Porkka UK is calling for catering equipment suppliers to do more to support their customers’ businesses by listening to their requirements and ensuring they provide the right solutions.
'When customers make these important decisions, getting it wrong can have a serious impact on their business,' said Porkka's Bob Littler. 'Traditionally, the trade's approach has been to say 'this is what we sell and this is how much it costs' but in today's business world that simply isn't good enough. It is incumbent on our industry to pay more attention to customers' operational needs and use those as the basis of the recommendations we make,' he added.

To that end, Porkka has identified a range of 'abilities' that should be borne in mind during any transaction - reliability, dependability, durability and suitability. 'These are the four most important 'abilities', with regards to selecting equipment, that will add value to their businesses,' he continued.

'These are closely followed by energy performance, price and operational capability. The ability of the supplier to sustain the product is also important - what you might call 'sustainability'. To that end, we make a commitment to continue supporting the equipment, rather than just walking away after the order has been fulfilled.'

Porkka UK sees this approach as a significant development in its transition from being a supplier to being a solution provider, and the company has found that customers and distributors are very appreciative of the change.

'Our priority is to listen to the customers, understand what they need to achieve and then use our own expertise to work with them towards the best solution. So it's no longer just about the product. We are very focused on providing the service and support to ensure the products add value to our customers' businesses,' Mr Littler concluded.