A soldier in uniform stands at a counter, getting a hot drink at a coffee machine.

3 Ways Technology can Enhance the Lived Experience on Base

Technology underpins every aspect of the lived experience on military bases. It supports and enhances day-to-day life, while behind the scenes, new approaches to information-gathering and decision-making are further enriching that experience. In this article, we explore three components of the technology eco-system that have the greatest impact on end-user experience – and have the capacity to elevate the lived experience of the whole force.

Published on Jul. 01, 2024

1. Support for the Customer Journey

Understanding the journey every member of the military takes in their time on base is critical to meeting their needs and supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.

There are distinct priorities at every stage, from pre-arrival, to arrival, living and then departure. In the pre-arrival and arrival phases, new recruits and serving personnel alike benefit from information about what to expect and a simple check-in process.

Later, details of what is happening on base and simple ways to contact staff with service requests and other concerns are key.

Sodexo’s MyWay app is personalised to the user and provides information about facilities, a way to click and collect from retail outlets and the option to seamlessly check in to accommodation. Two-way communication facilitates important announcements as well as customer feedback throughout the journey.

Meeting modern expectations

Other site-specific apps provide additional support and functions. For example, our consumer app was introduced as part of the Junior Ranks Dining by Kitchen Works Co. facilities opened at ATR Winchester and Dalton Barracks, Abingdon in the summer of 2022.

These sites represent a new approach to on-base dining, in response to Army EATS surveys and subsequent efforts to modernise the mess. “Army EATS is about recognising the customer’s needs,” said WO1 (SSM) Colin Sinclair, HQ Regional Command at the launch of JRD by Kitchen Works Co. “They may not want three meals a day; they want a more welcoming environment with modern technology, and a menu that responds to their needs.”

Ipsos MORI research, commissioned by Sodexo to inform the development of our messing services, showed 67% of military personnel would always like to eat healthily. A good understanding of the entire menu and easy access to nutritional information is therefore key, and the app provides this through a simple interface.

It is also becoming increasingly important to match the advancements (and convenience) personnel might find off-base, so pre-ordering and the ability to access rewards and offers have become integral to the experience.

However, technology alone cannot deliver a satisfactory experience, as Jo Robinson, Head of Digital at Sodexo Government, explains.

Sodexo also launched an online training programme – DatAcademy – which is helping our employees understand the importance of data and how our digital transformation is improving the customer experience. This, combined with decades of experience in the Defence sector, will shape how we deliver services in the future.

A female employee in uniform stands at a counter, attending to a female soldier.

2. Continuous Improvement and Data-driven Decisions

Beyond the changes military personnel can see on the surface, new technology offers unprecedented opportunities for data-driven decision making.

The ability to gather information about how and when services are used, in combination with feedback from those who use them, provides significant implications for driving continuous improvement.

For example, an innovative new feedback platform trialled at Project Allenby Connaught in mid-2022 facilitates more dynamic reporting than ever before. InMoment features digital survey and data collection, dynamic dashboard reporting and advanced analytics.

Users are provided with QR codes and URLs so they can easily access surveys and will ultimately be able to provide their feedback in audio and video form as well as through text. The ingenuity of the system lies in its ability to analyse and categorise this feedback, providing instant reports that Sodexo and the client can use to respond to issues promptly, as well as to celebrate successes and positive comments.

We can also take a wider view, tracking the changing wants and needs of service personnel and periodically adapting our offer accordingly.

The introduction of video is particularly important as it removes the ambiguity that can come from written comments, but a sophisticated back-end system is needed for reliable analysis.

James Nottage, Contract Director for Sodexo at Project Allenby Connaught, explains the actionable insight the new system offers will provide significant benefits for the entire force, as feedback is already more efficient and effective.

A soldier in uniform using a cell phone.

The introduction of InMoment at Allenby Connaught is part of an ongoing programme of innovation, bringing the very best in market to this contract. The data provided will form the bedrock of further service improvements we aim to implement.

James NottageContract Director for Sodexo at Project Allenby Connaught

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3. Reducing Our Environmental Impact

The military, like Sodexo and all other major employers, has a critical role to play in reducing the impact of its operations on the environment.

Food waste has long been a challenge for all organisations, with around one third of food produced for human consumption thought to be wasted each year. Much of this waste goes to landfill, where it breaks down into harmful gases such as methane.

At Sodexo, we have pledged to cut food waste across all our sites by 50% by 2025, as part of our wider ambition to reduce our carbon footprint by 34% by the same year. Groundbreaking technology is creating new opportunities to realise these aims, with initiatives such as WasteWatch allowing us to minimise food waste through more intelligent planning.

WasteWatch technology has been introduced at each of our military sites, allowing chefs to analyse how much of each dish is ultimately wasted. This facilitates optimisation, both in terms of portion sizes and when certain meals are produced.

We supply detailed breakdowns of the waste that has been prevented by tracking, monitoring and adapting processes, and compare these to baselines set before implementation. The effects have been dramatic, thanks to the unprecedented insight offered by the technology. In just one year at our Hestia South site, WasteWatch helped reduce food waste by 39% - the equivalent of over 21,000 meals.

Such advancements contribute to the Ministry of Defence’s aim to significantly reduce emissions and waste throughout its operations.

A person pointing at a computer screen displaying a fruit and vegetable.

Enabling Quality of Life

Sodexo has long been an insights-led organisation, using feedback from (and knowledge about) our customers to inform our services and our approach. Nowhere is this more important than on military sites, where a unique culture and experience means being attuned to people’s needs is critical to providing support and enhancing life on base.

Fully integrated apps give people control over how and when they shop and eat, and also allows them to stay informed about the base and various activities. Greater insight and dynamic feedback systems allow us to continually improve our services and the lived experience, while better understanding of how meals are consumed enables significant reduction of food waste.

People will always be responsible for delivering valuable support and interaction, but innovative and advanced technology creates opportunities to enhance the lived experience every day, so we can go above and beyond for service personnel, their families, and the communities on base.