A Time for Optimism

By Len Bundy, FCSI, Guest Author -- Foodservice Equipment & Supplies, 2/1/2005

Len Bundy, FCSI Principal George E. Bundy & Assoc. Seattle

It’s 7:30 p.m. on Sunday evening as we settle into our seats with the task of finding parking on a 26° night now behind us. We begin to soak in the energy and enthusiasm of the crowd. The theater is full and here we are, 10 rows back from center stage about to watch “The Lion King.” (Thanks again, Mom, for the tickets; they were great!) As the show wows us with fantastic costumes, images, lights and sounds, I am especially focused on how the children are enjoying the play. Not just my children, but many of those around me. Eyes wide, focused intently, almost appearing not to breathe lest they miss something. Amidst all the imagery, sound, song and set, I hear the voice of Mufasa say, “You have forgotten who you are! Remember ... remember.” This prompts my own mind to take me back over a journey through foodservice consulting and FCSI.

You see, “my journey” started in 1982 when my parents asked if I would consider coming into the family business and, in some lapse of common sense, I agreed. I learned what a “foodservice consultant does,” which had eluded me throughout my growing-up years. When we got to the education portion on “bidding,” I was taught about the “circle of life” for our projects and that I must learn to take my place in it. I wish this memory evoked visions within me of gazing out upon the African savanna but, alas, all it invokes is a memory of hundreds of catalogs and a strong need for medication. For shortly after this period I discovered that not all was well in the “pride lands,” as there were challenges that would arise in the bid world that could leave our clients at the bottom of the food chain. I learned quickly as a consultant it is my responsibility to prevent that from happening. The challenges included substitutions, less than desired levels of follow-through and distrust between industry members. Oftentimes, this left the end-user to play the role of carcass.

Carrying the “Lion King” analogy a little further, over the past two decades it became clear to me there was a problem in the circle and many of the players forgot “who they were.” Consultants were not taking the responsibility for writing “tight” specifications and if they were challenged, they often backed away. Misinformation circulated as to what the bid laws meant and not many were protecting their clients from the potential ravages. General contractors and economic factors heated the bid climate to near boiling, so that short-term numbers became all that was important. The “we must eat now whether or not it destroys the whole herd” mentality prevailed. Manufacturers and representatives were not above getting in on the frenzy with questionable practices.

Now, though, from many of the events of the past year and the articles and discussions taking place across all industry forums, I see great things ahead. Allow me to explain my optimism.

Many members of FCSI, NAFEM and others groups within the industry have long seen the problems that were seemingly increasing in occurrence. Factories, representatives, consultants and end-users were all complaining. Major buyers were talking directly with manufacturers about the issues at some conferences, while manufacturers, consultants and end-users were talking about the same subjects at others. Panel discussions featuring equipment dealers, sales representatives, manufacturers and various other members of the industry examined the situation, yet the need for something to be done remained.

Many felt that the solution rested with FCSI and last year the association put forth the solution. “Proprietary Specifications — In the Client’s Interest, a Critical Need for a Set of Protocols,” commonly referred to in many industry circles as “the white paper,” has circulated for some time and is endorsed by FCSI’s North American division. In doing so, we remembered our past and who we were meant to be. As consultants, we are the ones who are to write and hold specifications. And now as a body, we have stepped forward to lay claim to this higher ground. We have stepped forward to say that FCSI will educate its members and work with those in the industry to improve dialog between all channel partners. We are not afraid to deal with issues such as the role of factory engineering information in symbiosis with the consultant’s information. We are willing to better educate our clients on the value of what the consultant does and the value of tight specifications.

As one of my colleagues pointed out in a recent article, the nature of our industry is to be pessimistic. I think he is correct in his assessment. I also greatly appreciate that he is part of the solution. According to his article, he is upholding his specification. And perhaps even more importantly, he is entering into the dialog. We all need that. While preparing for the next wave of technology, distribution shifts and purchasing options, we need to participate in the dialog in order to keep our eye on the long-term trends and not focus only on the short run.

Because of those who have kept their eyes focused forward, we have an FCSI that has evolved in many ways. Thanks to the past few years of leadership, the association has an increased focus on education and has worked with many manufacturers on “approved” curriculum that is presented in an atmosphere of reduced bias. Yes, we know that whoever puts on the program gets their plug somehow, but we are all adults here and know that everything, including education, comes with a price. If we aren’t able to see through that when we evaluate a product, we are in the wrong business. This focus on education has a great outcome for our industry. As we stress that FCSI consultants are required to increase their knowledge base, we further establish our role within the industry, professionalism and marketability. As we demonstrate our ability to reduce problems within jobs through writing and holding better specifications, our standing in the industry will only get stronger. As we continue to discuss with industry partners issues that can create conflict, such as drawings and data generated by manufacturers’ engineers, service agency involvement and others, we demonstrate that we are anxious for all concerned members within the industry to benefit.

And from demonstrating that we are all in this together and that the “circle” must prosper, I believe the light of optimism rises on the horizon.