Leasing coffee makers can be an attractive option for businesses, much like leasing a company car. It will usually mean more manageable monthly costs rather than a lump sum up front, but the bigger advantage tends to be the service agreement that comes with the commercial coffee machine.
Commercial coffee machines for lease will usually be considered by companies with high volumes of staff, or venues like hotels that provide refreshments for a significant number of guests. This means they can focus on running their business free from the distraction of sorting out problems or arranging regular service visits for the machine. If there’s a problem – simply making a call for a prompt response is usually all that is needed.
What To Look For In A Coffee Machine Lease
As you’re most likely to be opting for a lease for reasons of convenience, it’s important to fully understand what the service agreement provides. The devil is in the detail, and in a sense it may be a more important decision than the choice of coffee machine itself. Generally speaking, all providers tend to offer a range of machines, so that can be decided later.
There’s two areas that you should be crystal clear about – response time and what’s covered (or more importantly, what’s not covered).
Response Time
Response time is the part of the service level agreement which commits your chosen provider to visit in a timely manner. This may be negotiable, but typically the faster the guaranteed response time, the more expensive the contract. In this sense, it’s very much like an insurance policy – the better the cover, the higher the premium.
Exclusions
Again, like insurance, almost all service plans come with certain exclusions. Be sure to read these carefully, as certain things are commonly excluded, like malicious damage, but others can vary, such as accidents or incorrect usage. Usage exclusions tend to relate to procedures your staff should follow, such as refilling coffee beans or cleaning filters on a regular schedule, but in some cases might include the customer actions too.
The Last Word
Commercial coffee machine leases are common with businesses that want to provide self service refreshments without the need for continuous staff member supervision. While many of the domestic bean to cup coffee machines are used in smaller premises like bed and breakfast establishments, they’re unlikely to be suitable for larger numbers of guests.
