2. Problems with Equipment and/or Facilities

Things break. This is a fact of life. And it always seem to happen when you least expect it (well, we never expect things to break, do we?) or we need them the most (again, we always need the things that we use, right?).

However, there are some things that you can do to prevent/mitigate these kinds of problems:

A. Perform routine maintenance of all your equipment.

Although you will spend some extra money, it is totally worth it if this saves you grief and expensive emergency repairs.

There are companies that specialize in maintaining and servicing your equipment and appliances on an ongoing basis.

You can get an annual contract with them with scheduled visits to check all the equipment, change filters, lubricate the moving parts, etc.

Think about this as insurance for your well-being.

B. Keep in your place a handy list with phone numbers of all the companies and professionals that can help you whenever something fails in your place.

If you don’t have the maintenance contract, something will break or malfunction, and your stress level will rise quickly when you can’t find the phone number of the company or professional that can fix or repair your equipment.

It is a good idea to keep a folder containing the warranties of all the new equipment that you buy, in this way, if something is still under warranty, you will get it fixed for free (or just for the price of the parts).

Whenever you buy something new from a distributor, ask them also who services and repairs the equipment it if it breaks and it’s not covered by the warranty anymore. Take note of the person or place and write it down in your contact list. Also write down the warranty expiration date, so that you know if it is still covered or not.

Include in your list the names and phone numbers of other professionals that can be handy whenever something goes wrong. Make sure that you keep copies of this list (things get lost) at your home, and post a copy in a place where everybody can see it.

Don’t forget to tell all your employees where you keep the list. Not only they will be able to quickly find and contact the necessary repair person, but you will also ensure that they call the people that you want instead of looking blindly through the Yellow Pages.

These are some categories of professionals and their phone numbers that you could start compiling in your handy list. This list is limited (you’ll have specific needs to cover depending of what kind of restaurant and appliances you have), but you’ll get the idea: • Dish Washer • Refrigerator • Stoves • Ovens • Coffee Machines • Fryers and other kitchen appliances • Electrician • Plumber • Heating and Air Conditioning Maintenance and Repair • Locksmith • Taxi Service • Linen Service • Food Providers • Drinks Providers • Landlord • Handyman (for minor repairs) • Grease disposal • Linen Company • Phone equipment • Fax • Computer • Point of Sale or terminal • Software support • Miscellaneous

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