Choosing an office coffee vendor

The office coffee industry consists of a few national companies that will service large U.S. businesses and smaller companies that work directly with local businesses of 20 or more employees. A national company can offer years of experience to advise you on an optimal setup, but are usually more expensive. The smaller "mom and pop" outfits can offer a more personable relationship since they have a community presence, as well as potentially lower prices, but they might not have access to the best equipment or certain premium coffee blends.

You can also sign up for office coffee services online, which can provide considerable price breaks. However, your choices of brewing equipment through an online vendor may be more limited, and it may be difficult to arrange terms that work for you.

Regardless of the type of office coffee vendor you work with, you want to create a strong relationship with a company that provides prompt and friendly service and offers flexible service terms. Every vendor differs in their offerings so it's important to speak with several vendors to find the one that offers the best mix of price, quality, and service.

Since the taste and quality of your coffee will be a top priority, it's important to sample the various coffees available before making a decision. Office coffee vendors will not only provide free samples, but also may host "coffee tasting parties." This allows your employees to test different coffees - and other beverages - and determine what they like. Best of all, the vendor uses the brewing equipment you would get so you know what to expect when you brew on your own.

Obviously, cost is an important consideration, but you should try not to get too caught up in choosing the vendor with the absolute lowest prices. One vendor may offer the best price, but the money you save may pale in comparison to the problems you may get from poor equipment, low-quality beverages, or unhappy employees. You should put an equal weight on customer service and quality when making a decision.

How quickly do you need to get office coffee services set up? You can be ready to brew the first pot as soon as the next day. It depends on how quickly the vendor can get brewing equipment from the warehouse. If it's a popular model, it may not be in stock and the vendor will have to special order it. This can take one to two weeks before you receive your first delivery.

References are the best way to determine if an office coffee vendor is worthy of your business. If possible, try to get references from your area. You can also get details in person about the buyer's experience with the vendor. Make sure to ask things such as:

• Do they offer a large variety of coffees?
• How quickly do they respond to problems?
• Did they try to sell you anything you didn't want or need?
• Are orders delivered on time? Do they ever miss deliveries?
• Do they offer both live and online customer service?
• If you are unsatisfied with a product, do they replace it for free?
• Did the vendor explain to your staff how the equipment worked?
• Are the delivery technicians friendly and helpful?
• Do you have online access to your account?
• Is it easy to revise or cancel an order?
• Do you get advance notice of price changes?