Our Consistent Quality

How does OUTCO protect?

Our flexible operating model enables us to match resources to our clients’ requirements. Highly trained OUTCO operatives deliver a consistent approach and continuity of service for our clients across all of their outdoor estates, giving them the peace of mind that their assets are being taken care of to the highest professional standards. OUTCO places great emphasis on consistency of quality with internal and external metrics, including 99.97% customer satisfaction levels. OUTCO is leading the way in the facilities management industry with its exceptional standards, high quality training and transformational technology.

The OUTCO technology advantage

At OUTCO, we offer a full range of outdoor compliance services, including surfacing, winter gritting and grounds maintenance – all markets in which the exploitation of technology and the adoption of professional ethos still fall far behind. Addressing this gap is precisely how we’ve been able to grow as a business. Most of the productivity gains from early and often discrete technologies, such as tracking, have now been exploited. More recent investments have delivered customer-friendly transparent services with tools such as apps that are more accessible and engaging. The real-payoff of long-term bespoke IT investment is starting to be realised through the integration of data and automated tools that offer more immediate control. Just as IWFM describe the change from “managing space to empowering productivity”, outside we are looking at a shift in emphasis from managing logistics to empowering quality service.

The costs of slipping up with Heath and Safety

In research we conducted alongside the IWFM, almost 40 per cent of facility managers reported two or more ‘slip and trip incidents’ in the previous winter. Accidents will of course happen, but ‘slipping on ice’ accidents have the potential for the most high-value fines and compensation claims and the law is uncompromising in cases of negligence. According to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, organisations have a Duty of Care to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees, including the provision of a safe working environment. This also extends to anyone visiting, or passing by the facility, including suppliers on company business and members of the public.

When organisations need to be able to demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to make an environment safe in wintery conditions, there is a clear-cut case for a highly professional approach. This should encompass everything from risk assessment, planning, staff training or appointing contractors, as well as documenting when and how work is carried out. These processes, which technology is making increasingly more efficient, are particularly important when accidents do happen. At the same time, it is also important to remember that breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act can lead to prosecution even where no actual harm has occurred.

Moreover, changes in sentencing guidelines, introduced in 2015, removed the maximum cap on fines, which means that the financial costs of getting things wrong could be disastrous for a business.

OUTCO professional training

OUTCO runs a nationally recognised education academy with two levels of training acknowledged as the only LANTRA approved training in the industry for Winter Risk Management services. All gritting operatives undergo this training, which not only increases the quality of the jobs completed on a clients behalf, but also increases the speed and efficiency of operations. The OUTCO Academy training helps operatives improve techniques, promotes safe working practices, including risk assessments and method statements RAMS and also includes advanced driving skills. Each operative is subsequently set yearly assessments with individual client target SLAs as their minimum target. We expect our operatives to exceed these targets as part of our in-house annual assessment.

OUTCO’s aim is to minimise risk, maintain clients’ reputation and reduce all the hidden costs of managing an outdoor estate. OUTCO will not only complete risk assessments on behalf of its clients. but also offer full liability protection based on individual risk assessments. We effectively take responsibility for our clients’ legal duty of care with regards to the health and safety of employees and other visitors in respect of the risks of ice related accidents during the winter months. Claims made against any of our clients for any alleged failure in service, will be managed by our insurers. In the event of an accident, OUTCO will manage the process and co-defend claims on their behalf by successfully demonstrating that best practice and duty of care has been met.

The OUTCO service is underwritten and endorsed by QBE, a global insurance group. Our winter risk assessment, which evaluates specific hazards and potential dangers on a site is an additional tool for our clients’ health and safety toolbox and demonstrates compliance under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Demand professionalism throughout the supply chain

As awareness of risk and liability increases, so too does the recognition of why professional standards matter. In the highly outsourced market of facility management, this is good news: We are seeing organisations waking up to the risks and seeking to ensure that quality standards are reflected by their contractors and downstream through the entire supply chain.

Outdoor services warrant a professional, proactive approach, guaranteeing consistent quality of service. OUTCO can provide this, while ensuring its clients remain fully compliant 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Year after year.

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OUTCO’s reputation lies in the quality of its work, and with a list of testimonials across all its service lines, clients approaching OUTCO for its outdoor compliance services can be assured of a company that has quality at its core

OUTCO places great emphasis on consistency of quality with internal and external metrics, including 99.97% customer satisfaction levels. OUTCO is leading the way in the facilities management industry with its exceptional standards, high quality training and transformational technology