Steven Lewis – Property and Workplace Manager, was responsible for finding the perfect coffee machines for the new space, which occupies roughly 6000sqm, has six kitchenettes and a large staff cafeteria. Having been a customer of OfficeMax for some time, Steven initially consulted with Angela Ackroyd – OfficeMax National Account Manager – who introduced Steven to Chris Solly, OfficeMax Café Specialist.
Roughly 60% of staff in the Genesis Hamilton office work in the Customer Excellence Centre meaning tight timeframes for breaks, so Steven wanted something that would work fast. In the previous Genesis offices, the machines required individuals to heat and froth their own milk, which only worked well if you knew what you were doing, and had time to spare. A trial of a powdered milk option that could dispense a coffee in 17 seconds was unsuccessful, with most feedback centring on the lower quality of the coffee produced. The decision was made to stick with a fresh milk machine.
After research, further trials and discussions with Angela and Chris, the final decision was made to go with four Franke A-200 machines for the kitchenettes, and two Franke A-600 machines for the staff cafeteria. Both machines have an easy set up, and provide an easy to use touch screen for beverage options; all of which are automatically produced in a short time.
“The end product is spot on, and we’re really happy with the decisions that were made on which machines to go with.”
In the past, staff at Genesis had to deal with regular performance issues, and any maintenance required the machines being taken off-site. The Franke machines meet the robust criteria set by staff of this size, and have resulted in far less maintenance requests. Steven says: “If it is required, the ease of having someone address issues is great. The Franke machines are also really easy for our cleaners to maintain.”
Steven was impressed by the option to lease the Franke machines ‘free on loan’, with charges coming from the use of the coffee beans. There were no time delays, and everything was installed on time for the new staff arriving in the space.
Since being installed, staff have commented on the ease of using the new machines and the high quality of the coffee. Overall the process for Steven was seamless, and made easy during a very hectic time for Genesis.
Steven says, “Chris and Angela were very helpful– they kept in regular contact, and Angela was always one step ahead of the game, offering new solutions. We didn’t have to prompt her. Chris was great at setting up all the trials, and Angela even organised for us to visit the Ignite office to spend some time trialling different options. The team made things happen.”
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