A lot has changed in a year.
Before companies large and small had to shut down offices this year, it was common to provide an employee perk like delicious snacks conveniently delivered straight to the office. Now, remote employees are wondering if they’ll ever see another Lentil Loop again…
The landscape of corporate snacking is shifting quickly due to the rise of remote working and intense CDC safety guidelines for the office.
Employees no longer have access to a communal kitchen to grab an afternoon treat or catch up with a coworker and employers are looking to fill this gap with their team working remotely. As a result, food service companies are continuously improving their programs to better serve their customers.
What are companies looking for now when it comes to corporate snacking options in the age of the hybrid office? With entire companies pivoting to remote work this year, companies are looking for a seamless experience for their remote employees as well as those in the office when we return to normal operations.
If you’re planning to onboard a new snack vendor in 2021, here are 7 things to look for in a corporate snacking experience while you’re a hybrid office
1. Individual online snack portals
With employees spread across time zones and with the global pandemic, it doesn’t make sense for the office manager to coordinate deliveries or choose snacks for them when they’re working at home. A robust and responsive online portal is necessary as many teams work remotely.
Gone are the days you can get up from your desk, walk to the office kitchen, grab a snack from the mini-fridge, and toss the other half to your co-worker who sits two cubicles down. A personal online snack portal for each employee is crucial for the corporate snacking experience of the future.
The industry is moving away from communal snacks – at least for now – and toward self-sufficiency with the introduction of individual snack portals. Your snack vendor needs to have this option if you want less friction between your employees and their snack deliveries.
2. An abundance of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
Each of your employees are unique, just like their diets. It’s time to give them what they deserve by providing them with a snacking program that offers an abundance of options (regardless of dietary preference).
Paleo-friendly products that don’t taste like cardboard? It’s the new standard for snacking.
3. A large variety of products
Speaking of options, is anyone else tired of those snack packs full of cookies and crackers in a “variety of flavors?” Do you mean sugar, sugar, and more sugar?
It’s time to mix things up. Companies (and their employees) are no longer satisfied with products that have lengthy ingredient lists and snacking programs that deliver the same boring food month after month.
The new industry standard?
- High-quality, clean ingredients
- Snacks that meet a variety of dietary needs
- Thoughtful sourcing
- Customization and innovative flavors
The standard for snacks that set the bar above the rest?
- Less than 10 grams of sugar added
- No hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, or artificial preservatives
- Adaptogenic snacks with functional benefits
4. Easy invoicing and payment options
Invoicing must be simplified and credit cards should always be a form of acceptable payment. Your snack vendor should also give your company the ability to automatically load credit for your employees and have the flexibility to increase or decrease the budget as necessary.
Access to affordable payment plans and net-30 payment terms will increase the accessibility of a corporate snacking experience to many smaller organizations and their deserving employees.
5. Reliable shipping and customer service
Customers expect reliability and support in the online age. This means your company needs to be able to measure employee satisfaction with the snack vendor you select. Say goodbye to the days of inconsistent shipping times and robots on the other end of the customer support line!
6. Accurate data tracking and reporting
Just like an algorithm, the better you track something, the more useful the results that come out the other end are.
To avoid egregious overspending or continuing a service your employees aren’t happy with, regular data tracking and reporting on program usage should be available for you.
7. A personal point-of-contract
Corporate gifting and employee benefits aren’t going away in 2021. Take the stress off by assigning each company a personal account manager, which makes gifting a snack experience to a corporate client streamlined and responsive. You can expect a seamless experience from end-to-end. Think of it as a white glove snack selecting service.
When it comes to trust in a company to serve snacks to corporate customers in the age of the hybrid office, look no further. While the staple of their business has been an in-office program for 9 years, NatureBox is well-equipped to transition over to in-office snacking supplies when companies are ready to return.
And who do companies like ADP and Salesforce trust to deliver high-quality, good for you snacks to their hybrid workforce as a delicious perk? NatureBox.
Be a Snack Hero by gifting a high-quality and consistent snack experience to your employees from the #1 Remote Corporate Snacking Solution in the industry. Head to https://naturebox.com/office
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