My catering consultant states that he will benchmark purchasing. Why should I insist on using CPI?

CPI benchmarking is a specialist independent benchmark service that has been refined and developed over twenty years.

The extensive CPI benchmarking database prices are up dated constantly throughout the year.

The CPI benchmark is reliable and robust and is used for internal audit at the highest levels within government and industry to improve and maintain cost reduction, achieve best practice and prove probity. Our clients include the National Audit Office, the House of Commons, the whole of the MOD, Army, Navy and Air Force, government and industry, including hotels, leisure and welfare and is testimony to the quality and extensive benefits that are derived from employing CPI specialist benchmark services.

The CPI insists on working directly for clients even when a catering consultant is involved. The reason for this is that the CPI must retain its independence and reputation that underpins the service we provide to all our clients. It is essential that the data that is being compared with the CPI benchmark is factual. In most cases CPI require copies of actual supplier invoices for a random number of supplies as verification. We are experts in this field and need to ensure that any information that the client or their consultant need to action with suppliers is beyond dispute. It is frequent that CPI is requested to attend meetings of this nature to support the client and consultant to drive home the advantages and benefits from benchmarking.

Some catering consultants can view the engagement of the CPI benchmark services by their client as a threat to their consultancy and attempt to provide the service themselves and deter their clients from engaging an independent benchmark service. This is most frequent when a consultant has benchmarked supplies themselves and they may fear that CPI benchmarking shows a different result that may undermine the perception their client has of the services they provide. Our experience is the reverse in that consultants will gain more credence with their client and by so doing establish a firm base for achieving economies, maintaining those economies on an on-going basis, evaluation of competitive tender shopping baskets and a firm base for establishing procurement contractual targets for the duration of the contract with the selected contractor.

The CPI is not involved with anything other than benchmarking, providing a specialist professional service to clients. The CPI supports the most informed and professional of catering consultants to deliver the maximum benefits for their clients.

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Contact CPI to provide you with a test benchmark report and see the benefits and service we provide. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. We can put you in touch with any of our clients for a testimonial.