Interserve wins Argos cleaning contract

24 June 2009

Interserve will be cleaning all 745 of Argos's stores under a 2 year contract including store cleaning, window cleaning, high level cleaning and warehouse cleaning. Meanwhile, Interserve has opened its new support centre in Redditch.

Interserve has added to its portfolio of national retail support services contracts by signing a multi-million pound deal with leading high street retailer, Argos. Interserve will transfer approximately 1500 staff under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment) following Argos’s decision to outsource its cleaning requirements to one supplier. This approach will save the retailer money whilst improving service quality. Interserve will be working with Argos to improve the quality, sustainability and customer experience throughout the store estate.

Tony Sanders, Managing Director, Commercial at Interserve commented: “The retail sector is perhaps more competitive than ever and we are delighted to have secured Argos as one of our key accounts under a full national portfolio. We are also pleased to now become the preferred supplier for cleaning and associated services across the Home Retail Group. We now manage around 50 million square feet of retail space as our retail team and capability goes from strength to strength.”

Will Jary, Operational Support Manager at Argos said: “We were impressed by Interserve’s proposal which demonstrates its great attention to both cost and service quality. Interserve has great experience in TUPE transfers and sustainability which also makes it a natural choice for this contract.”

National Service Centre for Interserve
Meanwhile, Interserve officially opened its National Service Centre in Redditch last week. Launched by Adrian Ringrose, Chief Executive, the Centre has created 75 jobs in the local area and will provide Interserve’s clients with 24/7 support to their UK and international operations. The Service Centre has been completely recommissioned, with project works including fit-out, IT and branding being carried out by Interserve teams from across the country.

Interserve’s success in winning several major new clients means that the volume of support calls will increase significantly from the current number received, at around 23,000 a week. The National Service Centre will enable clients from across the UK and Europe to contact Interserve with any support services queries 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Four key Interserve Facilities Management clients are already serviced from this new centre, which currently manages over 9,000 calls a week, and others will join them progressively over time.

Clients benefit through improved operational flexibility and business continuity, the sharing of best practice across the operations and the central control of call volumes, shift patterns and training to ensure the best resource and response is available for clients and their teams.

Adrian Ringrose, Interserve’s Chief Executive, said: “We have always been committed to providing our clients with the best quality service and the National Service Centre will help us take this to the next level. By opening this new centre, our specialised teams are able to provide a faster and more dedicated service to meet our clients’ support services needs. Redditch was the natural choice for the Service Centre and we are pleased to be able to support the local community here by creating 75 jobs for local residents.”