Before any employee in a supermarket’s prepared foods department gets behind a grill or a deli slicer, they’ll require appropriate training. The same goes for long-time employees and newly acquired assets. However, who will provide the training? Sure, managers might be handy on certain equipment based on past experience, but does that make them an expert? And what about new assets no one is familiar with?
Let’s dive deeper into exactly what value supermarkets and grocers gain from investing in training programs for new and tenured employees led by equipment specialists:
“Process uniformity ensures high-quality goods.”
1. Establishes a standard
When prepared foods employees use equipment differently than their co-workers, they create slight variances in production that may cost business time, money and customers. Process uniformity, on the other hand, ensures high-quality goods prepared in a timely and cost-effective manner no matter who’s cooking.
To that end, equipment specialists set a foundation for best practices when they explain the basics of utilization to supermarket staff. Everyone is on the same page, knows what is expected of them and can assist each other if slip-ups occur in the future.
2. Offers personalized advice from experts
Every supermarket or grocery store prepared foods department has its idiosyncrasies. Some are detrimental and need ironing out. Others, like cramped quarters, might be unavoidable. As such, there’s no such thing as a “one size fits all” solution for equipment training, nor should any commercial business be on the lookout for one.
Equipment specialists have worked with all types of commercial assets in many different kitchen environments. Their knowledge comes from years of hands-on experience, honed by overcoming challenges and rising above them. Specialists can account for the quirks unique to one business and provide informative answers accordingly.
3. Saves materials and money
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, American food retailers lose more than $160 billion of potential revenue because of food waste. Careless cooking in the prepared foods department are no doubt a part of the equation.
“American food retailers lose more than $160 billion annually because of food waste.”
Specialist-guided training sessions teach staff how best to manage equipment in conjunction with raw materials to maximize use and minimize spend. For example, donut fryer specialists know frying oil lasts longer if prepared foods staff remember to clean and replace the paper filter inside the machine daily.
4. Emphasizes safety
Employers have an obligation to staff and regulatory bodies to uphold a high watermark for on-site safety. But when left to their own devices, prepared foods department workers handling new or complex equipment may injure themselves and others because of their lack of knowledge, not to mention irreparably damage capital-intensive assets.
Every good training program includes a clear discussion of the risks pertaining to equipment use and misuse. When specialists discuss these matters at the onset while employees undergo basic training, staff not only heeds risk prevention as informal advice, but ancillary to equipment management.
5. Passes the torch of knowledge to new staff
As businesses mature, employees come and go. However, managers must ensure onboarded new hires observe best practices while growing familiar with the equipment in their departments.
If organizations need specialists to return to train newcomers – or simply reiterate usage with all staff – they can rest assured knowing the information imparted will remain the same as it’s always been.
Additionally, if companies wish to test out equipment with staff before they commit to purchasing, Horizon Bradco owns and operates multiple test kitchens. There, employees and managers can get a feel for the size, speed and scope of machinery from trained professionals prior to investing. Lastly, Horizon Bradco also offers access to a library of step-by-step equipment training videos for customers looking to manage training on-site but would still appreciate an expert’s touch.
Managers struggling to find a solution can hire an equipment specialist to demonstrate proper procedures and handling to staff, a benefit many Horizon Bradco customers are already familiar with. After all, commercial equipment purchased through Horizon Bradco comes with complimentary training from resident specialists.
Contact a Horizon Bradco representative today to learn more about how equipment specialists take the guesswork out of commercial foodservice operations.