Page 7 - KZN Business Sense - Vol6 No3 - eBook

NAVIGATING NEW FRONTIERS

An open conversation with Merrill King, new normal under lockdown? It has been refreshing to go back
CEO of Capitol Caterers to basics and ask, ‘Why are we in
As an essential service provider,
it was important that we this business, what have we have
ou were appointed CEO done well and what can we do
on 1 March 2020. What maintained a high level of service better?
Yresonates most in your delivery to our clients particularly
in the retirement and healthcare
first 90 days? Our social media campaigns
sectors and assure them that it
The euphoria, scenario mapping was ‘business as usual’. This we have been extremely successful
and approval of annual budgets did. during this period which have not
with projections for a successful only raised our business profile,
year ahead were short lived. The We were conscious daily to but also reached a good sector of
announcement of a rigid Covid-19 protect the employment of our future prospects. This we intend to
Level 5 lockdown commencing staff and their well-being, both build on.
27 March 2020 was a stark reality physically and emotionally.
that business challenges lay ahead Stringent health and safety What of the financial impact on
for the foreseeable future. protocols have always been business operations as a result of
practised in our operations Covid-19?
Leading a team of over 1400 together with the supply of
This question probably keeps
staff members and charting the PPEs, so applying the required 100% of business leaders awake
best way forward was foremost regulations was not new to us. each night as they contemplate At the helm both behind the desk and in the training kitchen.
on my mind. Adrenalin, We conducted extensive Covid-19 solutions to keep their business Pictured left to right: Laura Morton, Linda Boucher, Merrill King,
discipline and knowing the educational training programmes afloat and the livelihood of their Monique Riche and Linda Ntomo
generous and hard-working with all our staff and continue staff intact.
mind set of the Capitol team, to ensure that policies and We are mindful too of the disappearing overnight, market
kept me focussed and undeterred procedures are strictly enforced. We have always had a financial pressures our clients share retention is critical.
as to our strategic direction. transparent relationship with
our staff and so sharing our are experiencing, and we Our focus is to nurture the
The education sector, of which Has Capitol Caterers considered financial concerns was not as travel this road together with relationships we have with our
Capitol Caterers has a large adapting their business model daunting as one would think. sensitivity and empathy. How clients, to continue having those
client base, closed prior to Level as a consequence of the Covid-19 Significant for me personally you treat a client in a time of meaningful conversations and to
5 lockdown. What was the pandemic? was the humanity displayed crisis is how they will remember add value in all that we do. Our
immediate impact on business? Our staff have held some by our head office staff who you in a re-negotiation! clients are the reason why we are
With no end date legislated, thought-provoking strategic willingly accepted a salary What does the future hold for in business and customer care is
stock had to be re-located, workshops to analyse the sacrifice commencing May. Capitol Caterers, post Covid-19? part of our DNA.
premises sanitised and staff implications Covid-19 could have This financial buffer allowed us If there is one thing we can
deployed where we could. on our business. to protect the employment of learn from this all, it is that your As Thomas Monson said, “We
staff based at catering units that can’t direct the wind, but we
Schools, without pupils are Interestingly, the outcomes were no longer operating under sustainability depends on the can adjust the sails”. We choose to
exceedingly quiet, the silence tabled have been nothing lockdown. degree of your client support and be positive going forward. 
of empty hallways and dining but positive. With a sense flexibility.
rooms are a stark reminder of ownership and optimism We also accessed the TERS T: +27( 0)33 394 0310
of our purpose – catering. emanating from the Capitol benefit as a short-term life line, As we await the phasing out of E: admin@capitolcaterers.co.za
Producing meals is our income team, I am confident that juggling its initial administrative each lockdown level, we need to W: www.capitolcaterers.co.za
base and without doing so, the having had time to reflect and challenges whilst constantly exercise patience for the return
financial implications daunting re-visit the fundamentals of our measuring the pulse of our cash of industry’s level of confidence
for any organisation. business model, these proposals flow. Good governance and cost and a revival of the economy.
will contribute significantly containment initiatives will With requests for new business
What were your foremost in developing a competitive contribute significantly to us proposals from industrial
thoughts in navigating this advantage going forward. weathering this storm. catering service providers

COVID-19 HEALTH

AND SAFETY

GETTING BACK TO WORK HR RESPONSIBILITIES

RG has been helping policy dealing specifically with We hope that you will be happy
many companies with COVID-19 and staffing to use our services to address
Dtheir “Getting Back returning to work these important “Getting Back
to Work HR Responsibilities” ■ Drawing up a staff register, to Work” requirements.
and would love to assist with detailing important aspects to
these requirements within your be checked each day Each organisation’s needs will
business. ■ Drawing up a visitor register, differ and will therefore need to
be assessed and quoted on after a
We as employers are responsible detailing important aspects to quick analysis. 
for creating a safe working be check when people enter
environment for our staff. your business premises
■ Providing a weekly risk Please contact Nikita Pillay:
In compliance with the current assessment report nikita@drg.co.za for a further discussion
updated COVID-19 Health ■ Doing an induction with and to engage our services.
and Safety Requirements, these staff, and providing comment
services are valuable and deemed
as compulsory going forward in to questions raised
Providing a wall chart, and if
■
every organisation.
required a thermometer
They include: ■ Speak about UIF TERS claims,
■ Providing a health and safety retrenchments, short time, etc

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