You hear about them all the time – these incredible restaurants that feature high dollar tasting menus, crazy displays of molecular gastronomy, and insanely creative food that will leave you speechless. As restaurants advance to offer more to the customer experience, so do their kitchen exhaust systems and the grease they produce. If you have been a kitchen exhaust cleaner with years of field experience, you can attest to the fact that there are several different kinds of systems and configurations out there, each with their own unique grease output.
Kitchen exhaust cleaners can be tasked with cleaning a restaurant with multiple hood systems with a long maze of connecting ductwork and a solid fuel cooking system. For complex systems with hundreds of feet of lateral ductwork, would your kitchen exhaust cleaning company be up to the task? These types of jobs require a lot of technicians, multiple ladder setups, and chemical applications.
Upgrading or purchasing the right equipment can be instrumental in helping your KEC company tackle these tough jobs. It is common for businesses to get to a point where they have plateaued and need to invest in their business for it to grow and become more profitable. You may need to purchase new technology, machinery, and equipment. Taking that step to purchase new equipment can feel difficult but necessary.
Your equipment purchase needs to fit in with your overall strategy. Here are some tips for making the right equipment purchase:
Face The Reality
The right equipment can improve your processes, productivity, capacity to innovate, and increase your revenue. Start by assessing your kitchen exhaust cleaning company’s reality and define your objectives. Ask yourself these questions:
- Are you looking to increase productivity?
- Will this new equipment make you more successful?
- Will it help you stay ahead of your competitors?
- Does the equipment provide a solution to a problem?
Get An External Point of View
Before you go out and just start buying the latest and greatest equipment, pause and get an external point view. Depending on the scale of your investment, work with an external consultant who can ensure you are making the most of your purchase by accurately assessing your needs. They can also provide a cost-benefit analysis, which can help justify your purchase. Omni Containment Systems would be more than happy to help you discuss these changes and any new equipment your kitchen exhaust cleaning company might need.
Create A Roadmap
It is important to see what’s working well in your kitchen exhaust cleaning company and what is not. What problems do you or your technicians face while on the job? This important step helps you understand your current equipment, set equipment acquisition priorities, and provide a timeline for implementation of new equipment. This will also give you a clear picture of what you are already doing and map out your processes. Whether it is buying new equipment, new technology, or optimizing certain processes, this roadmap will help to identify investment opportunities to improve your clients’ results.
Find a Trusted Supplier
The internet gives you access to a wide range of kitchen exhaust cleaning equipment companies, so take the time to research. Sign up for newsletters targeting specific industries, and attend trade shows where you can get some hands-on time with equipment Above all, don’t let price alone guide your decision. Consider aspects such as post-sales service and the supplier’s reputation. You can, and should, request their references!
Keep Training in Mind
All too often, entrepreneurs like KEC companies don’t consider the time, money, and resources required to train employees on the new equipment. Be sure to factor in training time to avoid productivity drops that can occur when employees take too much time to adapt to new equipment and technology. If the equipment is new or has new features, assume employees will face a learning curve. Block off time to train employees and ask the supplier if they provide new equipment training for your crew. You will find that many suppliers have already factored in this important element, so take advantage of it! When Omni Containment Systems sells you any of the Tegras equipment, we will have training with your employees to make sure everyone understands how to use it correctly. Remember, it’s important to get ahead of problems by ensuring you have the right training in place to minimize downtime.
When you implement this process for your kitchen exhaust cleaning company, you can rest assured that as restaurants advance to offer more to the customer experience that you too are advancing with the right equipment! As a kitchen exhaust cleaner, you want to ensure that not only are your clients happy, but their spaces are free of all grease. The easier that job is on you and your employees, the better. When you obtain the right equipment, you will have the peace of mind knowing that it is going to save you time and money. That, in itself, is priceless.
