To have a successful business in the food service industry, you must have good quality food service equipment ranging from freezers, ranges, ice machines, deep fryers, refrigerators, just to name a few. However, do you know the life expectancy of the current equipment in your business? Do you have an idea of when it is time to replace the existing equipment? To manage your business’s budget and avoid unplanned equipment purchases, it is crucial to know how long the food service equipment will last as well as when to get new food service equipment. With new technologies, it becomes more complex to replace your equipment, and only an experienced service company can advise you when to repair or replace.
At Unimaster Limited, we have a long history of helping business owners maintain and repair their current equipment and advising on when to get new equipment. We have a 24/7 call center, and all you have to do is contact us, and we will dispatch our technicians to provide holistic solutions to problems arising with your food service equipment. However, you can contact us to help you create a maintenance schedule to ensure that you get long and quality service from your appliances.
In this guide, we look at actionable tips to consider when replacing food service equipment, buying new equipment, as well as the maintenance of the new purchases.
Replacement of Food Service Equipment
Rising Repair Costs
All entrepreneurs prefer to ensure that their equipment cannot work as expected before deciding to replace them. For this reason, they make many repairs, but there comes a time when the cumulative cost of the repairs become too high. However, there is equipment that is cheaper to replace than to keep incurring maintenance costs. We ensure to give our professional advice when it is time to sell your old food service equipment and get a replacement.
Employee and Business Safety
Employee safety as they use the current food service equipment should be of high importance. Depending on the threats it poses, you can decide to repair or replace it. Old and dilapidated equipment can result in a fire or worse still maim your employees. It could be that your range or oven is leaking gas, or the electric panel on your electric powered equipment is faulty with wires hanging out of the panel, then it is time to get new food service equipment.
Availability of Spare Parts
It is getting much difficult to get spare parts for older models as new technologies flood the market. If you are getting a hard time finding the spare parts to your food service equipment, the repair costs will rise. Instead of going through so much headache, you had better consider getting new equipment.
Purchasing New Food Service Equipment
When you have concluded that you need new food service equipment, you must consider the implications it will bring to your food service business.
Projected Growth and Volume
After making numerous repairs on your current equipment, it is best to start thinking about the future of your food service business. Your projected growth will have an impact on the new food service equipment you choose. Consider the needs of your food service business at least five years into the future and make the appropriate purchase.
Durability
Before you start shopping for new food service equipment, consider how long you intend to use them. Depending on your type of business, you might have to use them for a long time or vice versa. Do your research on all the available brands on the market today and choose the equipment that can serve you as long as your need. Customer rights sites and forums can help you make an informed decision.
Menu Change
To stay ahead of the competition, it is necessary that you make some changes to your menu and eliminate the foods that are not popular with your clientele. This calls for you to test different equipment for performance, speed, heat recovery, yield, and so much more. More so, energy companies are now reaching out to their customers to test their equipment for energy usage when making orders in their new menu. After the tests, you will have found the strengths and weak spots of different brands.
Regulation and Energy incentives
Governments are looking to reduce the carbon footprint in their jurisdiction and they routinely revise their energy policies. Ensure that you are conversant with the latest regulations before making a purchase. Utility companies are also outdoing each other to offer incentives in the form of rebates to entrepreneurs using efficient food service equipment. Research widely on the incentives offered by different companies, and with time, you will realize a reduction in your cost of utility.
New Food Service Equipment Maintenance
After you have installed the new equipment, the next step will be to create a training schedule for your employees and a maintenance schedule. We have trained and experienced personnel that can take your staff through the process of using the new food service equipment as well as how to maintain them. To avoid disrupting your business, we plan with you to train a few individuals on how to use and maintain the equipment, and they can teach the other members of your staff.
