“If I travel on a train, I travel differently”
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to travel on board many trains in Europe – both for my own private travel and for business-related duty travel. In my position at LSG Sky Chefs, my eyes immediately start wandering around as soon as I jump on a train and I automatically begin to check out what makes every train special and different from the others.
Even though I have always paid a specific attention to the Food & Beverage offering in the bar / bistro and to the seat configuration, I have quickly understood that many other aspects of a train’s configuration can have major influences on train catering. Thus, trivial information such as the size of the corridor in second or first class, small inclinations on the floor between two wagons or simply the seat configuration itself could all play a major role in developing the right service concept. Whether for ease of service reasons for the crew or simply to best suit passengers’ expectations, such details can make a tremendous difference in the acceptance of the product and, subsequently, increase sales.
When all the above are put together with mandatory color coding, brand design and general cultural acceptance, plenty of business opportunities arise. It is then on us to develop the best suitable concept for both operators and passengers.
LSG Sky Chefs provides train services to different train operators in Europe and, as the responsible Sales contact, every train I take is either a check on our existing customer or a new business opportunity.
The train catering market is moving fast and will move even faster in the coming years. We want to be part of it, so I continue to ride trains. But beside all the business aspects, I still find some time to relax while reading or listening to music.
Xavier