Case Study

FiServ is a leading multinational financial technology company, offering innovative solutions to a wide range of clients in the financial services industry. Clients include; banks, credit unions, mortgage lenders, insurance providers, leasing and finance corporations, and retailers. The company provides support for clients on both a global and national level, working within over 100 countries.

In the UK, FiServ’s Basildon location provides support to UK and European clientele on a 24/7 basis and consists of expansive office and contact centre space. Around 800 employees are accommodated on-site, and a clean and functional workspace is crucial.

Samsic, partnering with FiServ in February 2020, provides predominantly routine cleaning and landscaping services which also incorporate feminine hygiene waste disposal, window cleaning, and gritting in the event of snow or ice.

The Challenge

Fiserv Basildon is situated in an area with limited public transportation access. As buses and trains do not adequately service the location, commuting via public transit is highly difficult. As a result, all members of the cleaning and facilities management teams must be able to drive to the site. This geographic challenge had been compounded by below-average wages. The cleaning staff were paid the National Minimum Wage, while the Living Wage is standard in nearby areas. These two factors had made recruitment and retention a significant struggle when servicing Fiserv’s Basildon location.  

Prior to Samsic’s involvement, service quality had suffered due to inconsistent shift scheduling and low employee engagement stemming from unsatisfactory compensation levels. Employees were able to work any shift pattern without consistency. This lack of structured scheduling meant certain duties did not receive proper, regular attention. Paired with the challenge of retaining staff due to lower pay compared to their peers, service quality deteriorated.  

Alongside poor quality, issues with cross-contamination were prevalent, showing a lack of up-to-date training and a need to re-establish core training with the operatives. Technology also needed updating on the site, with the previous time and attendance system being insufficient for use, and space for innovations required to create more efficiency and quality in the cleaning operations.   

With transportation hurdles to the remote site and wages below the Living Wage, Samsic faced recruitment and retention difficulties when taking over services. To improve team engagement, retention rates, and quality of service, an overhaul of existing processes and staffing structures was required, alongside a need to engage and support existing and future team members.  

The Solution

Initial measures to improve quality standards included the implementation of ECAT, our powerful quality auditing tool, and the introduction of a mobilisation plan. 

The mobilisation plan is a detailed action plan of how to best improve quality standards on-site, and this is communicated between the contract manager, Samsic management and Fiserv management on a weekly, ongoing basis to monitor and ensure progress. Findings from ECAT allow management to record and quality-check operations, allowing them to access the data on what areas need improvement, where extra attention may be required, and where successes are occurring within operations. 

Training has now become part of the team’s ethos and is an ongoing process on-site, as alongside training for any new technology, Samsic also showcases regular ‘toolbox talks’ within the cleaning team. Toolbox talks are small presentations held regularly to establish the standards required and create an open platform to discuss any issues. One toolbox talk, for example, focussed on good housekeeping, and it is with this regular attention to training and team discussions, that issues such as cross-contamination are now of the past. 

To improve staffing issues and engagement on the site, Samsic worked collaboratively with Fiserv to secure increased wages for all operatives. By increasing pay to the Living Wage rate, the team was now not only being paid to the level of their peers in the local area but felt appreciated and supported by management. By implementing the Living Wage, we are promoting Fiserv as a competitive workspace for any potential new members of the team and recruitment struggles have significantly reduced. 

Employee of the month initiatives are also now commonplace at Fiserv Basildon for the cleaning and facilities management teams. By awarding our teams with vouchers to congratulate good work and service, we are eliciting morale amongst the team and creating a happier workforce. With a happy workforce, that are supported and engaged by management, we are encouraging an ethos of teamwork, continuous improvement, and quality of service is better than ever.