How Can A Distributor Help You To Choose The Best Piece Of Catering Equipment?
Have you ever wondered what choices there are when it comes to purchasing a new piece of catering equipment? Whether it’s your first purchase or you are a regular buyer of commercial catering equipment do you really know what to look for and if you are getting the best deal? There are a number of things that should be considered before eventually purchasing that all important piece of equipment for your business.
1. Get an idea of how busy you expect your workplace to be and how often you expect to use your chosen piece of equipment. There is little point in buying a high powered freestanding double fryer if you only use the fryer for 30 minutes every evening. Instead a small table top fryer might better suit your needs.
2. Be aware of the space that your new piece of equipment will need. Many people measure the space in the kitchen where they would like their new piece of equipment only to find that it is too big to fit through the door and into position. Make sure when buying equipment that you have enough space to get your desired piece of equipment into place.
3. Always remember that there is more than one option for the piece of equipment you want. Many manufacturers sell similar products and can offer various advantages over each other. Do not simply always choose the cheapest option, instead find out what extras each manufacturer can offer you and see if any of these options may benefit your business.
The best piece of advice however would be to talk to someone who has expertise in this kind of trade. A person who would possess this kind of knowledge would be a distributor. Many distributors offer excellent customer service and are able to supply you with all the major manufacturers to ensure the best quality. Unlike manufacturers who will only be interested in selling you their own products a distributor will take into consideration the demand of the customer and suggest the best product for the job. They offer a much more personal customer service than manufacturers and will talk the decision through with you if you have any concerns.
Another benefit or buying from a distributor is that many may be able to offer you secondhand equipment which should always be considered. Although many people think of secondhand equipment as ‘past its sell by date’, many pieces of reconditioned catering equipment are usually less than 5 years old and are still fully operational. This type of equipment allows you to make purchases on items that may previously have been out of your price range.
Also, it can be advantageous when a piece of equipment breaks and you want a fairly cheap replacement that is able to do the same job. Many pieces of secondhand equipment are sold when the customer wants a direct replacement of their existing product but the model is no longer in production. By purchasing a secondhand model that they’re familiar with a lot of the hassle when deciding on a new product can be saved.
Craig Jones is online marketing manager for http://www.okchef.co.uk - an internet based commercial catering equipment distributor to the food industry in the United Kingdom.
Tags: catering equipment