Managing Operations in Select Service Partner Ltd UK

This study discusses the management of operations in Select Service Partner Ltd UK, a London based multinational company that provides food products at railway stations and airports. It analyzes the operational activities, including products and services, production process, key performance objectives, and supply chain network. The study also highlights the core challenges faced by the operations function, such as plastic waste management and growing health consciousness among consumers.

Running head: MANAGING OPERATIONS
Managing Operations
[Select Service Partner Ltd UK]
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1MANAGING OPERATIONS
Executive summary
The food industry is growing in popularity with passing days. For a larger part in the past
decades, the fast food industry has remained sellable. However, the trend is now changing
drastically and moving towards organic foods. It is due to the increasing awareness of consumers
on the types of food that they consume. Today, they have an ample number of resources where
they could know about the adverse effect of having unhealthy foods. This study is also aimed at
discussing a similar topic by describing the business practices of Select Service Partner Ltd. The
study has found a minimal intervention of SSP in the making of foods, which are served to
customers at railway stations and airports. SSP has a large portfolio of small and major brands
who serve customers foods. The study identifies this being one of the reasons why SSP has
limited control of the quality of production. To overcome core challenges of operations this
study recommends various solutions to SSP. One of the recommendations is to apply the lean
production system to reduce the ample number of wastes like inappropriate waste disposal.

2MANAGING OPERATIONS
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Part 1:...............................................................................................................................................3
An overview of the operational activities:...................................................................................3
a) Discussing the products and services..................................................................................3
b) The production process.......................................................................................................4
c) The key performance objectives of operations....................................................................4
d) A brief overview of the supply chain network....................................................................5
Part 2:...............................................................................................................................................7
An explanation of how all the operations function......................................................................7
Part 3:...............................................................................................................................................9
A summary of the core challenges that the operations function faces........................................9
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
References......................................................................................................................................14

3MANAGING OPERATIONS
Introduction
Running an operation successfully by attaining sustained growth does require the
business to take care of various related elements of managing operations. In this context, a
business needs to control the various types of operations like supply chain operations, sales and
marketing, human resource management, IT and so forth. This study also discusses the
management of operations in the context of Select Service Partner Ltd UK. SSP is a London
based multinational company that has its operations in many global countries. The company
operates brands such as Retail and Catering. SSP also provides outsourced catering services on
board in various trains (Foodtravelexperts.com 2019). All this information just suggests that SSP
is a food service provider that serves a variety of foods to customers in varieties of ways. The
main purpose of this study is to analyse how all operations are managed in SSP. The findings of
the analysis will suggest whether there is a need to give a few operations improvement related
recommendations to the company.
Part 1:
An overview of the operational activities:
a) Discussing the products and services
SSP mainly provides food products at various platforms such as in the form of a large
portfolio of small brands operating at railway stations and airports. SSP reached beyond just
strategic alliances and started providing outsourced onboard services in trains
(Foodtravelexperts.com 2019).

4MANAGING OPERATIONS
The customer base is constantly growing for the company. The growth is good from the
monetary aspect of the business; however, not so in terms of its environmental performance. SSP
needs to become more responsible socially to attain sustained growth (Saeidi et al. 2015).
b) The production process
SSP does not directly prepare foods rather its strategic partners do for the company.
These strategic partners include but not limited to like Caffe Ritazza, Burger King, Starbucks,
Walter and so forth. SSP call upon quality chefs and opinion leaders from across the globe to
participate in an internationally held annual program. SSP together these people discuss ideas to
identify the best of these ideas and to transform these into practice to modify the foods offered to
customers (Foodtravelexperts.com 2019).
c) The key performance objectives of operations
As many other businesses have, SSP also has key performance objectives of operations.
These are as mentioned below:
Quality:
Select Service Partner Ltd. as evidenced in its various activities is constantly working
towards improving its service line. The company bears excellence in Marketing Intelligence.
Speed:
Select Service Partner Ltd. looks like have awareness on a fact that without maintaining
speed in food delivery they will not be able to give their customer a reason to buy. Hence, there
was a need for a robust and responsive supply chain. Noting on the fact, SSP did joint venturing
with Burger King, Millies Cookies, Walter and Starbucks. With the likes of Starbucks and

5MANAGING OPERATIONS
Burger King, SSP is constantly developing a network of efficient suppliers to offer their
customers food when they require it and reduce unnecessary waste (Foodtravelexperts.com
2019).
Dependability:
SSP is offering various types of foods to travelers in the railway stations and in airports.
The company has a huge portfolio of many small and few majorly reputed brands. Majorly
reputed brands like Starbucks provide dependable service; however, this is not exactly the case
with small brands. Even the supply chain network of major companies is expected to face
barriers in the form of overproduction, ineffective transport process, trade tariffs and long
waiting time (Gouda and Saranga 2018). Hence, travelers will get food most of the time;
however, they might sometimes have to pay more than they currently do.
Flexibility:
SSP wants to become very flexible with market demand. This is evidenced in the fact that
they even provide outsourced services in trains. This means they are listening to the global
travelers and providing them food in a way customers prefer mostly to get it (Johnsen, Howard
and Miemczyk 2018).
Cost:
SSP is intended to keep the pricing of the food in a competitive range. Understandably,
pricing is a little higher from the outside of railway stations and airports as because food outlets
have to pay taxes and rentals for the place they have acquired to set up the shop (Johnsen,
Howard and Miemczyk 2018).

6MANAGING OPERATIONS
d) A brief overview of the supply chain network
A brief discussion of the supply chain network of SSP will be done from Porter's Value
Chain Model (Horng, Chang and Chen 2016). Hence;
Support Activities:
Firm Infrastructure: SSP has everything like management, finance, IT, legal and so
forth to take care of various business matters. They have skilled and innovative managers who do
not just identify potential strategic partners but also know how to work with them. Some of the
biggest names that SSP works with include Starbucks, Burger King, Millies Cookies and so
forth.
Human Resource Management: With over 37 thousand employees, SSP is making
everything count (Foodtravelexperts.com 2019). SSP knows well how to keep its employees
motivated. Employees are given incentives and other generous benefits. The company follows an
organisation model to help its employees develop skills, which are required while dealing with
customers, suppliers and employees.
Technology Development: The technological developments have helped SSP in
developing competitive skills in employees. The use of tools such as the internet has helped SSP
identify and accessed to various resources to further its training excellence. SSP is in public
discussion through Twitter and all. In this SSP enhances its complaint handling capability.
Procurement: The responsible people from SSP walk down to retailers across the globe.
This is how they add new retailers in their portfolio of brands. Moreover, they call upon the
world’s most popular chefs in an internationally held annual program. The feedback from these
chefs is implemented to add more variety in foods.

7MANAGING OPERATIONS
Primary Activities:
Inbound Logistics: SSP in source a variety of ideas on foods from quality chefs and
companies from across the globe. Moreover, SSP attracts both majorly popular and small brands
to increase its presence globally.
Operations: It has its presence in more than 33 countries in the form of licensed stores as
approved by the company. In over 125 airports and 270 railway stations, SSP is serving travelers
with quality foods (Foodtravelexperts.com 2019).
Outbound Logistics: Products are sold from SSP’s licensed stores. It has some of the
biggest businesses such as Starbucks and Burger King in their brand portfolio
(Foodtravelexperts.com 2019).
Marketing and Sales: SSP does not invest a large sum in aggressive marketing. Rather,
it does invest to improve the level of customer service. Customer service is the biggest way of
promotion for them.
Service: SSP aims to build customer loyalty through a high level of customer service.
This is evidenced in the fact that SSP is in strategic partnership with Starbucks.
Part 2:
An explanation of how all the operations functions
This section describes the various operational activities as performed or managed
in SSP. This includes but not limited to discussing the products and services, and its related
strategy, the production process and so forth.

8MANAGING OPERATIONS
With the help of relevant systems in place, SSP is growing in its understanding of what
travelers expect from small food outlets at the railway stations and the airports. The efficiency to
identify the customer needs can be traced in SSP's strategic alliances with local food service
retailers. In short, it can be said that SSP offers a variety of foods to travelers in railway stations
and in airports with the help of its strategic partners and by providing outsourced services. The
sustenance could be challenged from a list of environmental issues the business is responsible
for. These are leftover food, water waste and so forth (Ravindran and Jaiswal 2016).
SSP does understand a fact the depending entirely on these retail brands will not produce
productive results for the company in the long-term. This is the fact, which perhaps encouraged
them to look for innovation in food types. As a result, SSP identified innovative ways of offering
a variety of foods to travelers in railway stations and in airports. Global chefs are welcomed to
know about the food types, which will offer a fresh feeling to customers. The intent behind this
program is to identify the types of foods that are not yet delivered by SSP; however, can
potentially influence the business. Moreover, SSP seems to have believed in collaborating with
businesses, which have the expertise knowledge of their respective industry
(Foodtravelexperts.com 2019). This has benefitted SSP in terms of offering a variety of quality
foods to travelers in the railway stations and in the airports. Supplier relationship management
should be essentially managed to practice a prolonged indeed a sustained business relationship
with the likes of Starbucks and so more to come in the future (Teller et al. 2016).
Quality management at the organisational level helps them understand the changing
market demand and the customers’ perception of the brand. Further, with the help of ideas
generated from social activities, and with the help of strategic business partners, they are able to
meet the changing demands. Quality does not just mean offering excellent quality foods to

9MANAGING OPERATIONS
customers but also protecting foods from hazardous substances. Some of the popular names that
SSP collaborated with includes but not limited to like Burger King, Millies Cookies and
Starbucks. Notably, Burger King has expertise in preparing quality pizzas and many other snacks
items (Hasan, Chowdhury and Mitra 2017). Starbucks, on the other hand, delivers quality coffee
of various types. However, the use of management tools or tactics such as Kaizen, TQM
framework, just-in-time production and so forth could be highly beneficial for the continuous
improvement of the operational processes (Nallusamy 2016).
SSP knows how to reach their customers in an effective manner and how to promote
innovation in foods. Their marketing activities are not just limited to promotion but also to
engage with customers. They engage with their customers through CRM programs, mobile Apps
and social media channels (Nyadzayo and Khajehzadeh 2016).
Part 3:
A summary of the core challenges that the operations function faces
SSP faces various core challenges such as mentioned below that could potentially affect
its business in the future:
The Plastic Ban:
With the growing business, the environmental challenges of the business are also
growing for SSP. Increasing consumption of food and improper disposal of plastic are emerging
as the major challenge for the company. Hence, products labeled as eco-friendly will be getting
higher preferences from consumers. The change will influence the product labeling and

10MANAGING OPERATIONS
manufacturing process at SSP (Ravindran and Jaiswal 2016). Waste management is another
biggest concern for SSP. It generates a huge amount of waste right from sourcing the materials to
preparing foods and distributing them to the consumers. Hence, for sustained growth, it is
recommended to SSP that it keep a few things in place like promoting eco-friendly
manufacturing practices, implementing recycling techniques, facilitating waste management
programs and so forth. Moreover, the use of lean production could be helpful as it helps to
eliminate a variety of wastes from manufacturing. Lean can help in controlling the
overproduction, reducing the waiting time, shortening the transportation process, controlling the
inventory and so forth (Nicholas 2018).
The Growing Health Consciousness in Food Lovers:
The increasing cases of food-related disorders have compelled consumers to bring about
huge changes in their diet selection and lifestyle. They are increasingly becoming more health
conscious. The demand for the products with no healthy label attached to it is expected to reduce.
The needs to eliminate artificial constituents from foods will continue rising. Hence, the leaders
and the management personnel at SSP will be assessed for their initiatives to eliminate unhealthy
contents from the food. Moreover, leaders will be assessed for their actions towards healthy
foods (Ueasangkomsate and Santiteerakul 2016). There is a drastic reduction in demand for
processed food. On the other hand, the demand for organic food is continuously rising. It is
recommended that SSP must make significant changes to the list of foods offered to customers.
Packaged foods should be clearly showing the healthy contents of it. Moreover, the list of food
items should also include healthy and natural organic foods.
Product Traceability:

11MANAGING OPERATIONS
Product traceability is one of the major challenges for record management as well as for
generating revenue. Consumers now are taking an increasing interest in looking for what goes
into their food. This has boosted the needs for “Ingredient Labeling” making it a major part of
the packaging process. With reducing the trust of consumers in food supply chains, their
awareness is growing pertaining to glitches in the food supply chains. The awareness is
constantly growing since the last decade. It has led to a growing trend for the end-to-end
traceability. The significance of maintaining the records of even the precise data is growing. SSP
is, therefore, recommended to deploy advanced technology such as the Internet of Things (IoT),
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Blockchain for conducting tasks like weight measurement,
supply chain analysis, temperature monitoring, etc. (Walker 2017). With a few management
tools and frameworks, SSP can improve its understanding of consumer demands. TQM
framework can help in implementing continuous improvement over the radical. In addition, Just-
in-Time can increase efficiency with respect to a timely delivery while reducing unnecessary
work pressure from the employees (Lai and Cheng 2016).
The Regulatory Landscape:
Organisations such as the Food Standards Agency (FSA) imposing regulatory guidelines
on food companies diligently enforce norms related to regulating the food labels, the launch of
healthy products, maintaining a clean and hygienic environment and so forth (Lane et al. 2019).
However, very few food companies to adhere to these norms strictly. It is due to such negligence
they are making adverse situations to emerge. Some of these adverse consequences are
inappropriate waste disposal, low quality food, surplus production, documentation, etc. (Awusi
and Kyei 2017). Therefore, it is recommended that SSP should bring about the utmost accuracy
and precision in their entire business operations. This should look evident right from the

12MANAGING OPERATIONS
manufacturing to the distribution process. Due to the fact that SSP does not own but run their
licensed stores, they need a robust business model to govern and monitor effective guidelines of
regulatory adherence.
Inventory Management:
It is notable that food inventory is highly susceptible to foodborne pathogens if it is not
stored in a hygienic condition. Such practices can affect brand reputation. Hence, the managers
and leaders will be tested for their initiatives towards creating hygienic storage system (Attia and
Salama 2018). It is recommended to SSP that it should use appropriate technology and software
to control the hygienic status of the food. Enhanced inventory management software can improve
SSP’s expertise in canning goods, food processing and the packaging of products. Moreover, a
cloud-based system can further its expertise in identifying an integrated digital solution for
keeping the foods safe (Attia and Salama 2018).
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be said that Select Service Partner Ltd. offers a variety of foods to
travelers and people visiting railway stations and airports with the help of strategic business
partners. These business partners comprise of both majorly reputed as well as small brands. To
name a few the list of its business partners includes Starbucks and Burger King. Due to its
existence across the globe and following a decentralised business model SSP is explored to
vulnerabilities like inappropriate waste disposal, overproduction, slow transportation process and
so forth. SSP with the help of quality chefs from around the globe is able to innovate with

13MANAGING OPERATIONS
choices of foods. However, it needs to use innovative ideas in addressing a few core challenges
such as those addressed in this study.

14MANAGING OPERATIONS
References
Attia, A. and Salama, I., 2018. Knowledge management capability and supply chain management
practices in the Saudi food industry. Business Process Management Journal, 24(2), pp.459-477.
Awusi, E. and Kyei, S., 2017. Environmental effects and waste management practices of
materials for local food packaging in the Birim Central Municipal, Ghana. Journal of
Environment and Waste Management, 4(3), pp.244-252.
Foodtravelexperts.com 2019. Home Page - SSP Group plc. [online] SSP Group plc. Available at:
https://www.foodtravelexperts.com/international/ [Accessed 9 Jul. 2019].
Gouda, S.K. and Saranga, H., 2018. Sustainable supply chains for supply chain sustainability:
impact of sustainability efforts on supply chain risk. International Journal of Production
Research, 56(17), pp.5820-5835.
Hasan, R., Chowdhury, D. and Mitra, J., 2017. Impact of Innovative, Productive and Ethical
Entrepreneurship in the Food Industry of Developing Economy: A Comparative Literature
Review. In International Conference on Economic Sciences and Business Administration (Vol.
4, No. 1, pp. 190-197). Spiru Haret University.
Horng, S.C., Chang, A.H. and Chen, K.Y., 2016. The business model and value chain of cultural
and creative industry. In Thriving in a new world economy (pp. 198-203). Springer, Cham.
Johnsen, T.E., Howard, M. and Miemczyk, J., 2018. Purchasing and supply chain management:
A sustainability perspective. Routledge.
Lai, K.H. and Cheng, T.E., 2016. Just-in-time logistics. Routledge.

15MANAGING OPERATIONS
Lane, D., Husemann, E., Holland, D. and Khaled, A., 2019. Understanding foodborne
transmission mechanisms for Norovirus: A study for the UK's Food Standards
Agency. European Journal of Operational Research, 275(2), pp.721-736.
Nallusamy, S., 2016. A proposed model for sustaining quality assurance using TQM practices in
small and medium scale industries. In International Journal of Engineering Research in
Africa (Vol. 22, pp. 184-190). Trans Tech Publications.
Nicholas, J., 2018. Lean production for competitive advantage: a comprehensive guide to lean
methodologies and management practices. Productivity Press.
Nyadzayo, M.W. and Khajehzadeh, S., 2016. The antecedents of customer loyalty: A moderated
mediation model of customer relationship management quality and brand image. Journal of
Retailing and Consumer Services, 30, pp.262-270.
Ravindran, R. and Jaiswal, A.K., 2016. A comprehensive review on pre-treatment strategy for
lignocellulosic food industry waste: challenges and opportunities. Bioresource technology, 199,
pp.92-102.
Ravindran, R. and Jaiswal, A.K., 2016. A comprehensive review on pre-treatment strategy for
lignocellulosic food industry waste: challenges and opportunities. Bioresource technology, 199,
pp.92-102.
Saeidi, S.P., Sofian, S., Saeidi, P., Saeidi, S.P. and Saaeidi, S.A., 2015. How does corporate
social responsibility contribute to firm financial performance? The mediating role of competitive
advantage, reputation, and customer satisfaction. Journal of business research, 68(2), pp.341-
350.

16MANAGING OPERATIONS
Teller, C., Kotzab, H., Grant, D.B. and Holweg, C., 2016. The importance of key supplier
relationship management in supply chains. International Journal of Retail & Distribution
Management, 44(2), pp.109-123.
Ueasangkomsate, P. and Santiteerakul, S., 2016. A study of consumers’ attitudes and intention to
buy organic foods for sustainability. Procedia Environmental Sciences, 34, pp.423-430.
Walker, G.S., 2017. Food authentication and traceability: An Asian and Australian
perspective. Food control, 72, pp.168-172.