PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
conducting cost estimates for them to test their budget upfront so there are no surprises at the end,” she says. “We need to be the advocate for the foodservice team. My job, first and foremost, is to make sure that the operator has a kitchen that is efficient and usable.” Jacobs agrees
that constant communication is key. “We need to get to the table early, explain our role and discuss the project and talk through the process of what the client wants to do and what kind of food and service they want to produce,” he says. “From concept through construct, through bid documents, everything has to be thoroughly communicated and coordinated.”
Hold specifications – and fight for them
Value engineering is a reality that threatens consultant-led designs when cost-cutters look for cheaper alternatives. Guyott and her colleagues work hard to hold and justify their specifications. “Instead of taking away or
decreasing quality, we would rather decrease quantity, obviously, as needed for the operation,” she says. Tat could mean designing a phased approach, with future equipment planned for growth. “We try to design a plug-and- play operation so they can get
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“We're not always recommending the low bid – we'll recommend the one that is going to do the best job for the client and has the most integrity”
what they need now and make bigger investments if needed in the next five years.” Jacobs says he keeps
reasonable alternatives in mind during the planning stages of a project. “Sometimes I’ll put some alternatives in the design just to give me a buffer if there’s a value engineer,” he says.
Know when to say no
All FCSIconsultants need to recognize the fact that not every project that comes their way is a good fit. It is vital to choose clients who appreciate the value of working with an independent consultant. “We’re not always
recommending the low bid – we’ll recommend the one that we know is going to do the best job for the client, and the one that’s got the most integrity,” Guyott says. “I always say I don’t want to be in a race to the bottom – I want to be in a race to the top,” she continues. “I’m happy to educate them, but if [just having the cheapest option] is their mindset, I’m not going to beg to work with them if they have no interest in the value of a consultant.”
ELEVATING FCSI STANDARDS AS AN INDUSTRY The third pillar of FCSI professional standards involves upholding the integrity and reputation of the foodservice consulting profession. As the industry continues to evolve, respecting this standard is going to be crucial for consultants to continue to show relevance. “I feel like it’s an obligation to the client to keep up with what’s current out there,” Jacobs says. “Fees are falling across the board, not just for foodservice consulting, but also in engineering and architecture,” explained Alburn William FCSI, president of Australia’s CKP Hospitality Consultants, to Foodservice Consultant in a previous interview. As a result, “consultants are taking on more assignments and making themselves even busier. We are in a real danger of going back to 1986, when contractors offered free designs.”
STEPS TO PROTECT THIS INDUSTRY STANDARD: •Encourage other design professionals to join FCSI.
•Stay current by engaging in educational opportunities.
•Conduct yourself with honesty, fairness, and respect toward peers.
•Honor other consultants’ client relationships to represent the profession in a way that reflects positively on FCSI and its standards.
FOR MORE GO TO
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