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I worked for dsl for a couple months pming slurpee machines and ice machines it was easy but dirty and repetative it's good for people that can do that stuff but otherwise i wasnt using my brain very much.

The company that me and Icehouse started with was strictly HVAC/R.
The owner wanted nothing to do with Food Service so he subbed it out.
All was fine and dandy for about a year and one day I was sent to check an ice machine out at an account. The Restaurant owner said to me when I arrived that so and so who takes care of the ovens got it running.
When my boss called the owner of the Food Service Company, he said "Why shouldn't his men do the work". Very nice since this guy was on the b*l*s of his a** when my boss started giving him work.

I've learned in the commercial kitchen equipment if you know what your doing and have the manufacturer supporting you it doesnt matter what joe blow comes in and offers a smaller bill eventually they find out that he just doesn't know what hes doing and they call you right back

hi all

mostly in the uk we have seperate catering and air conditioning. Catering refrigeration is usually seperate with one exception beer celar and cooling that seems to be a thing out on its own. i am muliti ***** catering aircon gas etc and usually can fix most of the S**t i am sent to but getting some parts its like trying to walk on water or get a pay rise whatever one of those is ???

cheers all

The company I work for does refrigeration and cooking equipment. We do all the HVAC work for the customers that have contracts with us. So we cover the whole restaurant. We do most of the major chains in our city. We will do some gas and water plumbing and we replace the water heaters. Whatever it takes to keep the customer happy and productive.

Maybe your marketing team needs to step it up. If our techs want to work on something, we make contacts and make it happen.

I would venture a guess that most commercial HVAC guys will be very happy if they never even bump into a rotisserie machine, fryolator or any other appliance that keeps your tools “well lubricated”.

Your employer should find a local HVAC company that he can refer so a different company can’t lock up the account.

In addition, the HVAC Company might refer him to lock up his accounts.

Ah the beauty of networking.

Only other way is to sell contracts.

I have to take care of my fair share at the kitchen at the large university I work for I love to see the holbert truck or the ecolab or the Hargar truck at the kitchen I appreciate everything they do for us I dont mind the work It is just that I have a hard time having the parts to fix all the different things that food service has.

Where I work(hot side only) we have the parts on the van, the knowledge, factory training and tech support behind us and good techs who do quality work. I have customers who are begging us to do their cold side stuff. I feel it helps us by not trying to be everything to everybody....

The company I work for is the same way both hot and cold, no a/c. You do have your foot in the door. You need to have the right parts for the right job and the customer needs to know this. Most, if any, hvac companies would not have parts for dishmachines, slicers, mixers,combi's, and various other things that would be specific to food equipment. If you have a 4 out of 5 (80%) first time fix rate with out having to come back the next day with the right parts this will build customer confidence in the company. The lack of production from the equipment translates to increased labor cost and longer wait times for your customers customers. If a cooler is down it could mean increased food cost.

Originally Posted by howardgt

I work for a company that does food equipment and refrigeration only. We do hot and cold side. My question is : How do you food service only guys keep from losing work to HVAC/refrigeration/plumbing companies? These guys have their foot in the door from the HVAC side.

Man, you can have it. I always like seeing Genera Parts in town.

Food service techs only please

I work for a company that does food equipment and refrigeration only. We do hot and cold side. My question is : How do you food service only guys keep from losing work to HVAC/refrigeration/plumbing companies? These guys have their foot in the door from the HVAC side.