Accor Services launches Advantages

Accor Services has just gone live with a new and free enhancement to its childcare voucher scheme that gives employees access to a range of family oriented special offers and discounts.

With the cost of living soaring and childcare costs at a premium, making money go further is becoming more and more difficult.  In response to this, the suite of benefits working parents can now access through Accor Services' childcare vouchers - which are available at no extra cost the employer - have been specifically designed to help them make better savings, get more for their money and better manage their household costs.

"Accor Services is proud to be the company that introduced the first childcare voucher scheme in the UK twenty years ago and as part of our commitment to supporting working parents we are continuing to innovate," says Patrick Langlois, Managing Director of Accor Services.

"Employees surveyed by Accor Services last year pointed to a lack of money (44%) and a lack of time (28%) as the two biggest constraints in their daily lives.  In today's economic and business environment few employers can automatically raise wages or reduce hours to help their people with these pressures yet through the savings families can now make through our childcare voucher scheme companies can take positive steps to releive some of the burden on working parents, " he explains.

Employees can access these special offers and discounts via their existing childcare voucher account.  There really is something for everyone in the scheme, ranging from shopping vouchers for great discounts on clothes and groceries, savings on holidays, airport parking and family days out, as well as special offers on a range of different childcare options.

• Shopping vouchers - these can be bought online and offer savings of up to 7.5% on shopping at a host of leading high street stores and supermarkets

• Special offers - great offers and special discounts updated daily from leading retailers and online stores on a wide range of items including toys and games, clothes, sports gear and home entertainment

• Days out and holidays - discounted family days out at theme parks and leisure attractions, as well as the latest holiday deals from leading tour operators for European packages, cruises, skiing and UK breaks

• Childcare - special rates for selected childcare and summer camps for children aged 3 to 17 years

These offers are automatically available to employees currently receiving electronic childcare vouchers from Accor Services from 18th March; they do not need to sign up or register to view the offers which are easily accessible through their online childcare vouchers account.

"By selecting a childcare voucher scheme that provides working parents with the opportunity to make real savings on items such as the weekly shop, you can show you're a caring and thoughtful employer that values and respects its employees.  Through actions and support such as this employers can increase engagement, motivation and business performance," says Patrick Langlois.