including such things as: Refreshment and Office Coffee Services (OCS) Uniforms & Workwear Quality Life Services including Concierge Facilities and Janitorial Services Integrated Facilities Management Conference Centers and other Amenity Services They also operate across multiple sectors including Business & Industry, Higher Education, Education, Healthcare, Leisure, Sports & Stadia, Correctional Facilities, even Oil & Gas, Mining and Remote Sites. in Compass’s case operating in different sectors with different brands such as (B&I below), Morrisons in Healthcare, Unidine in Senior Living, Chartwell's in Education, and many other brands including Eurest. The BIG 5 Specialist Foodservice Brands Before we go on to talk about regional players, it’s important to point out that each of the Big 5 have either created or acquired their own niche brands to cater for the more discerning clients seeking high end food and experiences. Here are some of those boutique brands within a brand: LifeWorks Restaurant Group (Aramark) LifeWorks is an Aramark created boutique restaurant business focused on the business & industry sector with accounts across the US. Originally founded in California, and in Silicon Valley, the brand has grown to many marquee accounts across the nation and prides itself that no two restaurants are ever the same. LifeWorks also has its sister brand based in London. Restaurant Associates (Compass) Acquired by UK headquartered, Compass Group, Restaurant Associates (RA) was borne in the Northeast, US and although primarily in business & industry, they are a powerhouse in the Northeast markets, and in New York City and in financial services, professional services and technology clients. RA also has operations in the UK. Bon Appetit (Compass) Another Compass acquisition, Bon Appetit’s (BA) roots are in Northern California, in San Francisco, and Silicon Valley. BA operate in multiple sectors including primarily business & industry and higher education. To many, they are considered the IBM of the free food world with many of the big free food B&I accounts. Artisan (Sodexo) Artisan is a homegrown brand from Sodexo delivering the best culinary and experiences the French company has to offer. Recent acquisitions and investments from Sodexo have seen a doubling down in their food focus including expanding their commissary kitchen capacity and recent acquisition of Nourish Inc. and The Good Eating Company. Guckenheimer (ISS) Danish firm ISS, acquired culinary focused grandfather of the foodservice industry, founded on the steps of Stanford University at the heart and crucible of Silicon Valley. With business & industry and education, Guckenheimer has spread its wings from its heartlands in Northern California to across the US, and with the now ownership in Denmark, potentially to Europe too. Regional Foodservice Brands Although for some, the large internationals are the right option. For others, to have a niche brand with more local support is also attractive, but for some, the smaller regional players give you a more personalized and tailored level of support but also the opportunity to support local and regional business, and in some cases with the added draw of minority, woman, veteran business ownership (MWVBE). There are many great options out there and depending on what sector you are focused on - some specialize in B&I, education, senior living etc. and some span across multiple sectors. Here are some of the regional players that stand out: Epicurean Group Headquartered in San Francisco and the Bay Area, Epicurean is a minority and woman owned business and remains fiercely independent and retains its commitment to fresh, honest, local food and experiences. About 30% of its business is in B&I, around 50% in Higher Education and the balance in Senior Living and Prep Schools. METZ Culinary Headquartered in Dallas, Pennsylvania, Metz is a regional powerhouse on the East coast, USA. The business has a focus on healthcare and education representing over 85% of its business with the balance being in business & industry and senior living. They also have a growing housekeeping and janitorial services business. American Dining Creations Headquartered in Syracuse, NY, American Food & Vending and its sister, American Dining Creations offer food services in business & industry, universities and colleges, and in K-12 education with operations throughout the Northwest and in Central USA. This is just a small sample of the Top 50 Food Service Management Companies in the US. The full list gets updated every year ranging from the giant multi-billion-dollar enterprises to companies in the sub $20M range. For the full list of the Top 50 Foodservice Management Companies in 2021 visit: Meet the 2021 FM Top 50 contract management companies (food-management.com) So that’s the field of play, what next? So, going back to the very beginning, how does foodservice fit in with your business and contribute to the achievement of your overall objectives? Regardless of whether you decide contracting, self-operating, or hiring a concession partner is right for you, to create sustainable success, then you will need to build sustainable commercial terms for your chosen path. “Ultimately to be successful and satisfy your organizational goals, you need to choose the right partnership path that meets your needs, but also the right commercial framework for your partner to be able to deliver the agreed success factors, measure the success, and for them to make a profit.” This may sound obvious, but it is surprising how often misalignment gets in the way of success. The food business is largely about two things – food and people and when the focus is simply to reduce cost, then the thing that suffers is the quality of the food, service, and the experience. So going back to some questions to ask of yourself, what are you trying to achieve: Your employees to have high rates of engagement, collaboration, satisfaction that in turn aid attraction and retention of the best and brightest talent? Your students to have access to a range of convenient, healthy, and value for money food experiences that satisfies the needs of not just the students but the parents too. Your residents have access to healthy, nutritious food options and experiences that are convenient, customized, and tailored to their absent loved ones needs and creates a highlight to their day in care. If these are the types of qualitative outcomes you are seeking, then its important as you construct your partnership agreements that not only include Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) but Value Performance Indicators (VPI’s) too. Make sure in both that they are driving the behaviors that will give you the outcomes that meet your ultimate needs – both soft and hard. Here are just some examples: But what about the myriad of contract agreements? Choosing the right contractual terms is also critically important, and that they align to what it is you are seeking to achieve from food service, and your business. Here are some examples: Cost Plus: Where your partner passes all actual costs of operation (at cost) on to the client and charges a management fee for the services they provide. The management fee is typically a percentage of costs with a minimum in place or a fixed fee based on contract value. This can be particularly useful in a highly seasonal business for example, or where trading patterns are unknown. This could be an events center, or a conference center. Full Subsidy: Like Cost Plus, however with a budget that predicts volume patterns and therefore annual cost, however, ultimately, the total cost of the service is the liability of the client. This could be a free food or highly subsidized food operation. This could also be a proper subsidy amount for a firm as the sales cover part of the subsidy. Many factors weigh into what impacts subsidy. Population, size of food program, sales volume, selling prices, program goals, number of stations, labor levels, catering sales, and more. Fixed Subsidy: Usually after a period of known trading history, a Cost Plus and/or a Full Subsidy arrangement can be converted to a Fixed Subsidy whereby the partner takes on more of the risk of financial performance. These agreements typically have inflation escalators, and variances from anticipated trading patterns to revisit the fixed subsidy. In this scenario there is normally a guaranteed population and guaranteed catering sales volume. Capped Subsidy: These types of arrangements usually occur in a more static environment where populations for example are more stable, and where revenue is less reliant on consumer patterns. For example, where there is a boarding school, or a residential senior living campus, then this Capped Subsidy acts like a “not to exceed” clause that gives clients the certainty not to exceed fixed annual budgets. Profit & Loss: This is where your partner lives solely from the revenue that it collects directly from the consumer. The client often has no financial commitment or liability to the performance of the service or the operator. This arrangement usually requires large, expected volumes of consumers, and revenue. The danger exists in poorly put together or negotiated agreements that quality of service and experience can suffer as a result. Concession: Where your operating partner sees sufficient volume and revenue that they can afford to pay a lease, rent, and even utilities. To be successful, this arrangement needs retail pricing, and high foot traffic to succeed. It’s also a question of materiality too Finally, and highly recommended is to work out your own return on investment opportunity for your business. What does foodservice really mean to you? How can it contribute, impact business betterment, maybe even bottom-line improvement to your business? Consider the following: Employee Turnover Taking the example of a 1,000-employee business, at an average of $100K salary, and according to the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) the cost of turnover is 33% of annual salary, then each 1% reduction in employee turnover is worth $330K. So, can foodservice help to reduce that attrition rate, at 5% and just 50 employees, that’s a $1M+ business benefit each year. Time savings According to the Society of Hospitality and Foodservice Management (SHRM), where attractive food service options are not available within a 5 minute food commute, then an organization will lose on average 20 minutes per day per employee productivity. In the 1,000 employees, earning $100K, then that’s a whopping $4M! “Beyond just food and just labor, the foodservice market has many complexities, and with the right approach you can build a program that is not only a nice to have but one that drives business betterment too.” We know how it’s like comparing Apples, to Limes, to Oranges but let us help you make sense of it all and navigate the best outcome for your organization. Inspiring the future, together. Simon Elliot is Managing Partner of 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions and has spent his career in the food and facilities management industry from his origins in the UK, across Northern Europe, Australasia, Asia, North and South America. 4xi offers strategic advisory services and solutions to organizations who are seeking to advance their people first approach through the lens of hospitality and transforming the consumer experience. Simon is Chair of WORKTECH Academy North America, a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (London), and a member of both the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), and the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD). 4xi is made up of a unique mix of client-side senior leadership of global amenities from the likes of JP Morgan Chase & Co, Bristol Myers Squibb, Morgan Stanley, and GSK, and service provide operations and growth leadership from the likes of Aramark, Sodexo, and Compass. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Sharing the latest episode of On-Verve's podcast hosted by Bianca Angelico, founder and Managing Director of exciting new guest services provider, On Verve. Bianca is also the co-chair and co-founder of Emerging Workplace Leaders and a leading light in the world of facilities management. This episode is with 4xi's very own Managing Partner and co-founder, Barbara Boden having spent her entire career driving the best possible customer experiences. Indeed, fundamental to 4xi's people-first approach and how through a hospitality lens, 4xi is helping organizations across all sectors and industries to attain ever-greater heights of CX. LISTEN TO THE PODCAST HERE: ‎On Verve: Modern Approach to Customer Experience: Employee's are expecting change - time to listen and give choices w/ Barbara Boden on Apple Podcasts Welcome back to On Verve: Modern Approach to Customer Experience podcast. Today's episode we went international as our guest this week is based in New York. Barbara Boden is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at 4xi Global Consulting and was previously the Managing Director of Amenity Services at JP Morgan Chase & Co. Topics we cover; Thoughts on the famous saying ''customer is always right'' Employee's are expecting change - time to listen and give choices Mindfulness in the workplace What has been missing in the workplace in the last 15 months Future of amenities in the workplace (we also talk about the virtual community) Return to the Office in the USA Listen to the fire round - Barbara's favorite quote is powerful Inspiring the future, together. On Verve is set to bring energy and enthusiasm to workplaces with our core ethos of being 'the makers of someone's day. Our fresh approach to guest and employee services will re-establish workplaces as a destination that enriches the employee experience and creates the right atmosphere for your guests. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

An Article by Peter Roles and Gary Mackay, 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions Waiting for a flight at Santiago airport, observing the wave of fellow travelers going about their business to board flights, mostly business travelers these days, as the usual tourist traffic is nonexistent due to the coronavirus pandemic. Those that really get my attention are the mining personnel who for some reason I can’t quite put my finger on, is easy to pick out from amongst their fellow travelers. Having spent many years working on remote site projects in Africa, Russia, and the Middle East, I find myself thinking back to those days and how difficult it is being away from those that are dear to you for sometimes months at a time. Yes, money can be good, but life is hard, I remember the importance of what others would consider basics, and how the little things often meant the most whilst away from home. Across the globe, there are millions of remote site workers rotating in and out of Oil & Gas, Mining, Construction, and Military operations every day. Whatever we use during our daily routine, be it filling our cars with petrol, turning on the tap for a glass of water, or simply using our cellular phones, a remote site worker somewhere has played a part in providing the raw materials to make it happen. In Chile alone, there are more than 220,000 Chileans directly working in the mining industry. Almost all these workers rotate in and out of the country’s multitude of mining camps. Most of these camps are in very remote locations and many are at high altitudes. These are not easy environments to live and work in and for the Chilean mining workers, for any worker for that matter, it’s not easy being separated from family and friends. However, having spent some time on one of Chile’s biggest and most productive copper mines, Escondida, 'the hidden mine', the facilities and focus on employee welfare on these camps is quite impressive - I wish I could say the same of many of the other camps that I have worked on throughout my career. “Although many remote site operators try to maintain good standards of care for their employees, there never seems to be a consistent approach from camp service providers.” So, why are Remote Site Operations different from normal Business and Industry Operations? We all choose our destinies, and as I glance around the airport lounge, I see the familiar, hardened faces of the remote site crew. In their own zones, dealing with their separation of choice in their own way. The single, the newly married, the career remote site worker from cooks, to cleaners, to miners, engineers, and the camp bosses – probably earning at least double that of their counterparts choosing an alternative, probably easier life. The 'regular, work contract usually means getting to see your family at least once in each 24-hour period. Their commute is a different one to these folks who travel long distances to remote places and may not have that luxury for days, weeks, or in some cases months. For them, it's making the best of it, the more tolerable it can be the better, and for those sites that have the best amenities can also become a draw to attract and retain talented people – it's not just the money but the experience too – these people around me have one common need - to have good a clean safe and consistently well-maintained and managed facility to live and work in, and hopefully even some perks along the way. “This has a huge impact on employee morale. This is often a deciding factor whether an employee stays or leaves their employer to look for a job elsewhere.” More than the rest of the work experience elsewhere, remote site workers are seeking basic home comforts that many of us take for granted. Sure, they want to be safe (these are often dangerous places with lots of personal risks), well-compensated, cared for, but they are also seeking specific features of the overall work experience for them to make the sacrifices that they do. Easy flights and transportation to site Seamless arrival and checking in Comfortable and clean accommodation Good quality, wholesome food Internet connectivity to the outside world Streaming (in-room) content Recreational facilities A friendly bar to meet with colleagues Fitness opportunities Social opportunities Opportunities to advance education Comfort service such as laundry There are many other aspects to remote site and camp management services, but the ones mentioned are all emotive for employees working a long way from home. They must be content with the services they are receiving whilst they are on-site, to make for a better experience, to compel them to return. It’s no different to the broader world of work: attracting and retaining the best talent, employee engagement, collaboration, connectivity, and driving the overall employee experience make for better and more productive business all around. The 4xi Global Remote Site Consulting team can help your organization navigate through the complexity and make it easy for clients who want to optimize contractor performance, design statements of work that drive value, look at operational efficiency and make improvements, and ensure that clients are getting the right balance of the value of service and cost. Whether onshore, or offshore, in Oil & Gas, Mining, Construction, or Military contracts, 4xi can help you no matter where you are. Lean on our experience and expertise and let us help you gain better accountability from your service providers and build a better, more cost-efficient set of services for your teams, wherever you may be. Drop us an email at hello@4xiconsulting.com and we can help you to assess your service levels and move them up to the next level. For more information on 4xi and our Global Remote Site solutions visit: www.4xiconsulting.com Peter Roles Consultant, Global Remote Site Consulting Africa, Middle East, Rest of the World e: peteroles@4xiconsulting.com Gary Mackay Consultant, Global Remote Site Consulting Latin America e: garymackay@4xiconsulting.com Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo

Boutique firm, 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions expands its horizons and adds Global Remote Site Consulting to its portfolio of expertise and services. Peter Roles joins 4xi as global lead for remote site consulting and services after 35 years in the business and deployments around the world the firm announced this week. 4xi, headquartered in the US with co-founders Simon Elliot based in San Francisco and Barbara Boden based in New York continues to grow its range of services and expertise, focused on driving value in the world of work. 4xi has already built a stellar team of both client-side and service provider side senior executives with experience such as leading global amenities at JP Morgan Chase & Co, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Morgan Stanley to global IFM operations at GSK and from senior operations and growth roles with the likes of Aramark, Compass, and Sodexo. This latest appointment takes them into a relatively silent industry but hugely important space with lots of opportunity for improvement. Their global remote site practice will focus on Oil & Gas, onshore and offshore, Mining, Military and Government and Construction projects helping them get a better work experience, drive efficiency and transparency in operations and performance. “We see a lot of opportunity in this field where often the camp management and services are ripe for driving efficiency and improvement, and an industry that will benefit from our global expertise.” Peter Roles joins the firm with a very impressive resume, equaled by few in the business. Prior to joining 4xi he was lead of a flagship project at HKIA base, Kabul in Afghanistan working with NATO and running an 8,000-person camp. With stints across Africa, Australasia, and the Middle East, Roles has led operations in Australia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Mali, Kuwait, Haiti, Germany, Angola, Congo, Somalia, Zambia, and Sierra Leone. He was also the Honorary Consul for Australia for while in Angola! Commenting, Barbara Boden, Managing Partner, and co-founder of 4xi said, “We are delighted to welcome Peter to the 4xi team adding an additional element to the services we provide our clients and strengthening our global presence and in-country expertise. 4xi has already built a formidable team with global experience across key service sectors in Business & Industry but also Retail, Healthcare, Education and now if Remote Sites.” The new practice, supported by 4xi Consultant, Gary Mackay, based in Santiago, Chile also with a strong remote site background will be focused on helping clients get better visibility and insights into camp management operations – how they work, how they run, and how they perform. “Utilizing not just our experience and expertise, and the collective strength of the 4xi network, we will be leveraging our Innovation Partner, MyFieldAudits and with this technology that gives clients 24/7 visibility into operations and tracking key performance indicators in real time.” 4xi having already consulted on remote site projects including a group of gold mines in Russia seeking to reinvent their camp management experience, Peter Roles will be approaching the business from the essential building foundations of Health & Safety, and Quality Assurance of the facilities services but really drilling down into the efficiency of each individual service provided – from food to housekeeping to maintenance to transportation, and the personnel employed, supply chain, and the actual quality and cost of the outcomes delivered. “Our 4xi Global Remote Site Consulting offering is designed to really help clients get hold of their camp management services, hold their contractors accountable, and get the very best experience for their people at a fair and reasonable price.” For more information on 4xi visit www.4xiconsulting.com Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Workplace Consulting & Solutions provides a range of services to support Corporations, Service Providers, Innovators, and Accelerators to navigate the world of work. Inspiring the future of work, together. 4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy. San Francisco | New York | Orlando | North Carolina | Santiago | London | Porto | Tokyo