4 Ways You Can Save on Your Restaurant Equipment Repairs
Majority of the repairs I do are for fast food chains but this content is valuable for any type of restaurant.
1. Communication
I believe we can all agree for any relationship to succeed communication is key. Relaying messages on repairs is critical. For some reason in my experience it’s like playing telephone. You hear one thing but once you reach the last person it’s a different story. I’ve worked on the wrong machine, I’ve driven to the wrong location, I’ve gone to locations where staff have figured out the problem but didn’t tell me. When an issue occurs have your manager explain the situation as if they were being interrogated by detectives solving a murder case. I take this very seriously and you should too. It’s my time and your money. A manager should never call for service and only say “the machine is not working”. Always have them give more information. For example: the machine is not heating up, there’s no power, I heard a loud pop and now it’s off, etc. I highly recommend to always provide your tech the location with the issue, the equipment, and a detailed description of the issue or of what happened. Remember, communication is key.
2. Repair Technicians
Don’t be afraid to ask your technician for some advice. We may have a better solution to your problem. Always ask your tech “what can we do on our end to prevent this from happening again?”. A tech should only give you procedures that are safe to do so. Be a leader, don’t keep what you have learned to yourself. Pass the information on to your team.
3. Store Manager
I am aware that your managers priority is detailed on sales and overseeing the staff. Knowledge of the equipments should be a requirement. About 75% of service calls I get are caused by end user mistakes. Your restaurant shouldn’t receive a hefty invoice with the scope of work description saying “the computer was off. All I did was press the ON button”. Trust me, I am guilty of this. Have your lead manager take a training course on the equipments. Anything learned should be shared amongst staff. I would also recommend saving this critical data for future reference. This will create a better sense of knowledge of the equipment and leadership. Your managers will now understand the procedures to take before contacting a technician.
4. Equipment Maintenance
Create a cleaning guide for each equipment on sight. This should be a mandatory procedure. This cleaning process will extend the life span of your equipment and assure your products quality. Please hold your staff accountable. I say please because as a technician one thing I dislike is having to drive miles and miles constantly for something that could of been prevented.
It would mean the world to me if you share this information.
By Henry Tejada on January 26, 2016
https://tgrpblog.wordpress.com/2016/01/26/how-to-save-on-equipment-repairs/
