WEB-HOSTING NET WIDENS IN CATERING SECTOR

In the last 12 months, FDH has experienced a 62% increase in the number of its catering customers, in particular local authorities, opting for the online-hosted versions of its Saffron suite of hospitality management information and nutritional analysis software. According to FDH's sales director Andrew Markwell, the trend is set to continue, particularly in the wake of a recent OFCOM report claiming that over 80% of the UK' internet connections are now broadband. This has enabled the high-speed transmission of information that had been a barrier to the uptake of web-hosting by businesses in the past. Among the growing list of clients opting for the web-based solution is the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA), which awarded FDH the contract in September to supply Saffron Nutrition, across all 22 local authorities and to all school meal providers in maintained schools in Wales. The new method of delivering and using systems has several advantages for the catering trade over traditional on-site software systems, particularly when it comes to operating across many sites. For instance, key personnel such as operations managers who are often on the move, can input management information more easily through an internet connection. Web hosted software systems also allow staff to use systems from any location, including home PC's if required. Importantly, there is also the potential for cost saving, because if a system is hosted and managed by FDH, the requirement for IT skills within the user organisation and at individual sites is significantly reduced. The system is also more easily scaleable when a new contract is brought on-board, simply by adding a new licence and giving access to the password-controlled website to relevant staff. Andrew Markwell commented: "The ubiquity of high-speed internet access has made online services more affordable, accessible and convenient than was previously possible. "In particular local authorities and contract caterers who need comprehensive feedback of information from each operating site are finding the online systems more effective. Web-hosting, particularly if FDH hosts the system centrally can also cut down on the IT maintenance costs that a business can incur." Q: What is Web-hosting? A: Web-hosting, in effect, enables a business to rent software packages that are stored on a remote central server by a 'host' and accessed via the internet, instead of having software downloaded onto each PC and main corporate server. Software such as management information programmes and nutritional analysis are popular systems to have web-hosted. Q: Who hosts the system? A: The host can be either the software supplier or the business itself, which can suit those structures where there is a head office and various remote operating sites. Q: What are the advantages of web-hosting? A: there are many advantages for companies taking the web-hosting route. For instance, it avoids lengthy program installation, and there is the potential to save costs by reducing the need for hardware/ IT skills because the management and updating of the program is the responsibility of the host. It also suits the increasing mobility in working life – ie: if people are on the move much of the time, or are working from home, they can still access a web-hosted system as long as they have a broadband connection and a computer. With the growth in WiFi 'hotspot' locations (more than 10,000) now available throughout the UK there is even more opportunity to log onto a web-hosted system when it suits. In a disaster recovery situation – for instance, if there has been a fire on-site – it also means that essential data is held securely off-site. Q: What types of business are suited to web-hosting? A: Any really, but there are particular benefits for those companies operating at a number of sites such as contract caterers. It would also be particularly attractive to new start-up businesses that are facing the technological