What happens if something goes wrong with my office coffee machine?

You can invest in the highest-quality office coffee machine, but at some point, there’s a chance that you may have an issue with it. In life, sometimes things do go wrong, so it’s best to accept that and have a plan in place.

If you’re managing a busy office with lots of people making daily decisions and balancing budgets, what’s the best option for your office coffee needs? Do you buy a machine outright and go it alone, or do you rent it and ensure you have a service plan to keep you covered in case a problem arises?

If you’ve come here looking for help when your office coffee machine breaks down, we’ve got you covered.

So what happens when your office coffee machine isn’t working?

Firstly there are lots of reasons why it’s so important to keep the coffee flowing in the office. Coffee is scientifically proven to increase productivity at work and it can also boost employee morale.

In fact, a poll found that 61% of employees feel their employer cares about their well-being if they provide hot beverages for free. Coffee can even help improve morale. It can help make meetings more productive and increase creativity, collaboration and engagement. So, when your coffee machine breaks down at work, you need a fix… and fast.

Don’t panic!

The issue you may have found with your machine could actually be very simple and easy to resolve, so there’s no need to panic. First, take a look online. A quick Google search might lead you to an easy and simple solution you can self-diagnose.

If you have a full-service office coffee machine provider that offers machines, beans, and customer service, like us at FreshGround, your first stop will be to find a help section online.

These should have easy-to-follow how-to videos, guides, and manuals that can help you troubleshoot and find the cause of the issue.

You’ll want to think about things like when you last cleaned your office coffee machine. They need to be cleaned daily, so it could be that it just needs a quick clean to get it up and running again. Sometimes, all it needs is to be switched on and off to restart.

However, the workings of an office coffee machine are complex, and there are lots of variables that can go wrong. In this case, if you can’t find the problem on your own, you’re going to need some outside help.

Am I covered if my office coffee machine goes wrong?

This comes back to the decision you made when first getting your office coffee machine. Did you buy it outright or did you get your machine from a business that offers full-service cover and customer support?

If you bought your machine without any cover, you’ll need to find yourself a qualified engineer to come out and take a look at it. This can be expensive to get someone out and it may not be immediate.

Some suppliers who simply sell coffee machines with a manufacturer warranty are less likely to provide support and ongoing warranties. Overall, this is a less reliable offering.

Also, it’s important to remember that buying a high-quality office coffee machine outright is a fairly large sum of money upfront. Often people prefer to rent, lease or get their machine on a free-loan agreement.

A free loan agreement allows you to get your coffee machine without paying upfront costs for the equipment itself. Instead of purchasing or renting the machine, you agree to purchase a minimum quantity of coffee regularly. In exchange, we provide the coffee machine at no additional cost.

Discover More: Should I purchase, rent or get my coffee machine on free loan?

How should I choose a provider?

In our experience working in the world of office coffee for over 40 years, we’ve found that, more often, suppliers who offer a subscription-based model and provide full service are more likely to be built on ethics.

They are the type of businesses that care about you and your team’s needs and are quick to help. If you’re an office or facilities manager, we recommend that when you partner with a new provider, it’s important to have similar values.

So, for example, sustainability may be high on your agenda, so you’ll want a partner that upholds similar principles when it comes to their products and service offerings. Understand more about “what you should look for when choosing a coffee machine provider” in our blog.

Who should I call when my office coffee machine breaks down?

This depends on the service provider you’ve chosen. At FreshGround, every office coffee machine comes with a service plan. We offer two levels of service, Essentials and Total Care, so our customers can simply call our team.

Essentials plan

This is a reactive maintenance plan included as standard with all our office coffee machines. It covers basic servicing, including reactive call-outs and spare parts (except those damaged through user error).

However, it doesn’t include preventive maintenance or more advanced services like descaling and recalibration. Our Essentials plan is designed to fix issues as they arise, and for many of our customers, especially those working with tight budgets and smaller offices, this plan does the job perfectly.

Total Care Plan

While slightly more expensive, our Total Care plan offers a more comprehensive and proactive service. It includes everything from the Essentials plan but adds planned preventative maintenance every six months to reduce machine downtime.

It also covers scale reduction filters, filter changes, and machine recalibration. This plan is designed to minimise any potential issues before they occur, providing greater peace of mind. It’s particularly beneficial for high-use environments where consistent machine performance is critical to the running of the office.

Due to its proactive features, the Total Care plan may be a better fit for offices that prioritise continuous uptime and minimal interruptions.

Dedicated account managers

All our customers are assigned a dedicated account manager, so if there’s a problem, just pick up the phone. Our team has all your details on file, from where you’re based to which coffee machines you have, so we’re ready to help you swiftly and efficiently.

Plus, we’re all Speciality Coffee Association trained and have extensive knowledge about office coffee machines and coffee beans, making us best placed to help.

Our phone support team can direct you to how-to videos, schedule video calls with experts, or send an engineer to investigate. Our main aim is to get you up and running as quickly as possible with minimum inconvenience.

What’s best for my team?

Ensuring that your office coffee machine remains in top working order is essential for maintaining a productive and happy team. Whether you opt for a machine purchase, rental, or free loan agreement, having a reliable service plan in place is critical to avoiding costly breakdowns and disruptions.

So when deciding what’s right for you, ask yourself what’s more valuable to you. Does your decision come down to low cost, or are you after an option that’s hassle-free with customer service you can rely on?

Contact us today to learn more about our range of premium-quality coffee machines and service plans to find the best fit for your office needs.