Why did I choose this role?
The reason this particular role appealed to me is due to the fact that I often encounter food and beverage servers whenever I go out to eat. Sometimes when I have nothing to do when I am eating I tend to look at the servers and try to imagine how they go about their daily life within the restaurant. I sometimes trying to think about what they do when there are no customers around or what goes on behind the counter. All in all, restaurant servers actually fascinated me and, as such, that is the main reason why I have chosen this role.
Relationship with the Facilities Department
As a food and beverage server, my relationship with the facilities department where I work would primarily consist of coordination regarding the disposal of material waste, bringing in the proper types of beverages that customers request as well as assisting in the maintenance and cleaning of the facilities after the restaurant closes.
Disposal of Material Waste
As a food and beverage server, one of my duties is to ensure the proper disposal of food and other types of material waste that accumulate after a customer has finished their meal. However, it should be noted that merely throwing the waste into a trashcan is unacceptable given the current popularity of recycling and proper waste disposal. As such, proper cooperation between me and the facilities department is necessary in order to properly dispose of waste (Hasbollah & Baldry, 2014). This type of cooperation comes in form of coordinating where particular types of waster material should go, this means having the facilities management staff place various trash bins with corresponding labels for recyclable waste, non-recyclable items, as well as biological waster materials. Such a level of coordination is essential so that proper steps can be taken to ensure that all the accumulated garbage is disposed of properly.
Another aspect of the relationship between me and the facilities management of the restaurant comes in the form of coordinating a proper disposal schedule for the garbage. What must be understood is that garbage should not be left to fester in a particular area of a restaurant for prolonged periods of time. Such an act could result in cross contamination which would impact the safety of the food that is being served. It is due to this that proper coordination with the facilities management department is essential so that garbage is regularly and promptly disposed of to eliminate the possibility that bacteria may spread to the raw food that is present within a kitchen (Hasbollah & Baldry, 2014).
Beverage Delivery and Storage
Another important aspect of my relationship with the facilities management department comes in the form of proper delivery and storage of the various drinks that are needed by the restaurant. It goes without saying that beverages are an essential component of a restaurant’s operations, as such, it is important to ensure that they are delivered and stored properly so that they can be given to customers to enjoy with their food (Fraser, 2014). This is where the facilities management department comes in, through their assistance deliveries of various beverage from the delivery trucks are accepted and then brought into storage areas so that they can be utilized later on. Once the need arises, a request is sent to their department at which point a portion of the drinks are delivered to the restaurant which are then subsequently served by me to the customers.
The importance of the facilities management department in this particular instance can be seen in their capacity to handle a majority of the menial labour associated with delivering and storing drinks. As a food and beverage server, I cannot be in two to three places at once since my role is to primarily serve and assist customers as they enter the restaurant. As such, the facilities management division of the company is important since they assist in operations in a way that makes my job easier as a direct result of such actions.
Maintenance and Cleaning of the Facilities
Another important aspect related to the relationship I have with the facilities management department involves proper maintenance and cleaning of the restaurant after it closes. It is important to note that as a food and beverage server, it is also necessary for me to assist in cleaning the restaurant. As such, it is normal for me to be assisted with various members of the facilities management department when it comes to fixing the tables, cleaning the floors and sending the various tablecloths to be washed so that they can be used the next day (Fraser, 2014).
From everything that has been explained so far, it can be seen that a proper working relationship is necessary when it comes to dealing with members of the facilities management department since they are a necessary component in making my own job that much easier.
Dependence of the Facility on the Facility Management team/personnel
Our restaurant is dependent on the facility management team/personnel since they are the ones who primarily maintain the premises and ensure that everything is at a set standard of cleanliness. They take out the trash, clean the floors and tables as well as handle all other aspects related to ensuring that the restaurant is decent enough so that it would entice customers to come and eat. It should also be noted that the facilities management team is also in charge of maintaining the equipment of the facility. This comes in the form of doing regular maintenance work on the fryers, ovens, stoves, freezers, air conditioners and other aspects that are related to the normal operation of the restaurant. Without the facility management team in place to handle such actions, it would not be at all surprising if all the operations within the restaurant came to a screeching halt.
None of the waiters, chefs or managers have any idea as to how to properly maintain all the equipment that is used in the restaurant on a daily basis (Fraser, 2014). It is due to this that were are heavily dependent on the facilities management personnel to ensure that everything workers properly so that business can continue without any issues. It should also be noted that all aspects related to the proper disposal of trash, the washing of table clothes as well as proper storage of food deliveries are also handled by the facilities management department. This is mainly due to the fact that the rest of the workers within the restaurant are simply too busy to handle this particular aspect of operations (Fraser, 2014). Taking everything into consideration, it can be seen that all our operations are heavily dependent on the personnel of the facilities management department and, as such, we should be grateful for their assistance.
Reference List
Hasbollah, H., & Baldry, D. (2014). Conserving cultural values of heritage buildings from the facilities management perspective in Malaysia. Journal Of Facilities Management, 12(2), 172-183.
Fraser, K. (2014). Facilities management: the strategic selection of a maintenance system. Journal Of Facilities Management, 12(1), 18-37.