Where There is a Will …

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By Gary Shermann, CFSP – President, General Parts Group

There have been thousands of articles written about COVID-19 and its impact on business, especially the restaurant and foodservice industry, which has been particularly hard hit. No one appreciates this impact more than the foodservice equipment industry as our collective success is deeply intertwined. The impact of the service sector is no less severe, and this gives us a deep appreciation of the challenges our customers and vendors have and continue to face.

As a foodservice equipment service company, we have had to adjust every facet of our business in order to navigate and survive this event. One of the things we do every day is, try to place ourselves in the position of our clients. We realize that ultimately the answer to what the future holds lies outside our company with the end customer and that our client’s success is literally the only thing that matters for the regrowth of our industry.

The soul-searching we are all doing is interesting, and while we instinctively look for new ideas to fix a new problem, we are also reminded of the very basic principles of our industry which is the food itself. The dining experience has fundamentally changed. With the front of the house being shut, never has the product and ordering experience been more important. While General Parts Group cannot help with the ordering process, we certainly can help support the product. There is a saying that we use in the service industry which is ‘you are only as good as your last service call’. Everyone in foodservice will recognize this saying and have their own version, as it’s something we all live by every day.

Here is another insight from the service industry, our company’s goal is to keep foodservice equipment operating for as long as possible to the original standard set by the manufacturer. There is no bad equipment but there is unprofitable equipment, and inconsistency of product is one of the main causes of profit loss.

At General Parts Group, we know times are tough, we really do, but we also know that if your equipment is not helping you it’s hurting you. Our message here is to call your service company, if only for advice. There is an amazing amount of creative and flexible thinking going on right now, and where there is a will there is a way! Certainly, here at General Parts, we will support your needs in any way we can, it is the only way forward!

We are not talking for our entire industry, but we do know many will agree and are just as motivated to support the needs of their customers.