Marks & Spencer
Leading high street retailer Marks & Spencer knows that a happy workforce makes for happy customers. The modernisation of staff catering areas in stores required replacing traditional drink machines with instant hot water taps for greater efficiency and staff wellbeing.
Key architect
Offices & workplaces
Location
Nationwide
A big part of this investment comprises the redesign and modernisation of the catering areas in over 200 of the UK’s existing stores and all new openings, including the installation of a Zip HydroTap G4 Classic in every colleague rest room. With contemporary styling, the refurbished breakrooms have evolved into a space that helps employees to relax in an environment where fresh, healthy M&S food and refreshments are provided free of charge.
The brief
Mark Meadows, head of non-merchandise procurement for M&S, explains: “We want to ensure that backstage areas run just as smoothly and efficiently as the customer-facing areas, with the same dedication to service, cleanliness and professionalism. That’s why we decided to move away from more traditional drinks machines which take longer to fill, clean and maintain.” M&S already had a number of HydroTaps in its head office, providing 4,000 staff with instant filtered boiling and chilled water, so it seemed the obvious choice for the rest of company.
Mark says: “We knew the HydroTap was easy to use, reliable and capable of meeting the drinks demands of what is a very busy retail environment. Paired with Zip’s market-leading maintenance and warranty package, we were confident that the HydroTap was up to the task.”
“We want to make the working day as stress-free and enjoyable as possible for our people. If we can do this in a sustainable way, that’s fantastic. Happy colleagues equals happy customers, that’s a fact and so far, feedback from staff has been universally positive.”
The solution
Mark was impressed with the smooth installation process: “The Zip engineers are highly skilled, inspecting and commissioning all of the new products. My team worked closely with Zip, who were helpful and flexible at every stage of the journey.” The HydroTap is also a fantastic choice for the business when it comes to sustainability. M&S has, for 10 years, implemented a corporate social responsibility strategy, with one of its aims focused on reducing its carbon footprint.
The HydroTap’s world-leading energy efficient technology means no water or electricity is wasted. Continually driving improvement, M&S will be running a campaign to encourage staff to reuse bottles with the new HydroTaps to help reduce plastic waste.
"Having one tap that does both boiling and chilled water is cost efficient and there's no time wasted on refilling or cleaning. The time saving really adds up across the business, meaning that staff can spend more time on the shop floor, helping customers."
Mark Meadows - Head of Non-Merchandise Procurement, Marks & Spencer.
