A first rate Service
Adande’s Service Manager, Tom Whittington tells us how he and his service team help hospitality venues maintain high performing Adande units and how customer service is an essential part of giving valued customers a first-class experience.
Who makes up the Adande service team?
The core service team, which sits within our Adande customer experience team, is made up of myself who has worked here, coming up now, for 18 years, Zaren Templeton, who has been with us for 16 years, Kevin Sanderson who has 11 years’ service and finally, Lee Cade our London based service engineer who started with us back in 2019. The three of us are based in Suffolk and have worked our way through both Production and Development departments over the years, so we all have a great in-depth knowledge of the Adande units.
Of course, it’s not only the service team that gives customer service, good customer service comes from all departments of Adande, and is something we passionately believe in. Throughout the company Adande staff will assist the customer experience team (CET) and the sales department t
What does the Adande service team do?
The service team supplies technical assistance, gives support and advice, and arranges training as and when required for both external service companies and our own network of approved & recommended suppliers. If required, we will arrange a service call for our units in a quick and timely manner wherever possible, and similarly, if needed, a repair.
Depending on our investigations, we will also recommend any spare parts which may be required and supply details accordingly.
How many clients do you look after?
We have over 32,000 units across the globe so we supply all of the service training and technical support for over 51 countries no matter the time difference or location. We look after anyone with Adande units from popular fast-food chains to Michelin star hotels, restaurants and everyone in between.
How has this year been different for CET, and the service team?
This year has been a tough year for everyone, especially those in the hospitality sector, we have seen that first hand. In the beginning of the first lockdown, everyone and everything stopped, then as things started to re-open service became as busy as usual. A lot more people serviced their units whilst in lockdown, and we have continued to provide parts and service, and support businesses throughout this difficult period.
How important is servicing your Adande?
I would say service is always important! Especially ensuring regular cleaning with everyday use. With restaurants having to close on and off throughout this year, units have been turned on and off with the closures, so servicing has become as important as ever to ensure everything is working correctly upon re-opening.
What’s a typical day like?
If only there was one! One of the joys of working in the service team is that it changes from day to day, so it could be parts orders, service calls, technical help, training or helping out in other departments such as development and engineering. With such a variation of customers and sites, most days are different. We’re always happy to know a service call has gone well. We survey customers after service visits to ensure they are happy with the outcome.
What kind of things do clients call in about?
What’s a typical issue? It really varies, and can be a range of things. Many just want to confirm how to switch from fridge to freezer or vice-versa. Usually they are things we are able to talk through with the customer, or can be easily rectified.
Is there anything challenging that clients find with an Adande fridge?
Not really, no. They are so easy to use, give bulk storage and are flexible if you want to run a fridge and then switch it up to a freezer. Chefs really like them. You can see what some of them have said on our media page, in their video testimonials. Sometimes they just need help adjusting the units to fully use their functionality, especially if their manuals are no longer to hand. It is helpful to also be able to direct them to the service videos on our website that show them what to do.
Do Adande fridges typically have a long lifespan?
Yes, as long as the units are regularly cleaned and maintained, and used in the manner they are designed, the units will continue to work. We have units out there still going strong from 2006. We are always looking for design improvements that will increase reliability and reduce operating costs. That’s one of the reasons why we have increased our warranty to 5 years for all new units, they are built to last, it’s the kind of quality we are known for, and stand by. In principle all parts of an Adande can be replaced and its almost completely recyclable.
What’s the most valuable tip you can give to restaurants and hospitality venues when it comes to commissioning and decommissioning their fridges?
Simple…. cleaning! The main tip is to keep Adande clean, remove any stored product and clean the containers and the seals. We have videos on our website about that. The rest is important but keeping both containers and seals clean and sanitised is absolutely key. See our decommissioning and recommissioning sheets which can be used for any customer having to close down for a period of time.
What should a customer do, if they need help with their Adande?
If anyone needs help, just pick up the phone and call us on 01502 537135, or email in to service@adande.com