If you’re new to the restaurant business, you might not know right away where to find a Commercial Refrigerator Supplier. We’ve created this handy guide to help you know a few factors to keep in mind when undertaking that search.
1. How Do They Handle Shipping?
Shipping can be an extraordinarily expensive portion of the cost of purchasing a commercial refrigerator. Refrigerators are not small items! Freight shipping prices are simply going up and up as the years go on, so researching how a commercial refrigerator supplier handles shipping is more than worth your time. The savings can be in the range of hundreds of dollars per unit!
2. Do They Sell Used Products?
Suppliers who offer used products can be your ticket to saving thousands of dollars for your restaurant that can be invested elsewhere. Every dollar saved in the setup process of the restaurant increases your advantage over all other competition. Used products from reputable suppliers are often more than 50% of the cost of a new option, and they are usually functionally indistinguishable from new products. Never underestimate used options when considering a commercial refrigerator supplier.
3. Do They Offer Quality Consumer Protection?
Guarantees on used equipment and fair warranties on new equipment are more important than you might think. While equipment failure is not all that common, when it does happen it is incredibly important to have something to fall back on for help. A piece of equipment going down in a kitchen can prevent whole sections of your menu from being cooked, but a refrigerator failing means an immediate, pressing health issue. Losing ingredients to temperature issues is incredibly expensive to your business.
4. Can They Offer You Regular Customer Service and Support?
Following up with the previous example, reliable service and support is very important as well. If you have something go wrong with a refrigerator you bought, it is crucial that you be able to contact your supplier. Companies that do not offer easy-to-access customer service and support are unlikely to be able to provide your restaurant with what you need.
5. Does Their Culture/Brand Mesh With Yours?
Believe it or not, you can end up saving a lot of money, time, and effort by working with a commercial refrigerator supplier whose company culture and brand work well with your own. Imagine this: you’re a company with a serious culture devoted to bringing the absolute best for your customers, but your supplier is a laid back company with lax shipping deadlines. As you can see, this sort of culture mismatch would end in disaster for you. Keep that in mind as a final consideration. Nor cold cooling units
