According to the 2021 Global State of Hospitality Industry Report conducted by Lightspeed, half of restaurant operators are planning to deploy automation technology to fill labor gaps in the next two to three years. The survey of over 2,000 restaurant owners, operators, managers, and guests across North America and Europe the report also found that 90% of those surveyed believe technology adoption has been critical for survival throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and nearly half of full-service operators and more than one-third of quick-service operators believe innovative technology is the key for their businesses for the future. In the last two years, the rise in the adoption of delivery platforms has been a lifesaver for many in the industry as they have navigated the intricacies of making money with these partners, but also the nuances of menu engineering, packaging that optimizes the quality of the product for the end-user, and an opportunity to get much-needed replacement revenue, upsell, and grow average check size. "In what we now know as the post-COVID world, this new way of doing business and technology is here to stay. There are multiple automation opportunities available for operators today." McDonald's is one organization exploring the boundaries – from automated drive-through order taking, the use of in-store self-order kiosks, using robots for delivery, to automating the portion of fries served with your Big Mac™ sandwich. Undoubtedly, each of these innovations creates efficiencies that positively impact the bottom line for this QSR giant. San Francisco-based investor and entrepreneur, Alex Vardakotas, who is the founder & CEO of Creator has developed a fully automated BurgerBot wherein only five minutes through the use of 350 sensors and five computers, your burger is ready to eat. Another recent innovation revolutionizing the pizza industry is from xRobotics with their xPizzaOne is a safe, reliable, and affordable pizza-making robot that fits in any kitchen. Another robotic pizza maker is Picnic’s Automated Pizza Assembly System that can make up to three hundred twelve-inch pizzas in one hour. What about ordering your morning cup of joe from a robotic Barista? CafeX is just one example of this technology, and there are six more to read about in Nanalyze’s article, 7 Robot Baristas That Will Make You Coffee from 2019. Japanese investment giant-backed innovator, SoftBank Robotics is actively exploring and investing in the possibilities of how the sector automates to not only solve existing labor challenges but also make a for a better experience. From their four-foot robot Pepper, which is optimized for engaging with people through conversation and a touch screen and is capable of recognizing faces and basic human emotions, to their autonomous self-driving floor cleaner, Whiz. Each step forward in these types of automation allows for workers to focus on higher-value tasks. Whatever the futuristic extent of the technology, now more than ever technology must be easily consumable, accessible, and drive convenience for a better consumer experience. One such example is BlueRunner Solutions is a comprehensive app-based tool that helps consumers have a better experience and engage with the physical environment – think in terms of how a student might engage with their campus and all the available amenities, or how a new employee navigates their place of work or visiting their new office. It is imperative to make it seamless for these consumers to gain access to a building, book space for a meeting, find their way around campus, or see what is available to eat in the campus cafe that day. Multi-purpose apps, now than ever before, are much more powerful than the ubiquitous single-purpose apps of the past. BlueRunner acts as an enabler and connection to the physical environment and includes a wallet to make payments. BlueRunner is not just for the direct consumer either. For example, the BlueRunner platform offers parents the ability to browse menus and purchase meal plans for their kids as well as look at classes and events that are going on at the school. Employees can pre-book meeting rooms or classes and order catering for that meeting. The Loyalty & Rewards section of the app allows customers to utilize a cloud-based, convenient, contactless payment choice that incorporates loyalty rewards and e-gift cards. Previously, automation was a perceived threat to minimum wage workers of the world in the hospitality industry. Now, with employers reporting up to 25% disparities in finding hourly workers, automation is becoming an essential solution to fill the gap of labor shortages. 4xi Innovation Partner, MyFieldAudits is another groundbreaking, single-source App that provides greater visibility into dispersed operations, performance, and metrics. Completely customizable for your operations, the MyFieldAudits platform allows helps you see like never before, and all from your pocket smartphone. Technologies like MyFieldAudits and BlueRunner are filling the gap to ensure that the consumer experience is seamless, embracing, efficient, and above all convenient and easy to use. What are you doing to leverage technology to address the challenges faced today? Come and talk to 4xi and how our carefully curated Explorers Innovation Partners can help fill the void, or if you are seeking a specific solution, use our InnovationScout© service to find the answer. You can check out our Innovation Partners at: www.4xiconsulting.com and our Explorers Innovation Directory. 4xi: Inspiring the future, together. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side creating an impact in the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure. We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy, whether client, employee or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success. We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators: Strategic Advisory Amenities, Design & Operations Customer Experience (CX) Training & Development Strategic Partnership & Growth Innovation Solutions & Support Our Strength is in the Power of Our Collective. 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

What is the value of a Global Operating Model to support your Amenities? As global organizations review their services and try to create consistency across their portfolio, many struggle with how to do this effectively and ask what are we trying to accomplish and what is the benefit? Others seem overwhelmed with the task and rely too heavily on local operators and managers. "You do need to incorporate the local nuances of in-country cultures, expectations, and local legislation; however, building a company that has consistency in approach and non-negotiable standards will go a long way in building a brand and organizational culture." Your Amenity Strategy should be inclusive of all the touchpoints that enhance the workplace and guest experience. This runs the gamut from Reception, coupled with Security, to Dining and Conferencing outlets, to Wellness and Mindfulness Centers, and more. The key is to create a consolidated approach, have buy-in at all levels, and execute with consistency that builds on the brand. Whether you are a company that is trying to create a seamless experience, or a management company fulfilling the services, the same principles and approach apply. What are the benefits of getting this right for the employees? Understanding how applying a common set of principles, scaling them, and then executing them on a global, regional, and local level is key. You want to provide amenities that support productivity, collaboration, and engagement while attracting and retaining the best talent. "The “Haves” and the “Have Nots” has long been an issue, accentuated by the global pandemic." What about your clients and visitors? Having a streamlined and controlled experience, end-to-end will help establish and build your brand. This experience comes alive in the people and place of business. Having the structure and well-thought-out approach from the entrance to exit is extremely important. "The variations in country and culture can be achieved by slightly modifying the Standard Operating Procedures, but a warm and easy welcome and attention to detail in every aspect goes a long way in any country." How do you execute successfully? How do you accomplish this over time and with a planned investment strategy? Start with the low-hanging fruit…the low cost, high impact changes that everyone notices. Training is key as you can’t just change the space, you need to operate with consistency. It starts with understanding the current services, where they operate, and how they operate. What is the desired outcome and what are the roadblocks? Building a compelling and coordinated approach to creating, budgeting, delivering, and training your global amenities. This includes consideration of design, technology, standards, and training. Barbara Boden is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 4xi Consulting. 4xi has broad experience in solving the global amenities challenge, from large financial institutions, in manufacturing, and in the technology sectors, worldwide. CONTACT 4xi TODAY to learn more about how we can be of assistance to you and your organization. 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

This edition of 4xi Industry Insights goes through the differences between Insourcing and Outsourcing, the Pros and Cons, and the opportunity for organizations to make an informed decision on which is the best route for you and for your business. INTRODUCTION Each organization is unique and has its different needs. Every business has a set of core competencies and focus and a series of support services it requires to operate. The dilemma becomes when considering which to manage yourself versus hiring external partners, and expertise. It’s hard to imagine a university outsourcing its curriculum, a hospital outsourcing its surgery, or a car manufacturer outsourcing its vehicle production. But think about those organizations, like Nike, Apple, and Google, who all outsource what for many might be considered as core, retaining only the critical business elements in-house. But then in the world of support services, its difficult to comprehend how such activities as facilities services, food service, conference center management, fitness, even childcare, and employee transportation can be considered as anything but a distraction to the core focus of many businesses – and that is why there is a high level of outsourcing in these areas – but is that right for everyone? DEFINING INSOURCING VS. OUTSOURCING These are the methods of dispersing work among different departments internally or with different companies externally. Insourcing is typically done solely from the organization's own operational infrastructure, while Outsourcing leverages external expertise and infrastructure to perform a specific task or tasks. One leans on external expertise, the other on internal resources. "There is a reason why many organizations decide to outsource and mainly around the question of risk and reward. What are the risks associated with Insourcing, and what is the upside?" Opportunity considerations For some organizations, insourcing is an important source of cultural pride. No matter what department of the organization, employees all belong to the same organization, they get the same name on their paycheck, retirement benefits, opportunities for career progression. The organization is one and fully aligned. Outsourcing may be seen as hiving off profitable dollars to external organizations, increasing the risk of breaches in confidentiality, conflicts of interest, or just simply being separate organizations, a fundamental misalignment. "Many of these perceptions are unfounded and should not get in the way of your decision." Professional outsourcing partners From all-encompassing, multi-service integrators to individual service specialists, the choice for outsourcing is wide and varied. These organizations have the necessary expertise and experience to deliver in their chosen fields of specialism. "Outsourced service providers exist for a reason, but the selection of the right provider, the right relationship based on trust, and the parameters of how you engage are the critical elements for success." STICK TO THE KNITTING: WHAT IS CORE, AND WHAT IS NOT? The biggest dilemma for organizations is understanding what is core business and not, what is a focus or distraction, what to Outsource versus Insource. Now that is the question! What is your core business? This may seem a fundamental question but an important point of departure to understand. What are the essential elements of your organization that are required to run, grow, develop and thrive for the long term? Create a matrix and list all those activities that are essential today, those that are important, and those that are necessities. Somewhere between essential and necessary, you will find the road signs for your path to Insourcing vs. Outsourcing. What are the risks and opportunities? Alongside your matrix, highlight all those functions that are high risk to the business performance, low risk, and leave those that are neither blank. This will add a further layer to your analysis of those things that you probably shouldn’t outsource versus those that you could. Do you have the infrastructure and expertise? Then for each of the services mark which you have the internal infrastructure or expertise to manage directly, and those that you don’t. Use the 4xi 5-Light Assessment & Risk traffic lights to help you. Understanding the risk and opportunity is fundamental to your outsourcing decision. SO, WHAT ARE THE PROS, AND THE CONS? It’s a big decision, right? There are lots of Pros and Cons but what does that mean for me and my business, and how do I assess which is the right path? Hopefully, this will give you some clues for your journey and decision map. OUTSOURCING PROS(+) - Allows focus on core business and avoid distractions - Access to a larger talent pool - Reduce direct headcount and direct labor costs - Transfer of operational, financial, and sometimes reputational risk - Hire specific discipline experts to fill experience gaps - Contractor focus on profitability more likely in control - Access to innovation and subject matter experts CONS(-) - Feeling of lack of ownership and control - Perception of losing ownership and control - Potential misalignment between cultures - Risk of confidentiality breaches - Partner drive for profits can lead to shortfalls in service - Poorly aligned operating agreement can lead to mutual frustration - Once you outsource is often difficult to reverse ROAD SIGNS A carefully drafted Partnership Charter and a mutually vested approach to success can ensure the best outcomes for all parties. What is the expectation (from both parties), identify the measures of success (not just KPI’s by Value Performance Indicators), identify the partnership vested leaders, the rules of engagement, the cadence of communication, and governance. INSOURCING PROS(+) - Allows you to stay in complete control of all your business activities - Flexibility and nimbleness to do what you want when you want - Possible integration with other departments - Ability to leverage resources such as HR, IT, Marketing & Finance - Sense of pride, one company, one team, one culture, together - Deeper connections and trust between leadership and imperatives - Attracting and retaining top talent is difficult and time-consuming CONS(-) - Empire building over time can lead to overspend - Lack of focus can lead to operational and financial inefficiencies - Insourced teams can have a lack of career progression - Potential isolation from the latest trends and opportunities - Support departments can relegate priorities to core business ROAD SIGNS When considering Insourcing, or already Insourced, regular benchmark exercises to understand market factors, trends, and commercial considerations will ensure that you have a regular sense check and validation of your position. THE OWNERSHIP OR TRANSFER OF RISK IS A BIG THING "Whether financial, operational or in some cases reputational risk (or opportunity), it may come down to this analysis that will help you get to your conclusion." What is the difference in cost? The cost differential between Insourcing and Outsourcing is ultimately the total cost to the business but that is often a cloudy calculation. On the face of it, Outsourcing presents a better cost assessment with isolated costs detailed within your contractual agreement with your partner, however, this often doesn’t include the internal partnership management resources that in almost all cases is needed. Then, in the Insourced option, it's equally cloudy. How do you capture the real costs of the internal resources dedicated to supporting the operations? According to the Houston Chronicle, the ultimate cost differences (when the historic cost is fully identified) can be significant and estimated to be a 15-20% saving when appointing outsourced providers versus self-operated services. "Probably the most important considerations are, do you have the internal expertise to successfully deliver the services, in line with expectations, and on budget?" 7 STEPS TO SUCCESS If you are considering your options from either side of the fence, to get a clearer picture, think about the following 7 Steps to Success: 1. Complete the Risk/Opportunity Matrix 2. Identify the cultural and human impact of change 3. The financial impact of change 4. Test the market for innovation and cost 5. Analyze total cost, quality, and impact 6. Either improve existing or Outsource 7. Revisit at least every 3 years FORTUNE FAVORS THE WELL-INFORMED To Insource or Outsource for many is a big decision with lots of complexity. Don’t be alone, there are others who have been on the same journey, and we’re happy to help. Food for thought Whether you currently operate the services in question, or you contract out, a well-informed point of view is always the best point of view. There will be scaremongers along the way, whichever side of the fence you are on, but ultimately, you need to do what’s best for your organization. There are many well-appointed, professional outsourcing organizations in the market from complete Integrated Facilities Management, to food, conference centers, fitness, mailroom services, to transportation, and childcare. There are also organizations that provide full back-of-house and support services and coaching designed to support Insourced operations and mitigate the risks. 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions would be happy to engage with you and take you through this assessment of opportunity and risk, market match you with appropriately qualified outsourcing companies and support self-operated operations too. DOWNLOAD OUR WHITE PAPER HERE 4xi: Inspiring the future, together. An article by Simon Elliot, Managing Partner and Co-founder of 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions. Simon has spent his career in the food and facilities management sector across six continents in Business & Industry, Education, Healthcare, Government, and Remote Site services. Today, 4xi helps and supports organizations seeking to advance their businesses, gain efficiency and improvement through technology and solutions. 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

I wonder if you can name the top 10 highest grossing films of all time? I couldn't until I Googled it! With Avatar in number one place, a list of memorable films follow including: Avengers, Titanic, Star Wars, Jurassic World, Furious 7, and Frozen II, with Lion King, one of my favorites, at number 7. But what makes for a blockbuster movie nowadays? As a father, and as I would claim, a fully grown, stable adult, watching films with my daughter through the years, I realized that there is as much a science as art in the production of the modern film. "How else could you explain why films about a racing snail, a rat turned chef, Dusty the Crop Hopper, or a karaoke competition in an imaginary world filled full of animals could make a grown man cry?" And, as I looked around the movie theaters through the guise of darkness and my snivelly Kleenex I realized that I wasn't the only one! It was from these experiences that I realized there were comparisons to be made with the function of business to business growth. Here are my meanderings on the topic: "How often have you heard the saying, 'he (or she) could sell ice to Eskimos, they were so good at sales'?" I have always had a fundamental issue with this statement as not only is the premise so outdated, that even when perhaps it wasn't (if ever), it suggests that selling is some sort of grift as opposed to a science designed to solve client challenges and build long term, mutually valued and sustained business relationships. The reason why these blockbusters are so successful is that they have applied a science to the artform and created a certain framework that optimizes the odds of success: It's a Team Sport There's a reason why at the end of the movie the credits are so long - it takes a village to make a successful film. The storytelling, the audience appeal, setting the stage, the musical composition, the marketing, the execution, and delivery. Just a few of literally hundreds of elements that make a successful blockbuster film. One Actor doesn't make a Film Films that rely on one actor often disappoint the box office. The cast and balance of characters are equally if not more important. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts, a favorite saying, or Strength in the power of the collective, another - the same applies in business. Listen, Learn, and Understand your Audience In the world of business growth - who is your target audience? Where are they? In what sectors? What are their philosophies? Do you align? Through careful Client Profiling, then you can narrow down your audience and optimize your chances of success. Make Emotional Connections Beyond the product or thing that you are selling, through listening, learning, and understanding, how can you make meaningful connections that matter to your audience the most? Consumers and customers who believe that you understand them are more likely to buy and remain with you for the long term - this is why we watch films multiple times, cant wait for the sequel or the next in the series - through emotional connections we build loyalty. And, make sure the product is good (or better still, GREAT) It might sound obvious, but whatever business you're in, your product needs to not only do what it says on the tin, but also surprise and delight and exceed consumer expectations. Look at some of the most successful organizations in the world, they're built on great products and great customer experiences at the core. Take a good look in the mirror The difference between a good actor and a great actor is that they have the ability to deeply self-reflect. In fact, the very best actors are often their own biggest critics. Take a step back and scrutinize what you do, how you do it, what your audience really think is crucially important - often difficult and sometimes painful, but absolutely essential to success. Keep the Extraordinary, discard the ordinary Every movie has a graveyard of shots, film, and scenes that end up on the cutting room floor. It's fine to discard the ordinary to keep and optimize the extraordinary. Constantly review your performance, keep the great bits and disregard the not so great. Again, this may be painful, it may need you to step back, but its also essential. So, whatever your story, script, your film, make sure that you follow suit with the movie world and include all the key ingredients to turn it into a blockbuster. 4xi: Inspiring the future, together. Simon Elliot is Managing Partner and Co-founder of 4xi Global Consulting & Solutions, is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD), Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM), and a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (IoD). He is also passionate about the world of work experience and is Chair of the WORKTECH Academy for North America. In tackling the many complexities of winning better, retaining better business, 4xi's TRUE NORTH© is a platform for Charting a Journey to Strategic Partnership. After many years of working with overly complicated (and expensive) methodologies, rather than practical applications to improve business, they just gathered dust in sales leaders draws. We wanted to create something that was practical, realistic, and that would act as a daily framework to improve retention and growth. TRUE NORTH© tackles the basics from the Foundations of Partnership, Performance vs. Trust, the Partnership Lifecycle, and maps out the journey to success. It addresses the fundamentals of Portfolio Management, of Data, Information, and Insights. Takes you through a series of self-refection exercises, and Account Management plans, and profiling Ideal Client Targets. TRUE NORTH© employs the 5-Light Risk and Situational Assessment throughout as a means to measure performance and comparison to help you focus on the things that matter, identify risk, and opportunity. In the final chapter, Onward, TRUE NORTH© goes through the process of creating Partnership Plans and the ultimate strategic target of creating a Partnership Charter with your key clients, designed to literally get you on the same page. Interested to learn more about 4xi, and TRUE NORTH©, then contact us today to see how we can help you today to retain better, win better business for tomorrow. Email us: hello@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 | Tokyo

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