Building Business with Milsom Hotels
“The fact that we’re not obligated with Lynx to use a particular supplier works very well for us. We’re good negotiators in our own right, but in many cases we’ve found we get better prices through Lynx than by going direct.”
Milsom Hotels operates five prestigious venues in Essex and Suffolk: Maison Talbooth and the nearby Le Talbooth restaurant in Dedham, Essex; country house hotel Milsoms, also in Dedham; harbourside hotel and restaurant the Pier in Harwich, Essex; and the boutique Kesgrave Hall in Suffolk. An award-winning hospitality operator, Milsom Hotels has worked with Lynx Purchasing for almost a decade.
Challenge
“We work very hard independently to get good deals,” says Ian Rhodes, operations director for Milsom Hotels. “but there are certain things that Lynx brings to the table, beyond what we can do ourselves. For example, last year we had difficulties with office supplies, and more recently we wanted to change the telecoms supplier at Kesgrave Hall.”
Solution
Lynx has gradually expanded the range of food and drink suppliers it has introduced to Milsom, growing from store cupboard and non-food items to fresh fish, and fruit and veg. “We don’t buy everything from one supplier, and we don’t buy cheap, we buy the best quality we can,“ says Ian.
”Pricing is a massive challenge for everyone in the sector. With food, we like to have at least two suppliers in each category to maintain a bit of competitiveness, so the fact that we’re not obligated with Lynx to use a particular supplier works very well for us. We’re good negotiators in our own right, but in many cases we’ve found we get better prices through Lynx than by going direct.”
Milsom is now working with a drinks supplier introduced by Lynx, initially on the spirits range, and gradually increasing the range of wines, including the house champagne after a change of brand owner disrupted supply.
The expansion into new supply areas, such as office supplies, printing and telecoms. develops through regular meetings with Lynx. “We talk about all the challenges facing the business, and if Lynx feels there’s an area where they can help, we’ll have meeting with the supplier they suggest.”
Result
“The company Lynx put us in touch with now not only supplies office products, but also does all of our printing, including our menus. We’re pleased with the new telecoms supplier at Kesgrave Hall, and hope to work with them at other venues as existing contracts expire.
“On spirits, we get a rebate, which we weren’t getting previously. For us, having a supplier that works for us, and looks out for us, is key, but the rebate is very much a bonus,” says Ian.
“With any supplier. It’s got to be right for us, not just for me, but for the managers and chefs in the business. Lynx aren’t trying to push a supplier onto us, but when it works out we will gradually increase the percentage of business we do with them.”
