If you’re working in the hospitality industry, you will fully understand the importance of having a reliable, reputable catering equipment supplier. There’s nothing worse than knowing that you have a big event coming up, with the added stress of not knowing whether your equipment will arrive in time. Here at Crown Supplies, we’ve worked with a variety of businesses in the catering and hospitality industries, allowing us to provide you with expert advice on the right equipment for your business.

If you’re considering changing to a new catering equipment supplier, here are some things you need to think about.

Word of Mouth is Always Reliable

Whilst trawling through the internet can sometimes give you a good indication about the best suppliers, word of mouth (referrals) are often more reliable. Recommendations from others within the industry are a great indication as to whether or not the catering supplier is a good choice. These don’t just have to be offline – look for websites like ours, that have Google reviews and testimonials on their homepage. Alternatively, if they sell through Amazon, there’s a feedback section on there too.

All the goods we supply are tried and tested to ensure that we’re providing the very highest quality products that won’t let you down in the kitchen. We have an extensive network of huge brands within our portfolio, so you know that when you purchase equipment from Crown Supplies you’ll be getting the very best product, at a competitive price.

Experience

Once you’ve looked into the reviews, take the time to look through the About Us page on the supplier’s website to get an insight into the business as a whole. This should give you information on how long the business has been going, the industry sectors that they specialise in, and any further additional information that sets them apart from the competition.

For example, we pride ourselves on offering quality and affordable products alongside first-class customer service, resulting in us becoming a trusted supplier across the country. Our free next day delivery service is a big selling point too, as sometimes you find yourself needing equipment at the last minute. If you’re local to Norwich, within East Anglia, we also provide a free same day delivery service with over 20,000 products in stock for you to choose from.

As well as priding ourselves on excellent customer service, we also have a section on our website where you can log in to your account. This means you can shop faster, easily reorder equipment, and track the progress of your orders. How about that for service?!

Competitive Prices and Additional Services

The key to running any successful business is to maintain profit margins. Whilst you need to keep costs down when it comes to purchasing catering equipment, remember that quality is essential. The cheapest option may look the most appealing, but if you’re having to replace equipment a year or so down the line, you may have been better off purchasing something of a higher quality in the first place.

One thing to keep an eye out for is whether your supplier runs an Affiliate Program like we do. This is entirely free, and the process is quite simple. All you need to do is place a link on your website that advertises Crown Supplies or the products we sell. Then for every sale made to customers who click on that link, you will earn a 5% commission. Which, when you think about it, can really start to add up.

Look out for catering suppliers who provide additional services alongside the products that they sell too. Whether that be an extended warranty for products, or a simple returns process should you change your mind, these little extras can make all the difference. An award-winning supplier is always high on the list too. The @cateringinsight recently revealed the full 2019 shortlist if you need some inspiration.

Look at the Brands Listed

Consider the multitude of brands that your potential new catering supplier stocks. Do they supply a range of equipment from low end all the way through to higher end? Do they stock a range of brands that are reputable? Here at Crown Supplies, we’re stockists of some of the biggest brands in the business, including Duralex, Heritage Collection and Tork, to name just a few

As well as variety, an easy-to-navigate website is always an added bonus! After all, you don’t want to spend hours trying to find that one piece of equipment that you need. Within your personal account with Crown Supplies, you can review previous orders, enabling you to re-order products efficiently and with minimal hassle.

Shop Around

We hope this guide has given you a bit of an insight into the things to consider and look out for when choosing a new catering equipment supplier. Here at Crown Supplies, we also provide some additional extras to help make your purchasing even easier. As well as offering flexible payment terms to suit your business, we also offer volume-related discounts to ensure you really are getting the best possible price, all whilst retaining the quality of our products.

Customer service is an integral part of our service, and while we stock the biggest and best brands within the catering industry, we understand the needs of our customers. No two businesses are the same, so our team are educated on the full product range, enabling you to make an informed decision about the catering equipment you purchase.

If you would like any more information on how to open an account with us, please feel free to contact our friendly team and they will be happy to assist you.