How GP Can Support Your Commercial Food Equipment Replacement Needs

By – The Editor

In this blog we meet Key Account Manager, Dean Wayne. As one of our most tenured employees, Dean has a wealth of experience which covers many facets of the commercial food equipment service industry. With over 40 years of experience within the industry, Dean has worked from bus boy, to cook, to construction and equipment installer through to his current role in equipment and service sales.

More recently, Dean has been putting this knowledge to work, by helping our clients with their replacement equipment needs. This may not be an area General Parts Group is well known for, but it is something we do regularly and excel at, and that is too a great extent because of Dean’s work in this area. The types of projects we work on can vary hugely, from small countertop equipment to dish machines to entire cook line installation that may or may not include the authorized start-up. As the Authorized Service Agent (ASA) when requested we will perform start-ups, even when we don’t do installation. Working hand-in-hand with the site contractors and the trades we can work on projects both big and small, where every project is unique, but everyone has the same attention to detail.

To get to know how General Parts supports its customers needing replacement equipment we talked with Dean to get his thoughts and advice on the topic.

What is the difference between equipment replacement and new equipment sales?
The answer is really in the name, replacement equipment is equipment that fulfils the same functionality as previously where new sales are an addition to the kitchen or an upgrade to the kitchen usually driven by menu or staffing changes.

Why is GP a good solution for people needing replacement equipment?
Convenience, familiarity and speed are the key reasons. Our knowledge of working with the client gives us a unique perspective of the client needs. The value of this can best be seen in the logistical element of the project resulting in the least disruption to the client.

How does GP help customers navigate the ‘repair or replace’ question?
General Parts Group can provide comprehensive lifecycle cost reports to its service clients. Using this data, we can easily determine based on condition and age, whether further repairs are a good investment option, versus replacement. Repair costs can be weighed against the efficiency and the warranty benefits of a new unit. It is also worth keeping in mind that the extended multi-year warranty is becoming more commonplace especially with more expensive equipment.

What do you do if a direct replacement is not available?
The best thing to do in this instance is to provide a detailed description of the existing equipment to be replaced, data-plate information, wanted feature or wish list and budget. We can then input this information into our equipment database to find the nearest/best match. We can supply options as needed.

How should a customer plan for a piece of equipment being replaced?
It is all about having a plan! The trick is limiting the disruption to the business so careful consideration needs to be given to timing, equipment delivery, old equipment removal, access to the specific space and utilities. All these questions can be answered by working with your local General Parts location.

What are the common pitfalls to avoid?
Accessories and consumable items can easily be forgotten. Your new pieces of equipment may need a table, legs, or casters, extra racks or perhaps water filters. Remember not having batteries on Christmas day, same deal! Another issue can be access to the specific area, has anything been built since the original equipment was installed and now blocks easy access, such as new millwork, extended countertops.

If you need further advice about the process of planning or purchasing or installing replacement equipment, please do not hesitate to contact your local General Parts Group at (888) 498-1238 or if you would prefer you can complete our request for quote form.