Thursday 12th November is the fifth annual World Quality Day and this year, the theme focuses on creating customer value. This is a timely reminder of the importance of truly understanding customers’ needs. At First Choice – working in partnership with BRITA Professional and Hobart Service – we’re committed to working together to meet those needs, not least when it comes to providing good value in the upkeep and maintenance of catering equipment.

Inevitably, 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought increased stress and challenges to our industry with many more worried than ever about the implications of equipment failure. A recent survey by BRITA Professional of professional kitchen workers found 81% have altered their equipment cleaning and inspection regime post-lockdown. One third are also more cautious about costs due to the pandemic and are looking to maintain and mend equipment where possible,

On World Quality Day, we believe prevention of breakdown has never been more important. This approach will save our customers time, money and ensure operational efficiency as well as having an impact on equipment sustainability.

To celebrate World Quality Day, here are our top three tips on how to maintain the quality of your catering equipment.

1) Always use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) Parts

Catering equipment is the lifeblood of any commercial food service operation, so maximising its uptime is crucial to running a profitable business. As such, it’s essential to look beyond price when caring for your equipment and ensure you put quality first by using genuine parts.  The result will be equipment that continues to operate optimally, safeguarding your investment and the people who operate it.
OEM parts also mean you can guarantee high-quality materials and functionality. Such parts keep equipment running exactly as the manufacturer intended, reducing the chances of a failure right in the middle of a busy food service.

2)  Preventative Maintenance is Crucial

It’s essential to carry out preventative maintenance such as descaling, deep cleaning and changing water filters on time as this will undoubtedly help improve the performance and lifespan of equipment. The good news is that recent research has found 20% of professional kitchen outlets have recently introduced preventative maintenance, such as a water filter, to prevent limescale build up and damage. It’s essential though that more of us adopt this approach as without it, catering equipment can operate at an ever-decreasing rate of efficiency.

Even with the highest quality equipment it is completely normal for certain parts to degrade with use. Leaving them unchecked could lead to reduced efficiency, higher running costs and, in the worst case, large and costly, avoidable repairs.

As Steve Buckmaster, BRITA Professional Sales Director explains:

“By implementing measures such as preventative maintenance, financial pressures could be eased. For example, on equipment that uses water, one of the most effective ways to prevent premature breakdowns is by using the correct water filter and exchanging it on time. This can help eliminate damage and inefficiency over time caused by the build-up of limescale.”

3) Protect your Warranty

When you buy quality equipment it comes with a manufacturer’s warranty that will help to safeguard you against breakdown but you need to do your part too. First up, ensure that you only use OEM parts as non-OEM parts may invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty meaning the appliance may no longer be covered for future claims. It also means you may not be able to claim back the cost of the part under the warranty as non-OEM parts aren’t covered by the manufacturer.

Preventative maintenance and servicing is also an important piece of the puzzle to ensure you are protecting your warranty and keeping your equipment in the optimum condition possible.

Ultimately Using First Choice Group for your parts and accessories is an extension of the manufacturer’s service and you have access to quality parts from the likes of Hobart and BRITA Professional. This by extension will help to validate claims and reassure you that the supply chain has the manufacturer’s approval.

Customers are at the heart of everything

Embracing quality remains more important than ever as we look to support businesses in light of the pandemic.  First Choice, Hobart Service and BRITA Professional all hold the ISO 9001 certification which demonstrates the standards that organisations must have in place within their quality management system.

As an industry we continue to innovate with technology embracing auto replenishment schemes which use APIs so parts can be automatically re-ordered. On World Quality Day 2020 our customers remain at the heart of everything we do as we strive to support you to maintain quality equipment no matter what.

For more information on our OEM spares supply for BRITA Professional and Hobart visit:

• www.firstchoice-cs.co.uk/manufacturers/brita/
• www.firstchoice-cs.co.uk/manufacturers/hobart/