Gathering service users’ thoughts and opinions provides quality and honest feedback about how to change or improve the food and services you deliver. At the CAP Awards we believe it’s essential to gather this data and it’s the only way to ensure you are meeting the needs and expectations of your pupils and residents.

Here are our top tips on how to generate simple but effective feedback for your catering teams:

1. Verbal feedback: nothing beats actually speaking with pupils or residents and finding out what their views are. Make sure their comments are recorded so that they are not lost and can actioned at an appropriate time.

2. Create a designated email address for feedback: not everyone wants to speak face to face, nor has the time, so a specific email for feedback is an easy way to communicate.

3. Survey your service users: surveys or questionnaires allow you to ask a specific question to gather the data that you need e.g. menu choice and/or views on the overall service. Have a both printed and electronic option for the survey.