Installation—Crossroads of an Industry

Foodservice Equipment & Supplies - May 2006

By Patrick Duffy

Throughout the life cycle of any piece of commercial food service equipment, channel partners converge only once. That instance is when a piece of equipment is installed. At that moment, each segment of our industry has an interest at stake. Installation can be called the single most crucial factor in determining customer satisfaction. It is also arguably the single most fragmented, least cooperative process in our industry. This is changing.

No one wins on a poor installation. The manufacturer loses through increased warranty costs. The manufacturer’s rep loses because the demo they have set up has to be rescheduled due to the improper installation. The dealer loses because the end-user withholds payment until the new piece of equipment works properly. The consultant loses time and money trying to appease their customer and finish the project without leaving a bad taste in their mouth. The authorized service company loses when they go out on a call that nobody wants to pay for and isn’t covered under warranty.

Let’s not forget the customer. By assuming the installation of the new equipment was the no-brainer part, the operator now has a brand new $15,000 coat rack or pizza pan storage cabinet. They are certainly not happy. Who do they blame for their misfortune? Each and every one of us – the members of the distribution chain. If we all do not work together to make proper installation a top priority, then we are working against each other.

CFESA is working with our channel partners to change this shared problem into a shared victory. The association is in the final stages of developing a certified installation package that will ensure customer satisfaction from day one. We have an installation form that covers all the bases of a quality installation. When this road map is followed, we will all have a smiling customer. The CFESA education and training committee is working with our trainers to introduce the CFESA Certified Installer Program. This training class will make sure all graduates know the steps to a great installation and have the skills to provide one. We will roll out this program later this year and support from our channel partners will help guarantee its success.

Together with MAFSI and FCSI, we developed a preface document that outlines and defines the installation inspection, demo, start-up and performance check processes for the customer. The demo request and the start-up request forms have received industrywide acceptance and are already in use in many of our businesses. These documents help make a smooth transition from installation to start-up to demo. By working with each other instead of alone, we have eliminated one of our industry’s most sticky situations.

The same cooperation and teamwork are necessary to make proper installation of food service equipment the norm. It should be demanded of each of us. We each have our hand in the process. We all have a stake in the outcome. By driving the importance of a good installation from the very beginning, we will all benefit from having a happy customer for years to come. Let’s use the tools that we have created together and continue cooperating with each other with one goal in mind: total customer satisfaction.