A Conversation with Simon Elliot, Managing Partner of 4xi Global Consulting
Simon has worked in the food and amenities business all his career working with organizations all over the world, often with common challenges:
Workplace Experience: How to provide equity of workplace experiences between the headquarters and dispersed small sites and locations?
Building Owners: How to activate buildings to create places where people choose to be and drive tenant, and tenant employee satisfaction and engagement?
Employers: How to create great food and beverage experiences beyond a vending machine and/or pantry offering?
Service Providers: How to provide services to existing clients where you don't have a geographical presence?
In this interview, Simon talks about OpeRaison - a lounge activation for your business, no matter where you are.
Question: Simon, thank you for joining us. Many organizations struggle with providing consistent workplace experiences across their locations, particularly when balancing small offices with regional headquarters. Can you tell us why this is such a persistent challenge?
Simon Elliot: Absolutely. The issue lies in the "haves" and "have-nots" dilemma. Large headquarters often boast high-end amenities, seamless services, and consistent employee experience. Meanwhile, smaller or remote offices - often just as critical to operations - are left with fewer resources, fragmented services, and inconsistent quality. This creates a gap, not only in employee satisfaction but also in productivity and engagement.
Question: What are some of the key pain points organizations face with small sites and dispersed employees?
Simon Elliot: There are several, but it often boils down to three main issues: consistency, quality, and cost. First, it’s challenging to replicate the same level of service in smaller locations due to limited budgets or lower headcounts. Second, the experience offered can feel like a downgrade compared to headquarters, leading to frustration and disengagement. Finally, managing these disparities becomes a black hole for spend, as decentralized solutions lack economies of scale and operational efficiency.
Question: How does 4xi’s OpeRaison Lounge Activation tackle these challenges?
Simon Elliot: OpeRaison is a transformative workplace solution designed to level the playing field. It provides a scalable, modular approach that works for sites of all sizes, whether you’re servicing 500 employees or 1,500. It’s more than a workplace; it’s a community hub that combines functionality with purpose. With OpeRaison, small sites can have a tailored solution that rivals the experience of larger locations, all while staying cost-effective.
We believe that just like the kitchen table at home where we meet, connect, share our day, celebrate, solve problems together, the same is true for the workplace.
Question: That sounds transformative. Can you explain how it works in practice?
Simon Elliot: Think of OpeRaison as a plug-and-play model. It’s designed to provide end-to-end solutions from coffee and bakery offerings in the morning to a deli-style and lunch offerings, in addition to happy hour, and catering services throughout the day. It’s not just about food and beverages but about creating a space where people want to be - whether to work, connect, or unwind. This is especially critical in today’s hybrid work environment, where employers need to "magnetize" their spaces to encourage in-office collaboration.
Question: Technology seems to play a critical role in OpeRaison. How does the Nectarine platform enhance this offering?
Simon Elliot: Nectarine is at the core of our solution, acting as the digital marketplace and operating system for the back-of-house operations. It centralizes scopes of work (SOWs), menu management, contracting, and vendor relations into one streamlined platform. This provides complete transparency and control over services, quality, and cost across all locations. Nectarine empowers clients to manage multiple vendors and programs effortlessly, all from a single dashboard. This ensures a consistent, high-quality experience regardless of location.
Question: OpeRaison also involves collaboration with partners like Axis Design. How do they contribute to the success of the concept?
Simon Elliot: Axis Design plays a pivotal role in designing and creating the physical spaces that embody the OpeRaison vision. They bring the modular, bespoke hubs to life, ensuring that every space is tailored to the unique culture and needs of the client. Their expertise ensures the space is not only functional but also aesthetically appealing and inviting - critical factors in fostering a sense of community and belonging.
Question: You’ve mentioned that OpeRaison is agnostic to service providers. Can you explain why that’s important and how it works?
Simon Elliot: Being agnostic to service providers is one of OpeRaison’s key strengths. This flexibility means that we’re not tied to any specific operator. Instead, Nectarine oversees and controls all SOWs, contracts, quality, and costs. This allows clients to choose service providers that best meet their needs while maintaining a consistent experience across all sites.
OpeRaison is a game-changer for organizations looking for tailored yet standardized solutions, as they’re no longer constrained by traditional vendor limitations.
Question: How does this agnostic approach help manage spend while maintaining quality?
Simon Elliot: By separating service delivery from operational management, we can focus on what matters: delivering a great employee experience. The technology ensures that every element - from menu options to staffing levels - is optimized for efficiency and quality. Meanwhile, the centralized platform helps organizations achieve economies of scale, reducing costs without compromising on service standards.
Question: Finally, what advice would you give to organizations struggling with the "haves and have-nots" challenge?
Simon Elliot: Focus on equity and inclusivity across your locations. It’s not just about providing the same services everywhere; it’s about delivering a consistent experience that resonates with your employees, regardless of where they work. Solutions like OpeRaison bridge these gaps by offering scalable, flexible, and high-quality options. Ultimately, investing in the experience of all your employees isn’t just a moral imperative - it’s a business one.
Question: Thank you, Simon. Any closing thoughts?
Simon Elliot: It’s an exciting time for workplace transformation. As organizations navigate hybrid models and shifting employee expectations, we have an opportunity to redefine the workplace experience for the better. At 4xi, we’re proud to be leading the charge with innovative solutions like OpeRaison and the technology to support it.
*Click to expand slideshow.
OpeRaison (noun)
Pronunciation: /ō-pə-rā-zon/
Etymology: Derived from the Latin opus (work) and the French phrase raison d’être (reason for being).
Definition: A transformative workplace concept designed to be the central hub of multi-tenant office spaces, blending functionality with a sense of purpose and belonging. OpeRaison embodies the idea that workspaces should not only serve a practical function but also foster community, creativity, and connection, becoming the “reason for being” for modern professionals.
In Context: OpeRaison is the heart of the workplace - a thoughtfully designed environment that reflects the history, culture, and soul of its surroundings, inspiring individuals and teams to thrive.
OpeRaison Lounge not only transforms spaces into places where people choose to be, building connectivity and community, but is ideal for:
Employers: wanting to provide equitable food, beverage, and workplace experiences for everyone, everywhere.
Workplace Experience Organizations: seeking transparency, consistency, and control of services across their organization..
Building Owners & Property Managers: looking to activate buildings and drive the occupier, and tenant employee experience.
Service Providers: seeking to expand their reach and services to client footprints beyond their existing geographical coverage.
To learn more about 4xi and OpeRaison and how we can help with your small site solutions, contact us today:
4xi Global Consulting & Solutions is a team of talented leaders from both the client-side and service provider side, impacting the Human Experience (HX) for people at work, in education, rest, and at leisure.
We believe in a people-first, experience-led philosophy. Whether client, employee, or guest – their experience is the fundamental foundation of success.
We work with corporations, service providers, and innovators:
Strategic Advisory & Special Projects (SPx)
Headquarters Fractional Support On-Demand
Evolving Experiences© - Employee (EX) & Customer Experience (CX)
Design4Life©: Environmental, Physical, and Experiential Design
Global Amenities Strategy, Design & Operations
TRUE NORTH©: Strategic Partnership & Growth
Sustainability Simplified©: Supply Chain & Innovation
Market Research Reports & Benchmarking
Project Management Office
Food Craft Culinary Consulting
CREATE. : Graphic Design and Creative Services
DATAxi: Data Ingestion and Visualization
Explorers Innovation Directory: Gateway to Innovation
4xi is proud to be Chair of WORKTECH Academy for North America and a member of its Leadership Advisory Board. 4xi is a Global Ambassador for WORKTECH Academy.
San Francisco | New York | Philadelphia | Orlando | North Carolina | Seattle | Silicon Valley | Santiago | London | Tokyo
Comments