No restaurant can function without its equipment. When it comes time to invest in new restaurant equipment, the decision can impact the success of the business for years into the future—even a decade or more. Not only do operators need to consider how well the equipment meets their specific needs right now, they also need to consider all angles of the long term. When things inevitably go wrong, how quickly can the service team provide support and return the restaurant to normal operations? Can the team perform regular maintenance to reduce the likelihood of catastrophic failures? Can they train restaurant staff to use equipment properly?
“In reality, it’s all about uptime,” says Robert Wells, director of global customer service for Taylor Company. “The initial investment in your equipment is the first step, but maximum uptime leads to customer satisfaction and return on investment. ”
Equipment uptime has an impact on all aspects of restaurant operations—and service plays a critical role. “The level of service you get makes all the difference,” Wells says. “Ultimately, your relationship with the manufacturer and the local independent service provider is what will keep your equipment at optimal performance. When restaurant equipment isn’t working properly, employees and customers aren’t happy, and of course, any downtime leads to a loss of sales. Excellent equipment service is important to sustaining positive experiences for your customers and staff.”
Taylor Company—well-known for its commercial soft-serve and frozen beverage equipment as well as its commercial griddles—also maintains a significant commitment to long-term service. Taylor manages a dedicated call center and its independent distributor network provides prompt local support as well as service contract programs.
“Thanks to the quality of our equipment and the independent service network that supports it, our operator partners see optimal uptime,” Wells says. “The technicians are certified Taylor experts. They go through extensive training on a regular basis to ensure they have the knowledge and ability to support the equipment in the market. The majority of the time, they can fix an issue on their first trip.”
The Taylor independent distributor network offers installation, staff training, preventive maintenance, cleaning programs, troubleshooting, replacement parts, and repair services. “We have a very strong independent service network around the world,” Wells says. “They are strategically placed to provide timely responses and address service needs. All of our distributors have a large inventory of OEM Taylor parts on hand, which increases the ability to provide a first-time fix—which again results in increased uptime.” The TurboCharge Training offering also provides free training to employees of operator partners to ensure crew members understand how to use the equipment properly.
All Taylor independent technicians must commit to something the company calls “The Five-Point Promise.” On every service call, technicians must ask for the manager and introduce themselves, clarify and confirm the issue, diagnose and repair the problem, do something that goes above and beyond, and thoroughly explain the job ticket.
“The technicians and independent distributors are held to a very high standard,” says Greg Pryal, senior sales director at Taylor Company. “We believe Taylor is the only company that can provide an independent badged technician who has gone through training within the last five years, who arrives to your facility with Taylor OEM parts to provide customer satisfaction. You’ll know that when you need it most, you’ll be able to rely on their support.”
To learn more about Taylor Company’s independent service network and its offerings, visit the website.