Beneficial for one and all

Under the sub-heading 'Officer benefits and welfare', you make reference to contractor Securiplan plc and client Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and state that both parties feel these demand to be improved. It's very easy to implement improved terms and conditions for officers with individual clients who are prepared to pay extra for them. However, we have included all such benefits from contract inception at no extra cost, and indeed have won our contracts on competitive tenders.

Even though we have invested heavily in officer training and benefits during the past four years or so, we've still managed to post a modest 1% net profit for 2003, with a projected profit return of 3-4% come the end of this year.

On attending my first BSIA Manned Services Section meeting a couple of years ago, I mentioned what we were doing as a company and was treated almost with contempt for my interjection. I was told that, with a turnover of £3 million, the company was small enough to implement such policies. Well, surprisingly enough, Ultimate is now an £11 million turnover operation, and we're predicted to hit the £15 million mark by the close of 2004.

And, yes, we're still affording every one of our officers the same benefits. A 3% non-contributory pension (after 12 months' service). Four weeks of sick pay at the full rate (ie 56 hours, not 48 after six months). 1% loyalty bonuses after 12 months. HSA medical cover for the whole family (again after a year in post). A minimum pay rate of £6.80 in London and £6.50 outside the Capital. We also provide life insurance and Death in Service benefits.

That's not all, either. Each officer also receives four weeks' holiday pay plus Bank Holidays as well as single time if rostered and not required. We offer a personal loan facility for emergency situations, a quarterly newsletter and a £50 cheque (complete with a letter from myself) for an officer's good work that's brought to our attention.

In return for such benefits we 'demand' a high quality of service and, because of the degree of respect we hold for our officers as professionals and as people, we receive respect and many benefits in return.

We religiously check our staff turnover, even segmenting leavers into the categories 'failed', 'resigned' and 'dismissed'. Our churn rate currently stands at 17%, and is decreasing in the wake of four major client TUPE transfers where the transferees either decided they couldn't reach our standards or we made the decision for them.

All of the points made by TSI are obviously possible in a world where there's higher margins, but given a little belief and discipline they can be achieved just as easily under current average margins.