Norway leads the field
Norway is currently the fastest growing service market in the Nordic region. The phenomenon of outsourcing service functions is relatively new, but interest is on the increase. In just over a year, Coor’s Norwegian operation has expanded from 14 to over 250 people and now has an annual turnover of approx. NOK 370 million.
"The partnership with Coor has gone very well. Coor responds very rapidly to any issues that arise and we have seen good chemistry between the employees involved in the contract at NSB and Coor," says ROM Eiendom's Managing Director Björn Birkelund.
NSB, the Norwegian National Railway, has chosen Coor to supply its service functions. The assignment includes the operation and maintenance of 1,100 properties throughout Norway covering a total area of 736,000 m².
The agreement runs for three years and means that Coor is strengthening its presence in areas such as Oslo, Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger and Kristiansand. Guy Drottler, a contract manager at Coor in Norway, explains the importance and scope of the contract.
“We have been working with a number of large clients in Norway, most of whom are concentrated in the Oslo area. The NSB contract has given us a greater geographical presence, which bodes well for future procurements.”
As part of the agreement with NSB, Coor offered employment contracts to 70 or so employees from the previous management company. Everybody accepted the offer.
“After a thorough assessment of our options, Coor was chosen as the best partner. Not only did Coor have a strong bid, but it was also important that the employees concerned should be well looked after,” says Pål Berger, CEO at ROM Eiendom, which is a subsidiary of and management company for NSB.
The process of bringing Coor on board as a service partner has been very smooth. Björn Birkelund is the Managing Director of ROM Eiendom and has been the company’s representative and contract liaison in dealings with Coor.
Why did you choose Coor as a service provider?
“It was a long process, but eventually we decided that Coor had put forward the best structure and plan for implementing the assignment they had been given within their organisation.”
How has the transition gone so far?
“It’s been a smooth transition. We expected a few hiccups, but there haven’t been any. A contributing factor to this has been that employees who transferred to Coor have responded to their new employer in a very positive way. It was important that the transition involve as little disruption as possible for them.”
How did you prepare your employees for the transition?
“Back in October last year, we told everyone that the agreement with the previous supplier was coming to an end. As we couldn’t tell them who would be taking over the contract, there was admittedly some unease and tension. As soon as everything was settled with Coor, we arranged for their representatives to visit and meet all the operatives affected. The first few meetings were enough to ensure a positive impression of Coor.”
How are you following up on the agreement?
“Through monthly contract meetings. These even include financial reports. We will also be asking those employees affected by the Coor agreement to complete 2 or 3 internal surveys during the autumn. In February next year, we will be sending out a tenant questionnaire, which will include questions relating to Coor’s activities. We have been using surveys of this kind since 1999, and they give us a good overview of where we stand in relation to our clients – the tenants – but also in comparison to other major property owners.”
About NSB:
NSB is the Norwegian National Railway. Its activities include passenger transport by bus and train, as well as goods transport.