  
There are several steps you can take to reduce
the amount of service that your beverage equipment needs. Preventive maintenance
is vital and the manufacturer's website is a great resource for preventive
maintenance for your beverage equipment.
Coffee and tea beverage equipment is probably the easiest to maintain and has
the lowest number of service issues. That's because this equipment is basically
a hot water delivery system. For coffee brewing equipment, preventive
maintenance means replacing the spray head and using the deliming spring (in the
case of BUNN equipment) to clean the lime deposits periodically to prevent
blockages in and service issues. A digital machine will allow you to adjust the
temperature as well.
A machine that dispenses powered beverages may have more service issues, because
of the sugared product for flavored coffees, hot chocolate, and cappuccino.
Because the hoppers in the machine need to be refilled periodically, hopper
misalignment and product spills inside the machine could cause a clog. This may
seem like a service issue, but the machine might just need to be cleaned. So be
sure to follow the care and cleaning instructions carefully, and perform the
daily rinses as directed.
If you have a grinder, you may notice problems with the volume or amount of
coffee ground. If you follow the recommended preventive maintenance steps, you
may discover that most of the adjustments to solve these issues can be performed
by unskilled labor.
Granita machines have their own set of problems, because the air filters on
these units must be kept clean. It's simple: if you don't clean the filter, the
product won't freeze. And because granita machines dispense sugared product,
they need to be well lubricated to prevent sugar build up on the parts that will
cause leaks and drips. Daily cleaning and regular lubrication are vital along
with periodic cleaning of the air filter on the machine.
Another problem I see frequently with granita machines is related to inadequate
mixing of the beverage liquid product which results in incorrect sugar content.
Called “brix,” the sugar content of the product controls whether or not it will
freeze. If the product won't freeze, you may think the beverage equipment needs
service, but actually, the product may not be mixed correctly.
Know your equipment
It's important to know your equipment. If one staff person is aware of equipment
quirks, you may be able to avoid a service call. Many service calls come from
people who have made a simple error or assume that the equipment will work at
this location in the same way it works somewhere else.
Language barriers may also pose a problem, but usually, the manufacturer’s home
office can address this. If you have a question or concern, call the
manufacturer. Often they will be able to help you. The rule of thumb for service
or preventive maintenance is asking the question "Am I comfortable performing
this procedure?" If you have exceeded your comfort level, call a technician. But
be aware that whether it's a simple brush up, a service issue or cleaning, you
will be paying service technician prices. Many people don't want to pay for a
service technician to come out and clean the machine.
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