Most foodservice operations—especially healthcare and correctional facilities that operate within strict budgetary guidelines—don’t replace foodservice equipment on a whim. They might engage in a three-month to three-year process to ensure they are getting the right equipment for their needs at the right price.

In these situations, from whom you buy is as important as what you buy. Since there are as many foodservice equipment manufacturers as there are dishes in your warewasher, it’s important to consider equipment from a manufacturer that isn’t going to leave you high and dry after the initial purchase.

“Your relationship with an equipment manufacturer shouldn’t end after the sale,” says Tim Christianson, territory sales manager for Hobart. “That’s why it’s important to work with a manufacturer that is going to be involved throughout the proposal, purchase, installation and service phases.”

Christianson says it’s critical that foodservice operations and consultants work with manufacturers that integrate the sales and service functions in order to provide accurate estimates that not only include purchase, delivery and installation, but also equipment removal and any necessary electrical or ductwork.

Single Point of Contact
Integrating sales and service provides more than just accurate estimates. When an equipment manufacturer is involved in every aspect of equipment start-up, it makes life easier for the dealer/distributor and the customer. One area where it’s critical to have a single point of contact is service.

“Even the best equipment breaks down, but the last thing you want is to be waiting hours for a technician to arrive or days for the right part to come in,” says Christianson. “Downtime equals lost revenue, and the faster you can get back up and running, the better.”

Christianson explains that equipment manufacturers that integrate sales and service have a better ability to coordinate service calls through a national service network. This type of integration increases the likelihood of getting a factory-trained technician any day of the week, day or night. He also explains the importance of having a qualified technician.

“Many foodservice equipment manufacturers don’t have a large network of technicians, so they have to hire out local technicians in various parts of the country,” he says. “These technicians may not be skilled at working on a particular brand or piece of equipment and may be ineffective when it really counts.”

No matter how well trained technicians are, it won’t mean much if they don’t have the parts they need. Christianson says Hobart has made significant investments to ensure its fleet of service vans has the parts technicians need most. Those parts that aren’t stocked on service vans can be delivered overnight in most cases.

One Person to Call Should Problems Arise
One of the most significant benefits of having one point of contact from the proposal phase through purchase and service is knowing who to call should problems arise.

“If you run into a problem with a service technician where they don’t show up or they can’t get a part, in most cases you have to deal directly with the service company,” explains Christianson. “If you have a single point of contact at the manufacturer that integrates sales and service, you can work directly with them to resolve any issues.”

Christianson offers a common scenario.

“For example, if the service team is running into a roadblock and needs help from the factory, the manufacturer can work directly with the factory to resolve the issue. You can get out of the loop and when there are more irons in the fire, things get resolved more quickly.”

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