Roundtable attendees included:

• Anita Murray, chief executive, William Murray (chair)
• Craig Goslin, country director, Vapiano
• Liz Hardman, director of procurement & supply chain, Mitchells & Butler
• Anna Balawejder, head of supply chain, The Restaurant Group
• Shereen Ritchie, chief operating officer, Buns from Home
• Alexander Henskens, hotel manager, The Royal Lancaster, London
• Jon Dale, strategic corporate affairs & ESG lead, Punch Pubs & Co
• Paul Christodoulou, national account manager – Out of Home, Bolsius Professional, UK & Ireland
• Tiemen Brouwer, business unit manager, Bolsius Group
• Lesley Tait, IG Group

The roundtable opened with Anita asking how businesses were finding the hospitality marketplace and what were their biggest challenges. Rising food costs, energy price increases and the added pressures of recruiting and retaining staff were all ongoing factors.

The consensus was one of positivity and championing those that are navigating the day-to-day challenges and winning – with continued investment and daily openings of new hotels, restaurants, and pubs.

With an optimistic outlook, the roundtable highlighted that brands are realising that customer experience needs to be maximised and that doing the same thing is no longer an option. Customers are after an authentic experience when they go out and with tighter purse strings, they are looking for value for their spending.

Jon noted that when they go out people they want first class service, or they will go elsewhere. He said that maximising experience is key. Craig emphasised the importance of the customer journey and how face to face interaction, along with inviting digital feedback is integral.

The roundtable concluded with a shared agreement that customers' expectations have risen following Covid-19 pandemic. They also concluded that businesses must focus on engaging multiple senses, so the customer creates a stronger and more memorable connection and ensures a lasting impression is made.