PGL

“The flexibility of the new VMC system has allowed us to make a huge step change in the way we provide food to our colleagues.”

Marc Lowther, Transformation Project Manager, PGL

A Bespoke approach to multi-site colleague catering

PGL is the UK’s leading outdoor education provider specialising in activity holidays, school trips and summer camps. With 15 locations across the UK and a combination of colleagues living on and off site, plus contractors and visitors all utilising the catering service, they needed a payment solution that worked across all sites and supported all requirements.

The Challenge

PGL needed a system that did more than just take payments and run reports, they wanted to create an innovative new food scheme that was flexible and fair for all colleagues. Their key objectives were to simplify the buying process, offer more choice in how and when to buy food, and make the catering operation more sustainable and commercially viable.

The VMC Solution

It was clear from the early stages of the project that a multilayered software solution was required. The VMC Engineering team worked closely with the team at PGL to create a bespoke payment system based on VMC Flex.

For colleagues, a customised mobile app was designed making it easier to choose meal packages, manage pre-orders and payments, and keep track of their balance anytime from their phone. Special functionality was also added to the system to fully automate the purchasing of subscriptions, saving on admin time and increasing take-up.

For the PGL management team, detailed insight on orders, transactions, meal packages and different colleague groups is now captured with each tap at the payment terminals, logging all colleague activity as it happens and presenting the data in a bespoke reporting format.

With full visibility of what colleagues are buying and when, they have been able to reduce food waste and the associated labour costs and improve their purchasing and stock management processes.

Solution Overview

Unique multi-layered EPOS solution
Bespoke payment software designed by VMC
Integration with existing access control system
60 terminals installed across 15 park locations
3-month rollout window

Client Feedback

“The system has performedexceptionally well, and it has been great working with VMC. Whatever challenges we have brought to the team, they have delivered!”