We all look for efficiencies in business, particularly in the highly competitive market that exists after the last recession and credit crisis. But interestingly, not many companies have calculated the true cost of downtime when staff break down.
Take the standard kettle – 1.5 liters of water, 1.5kw element, up to 4 minutes to boil, and probably 7-8 hot drinks, before starting the cycle again. The cost? About 3p per boiling cycle.
I hear you say 3p isn’t much and teapots are cheap to buy and replace. While taken on its own, that statement is true, but when you start factoring in the loss of productivity when staff queue up to get your drink, it suddenly starts getting expensive. People are people, and by nature we are social and standing around and waiting encourages more time wasted through chatting and socializing.
I came across a company recently with 400+ office staff, about to move into a new multi-million dollar building, and then provide potable water for hot drinks by way of kettles! Just calculate that in terms of time lost due to the kettles not being able to keep up with the number of drinks required within the very short amount of time of a dinner or tea break. Isn’t it scary?
For some time now, m&e architects or consultants have started to specify boiling and chilled water systems for office tea points, break areas, conference rooms, catering areas, reception rooms and more. Modern, forward-thinking fit-out companies, m&e engineers, and global corporations are encouraging its use, but it’s not yet a well-received concept.
So what are the features and benefits of undercounter commercial boiling and chilled water systems? I’ve listed a few for you to consider, which are really a checklist of things to consider when choosing a provider.
- Instant water dispensing – the preferred combination is boiling and chilling, and the best systems quote initial dispensing by number of cups. Typically these would be 20-100 cups on the spot and 90-250 per hour. The reason initial dosage numbers are so important is that they are a guide to the capacity of your boiling and cold water faucets. Can you deliver hot or cold drinks if all staff members require a drink at the same time? Impossible to consider with the kettle but within reach of the best commercial systems such as Billi or Zip. Please try to make sure you get a response from your supplier as to instant dispense capability.
- Consistency- drink number 100 has the same temperature as number 37 or number 1. The best systems dispense water at 98.5 degrees C, widely recognized as the optimal temperature for tea. The chilled side delivers filtered water at 6.5 degrees C.
- Economy – the best commercial units cost around 9p per day to run. A very significant cost advantage. Compared to the common kettle, boiling and cooling systems use less electricity, waste less water and last longer.
- Choice- Boiling, Chilled and Frothy, Boiling and Chilled, Boiling and Air Freshener, Chilled and Air Freshener, Chilled and Frothy… in fact, almost any combination.
- space efficient – Some boiler units are capable of providing 250 cups per hour and will fit under a standard countertop. However, not all manufacturers of boiling and chilled water taps can supply units of these compact dimensions, so it’s worth checking if this is the case.
- ventilation – When comparing brands, it’s worth noting that some units on the market require the installation of a vent to keep the units cool. These are typically air-cooled units, but there are now some on the market that are water-cooled and do not require the rack.
- lime – Hard water in the UK means boiling and cooling systems require scale filters. The best brands will use the scale filter only on the hot water side of the boiler unit. This means office workers who want cold drinks or fizzy drinks will get purer, better-tasting water, instantly.