Posted October 19, 2016 6:48 am by Tony Hogarth
There is certainly more emphasis on good coffee and beverage varieties in the office than there used to be. Gone are the days where cheap instant brands are the norm. Some companies are even advertising their office as having freshly brewed coffee, herbal tea and hot chocolate selection as a way to entice quality staff.
Hot beverages and coffee supplied directly to the office
Consider where you buy from, a local roaster that is happy to send beans directly to your office is a big advantage, but why stop there. Too many accounts çan make the job harder, so finding a company who can supply more than one product, this will save you time and money.
Perhaps you also need vending supplies such as hot chocolate, chai, bio cups, stirrers, sugar etc.. along with your coffee. Search for companies that supply a number of consumables and accessories, it might be they also sell and service coffee machines that use their products, providing a whole office beverage package.
The cost of productivity – Fresh bean or Pods
How do you convince the boss that more choice for the staff and better quality coffee is worth the investment? Start by presenting the value. Happy employees are more productive, having a break can increase staff productivity too, so best you keep them in the building whipping up their own latte, herbal tea or hot chocolate.
Fresh coffee can save your company money, ever considered why printers are so cheap? because the profit is in selling you the ink, pod machines work on this same principle. While you might enjoy an initially cheap outlay, the ongoing cost to replace the pods is not, this can cost you up to 70% more than coffee beans.
It would seem providing your clients and staff with better tasting, freshly ground coffee makes a great sales pitch to the accounts department.
Manual espresso or automatic, which coffee machine is best?
There are a number of options so I suggest you try before you buy, visit the supplier and have them make a number of drinks such as “flat white”, “espresso” and “cappuccino” this way you can taste the quality and know you are getting the right machine.
The biggest decision is deciding whether a manual machine or automatic is best for you. Personally having used both machines I would always opt for an automatic coffee machine in the office.
While we all love the idea of being a barista and creating beautiful latte art, many of us have no training and we just want fast consistently great coffee each time. An automatic machine will give you an easy to use, and easy to clean setup, simply press a button and enjoy freshly ground beans in each cup, making them as close to a barista style coffee as possible without the hassle.
You might find this article helpful in deciding what is best for you: choosing an espresso machine
Ongoing supply services and machine maintenance
If you are working in a medium to large size office with 50-100 staff or more, it’s worth investigating a company who can supply your beverages and maintain your equipment. Regular cleaning and servicing will keep your machine in top shape, relying on cleaners or staff members is not always going to keep the machine in its best condition. Cafe Corporate offer monthly services to those purchasing their coffee and hot beverage supplies within Perth.
Keeping the cleaning and maintenance in house
Having an automatic or manual coffee machine in the office is going to require some upkeep. Small to medium size businesses don’t always have a budget for regular cleaning services.
Manual machines will need cleaning after each cup of coffee is made, while an automatic machine will run regular rinse cycles throughout the day, leaving you to clean the machine and the milk system at the end of the day. Taking this into consideration, if you and your colleagues are going to be the ones cleaning and maintaining the coffee machine, an automatic is perhaps the best option.
I have listed below automatic coffee machine brands worth consideration.
Jura: suitable for small to large offices wanting freshly ground barista style coffee to cup.
WMF: Ideal for medium to large scale business who want a variety of hot beverages.
Necta Krea: Used in remote locations where fresh freeze dried milk is required.
Franke: For small to large office use where fresh beans are required.