What should I look for when sourcing hospitality supplies?
When looking for hospitality supplies, it’s important to understand the purpose of the supplies first. There are a few ways to determine this.
Identify your workspace
The first on our list is to set up or assess your workspace. Whether it’s an office, a diner, or a shared community area, mapping the workspace where staff will use these supplies goes a long way towards identifying the supplies, tools, or equipment you’ll need or want.
You want your supplies to match your target demographic. For example, clear glassware is great for executive spaces or hotels. Durable melamine cups may be the better choice for childcare facilities or family-friendly restaurants.
Likewise, if you’re running a shared office space, coffee-related supplies and equipment will be much desired by clients or staff. If you’re restocking the pantry of a waiting room for customers, you’ll want hospitality supplies that are eye-pleasing, reasonably priced, and can be ordered in bulk.
Keep an eye on the calendar
Gauging seasonal demand and traffic is another way of determining supply needs. Some hospitality industries, like the hotel and tourism industries, experience spikes in client demand at certain points of the year. Does your bread-and-breakfast business need the same amount of perishables all year round, or will you need to double hospitality supplies in your usual inventory seasonally? If your food service business is near a school or university, what’s the average student population, and how much foot traffic can you expect to cross your business’s way?
Questions like these will help estimate which supplies you need for your hospitality shop.
Something old, something newsworthy
Finally, staying abreast of the local news is another method. Is there a recently announced federal or regional mandate that may increase or decrease client traffic? Food and beverage hospitality services may need food processing equipment changed or upgraded to comply with food safety regulations within a prescribed period, should new guidelines come out.
These four are a few ways to determine the priority of supplies for your business, company, or organisation.
Is it possible to get samples before placing a bulk order?
Samples or supply mock-ups are more common among custom supplies, and these supplies are tailored or fabricated based on a client’s unique specifications. Ultimately, you want a supplier that understands the ins and outs of the business, as it were, and has the experience to adapt to your supply needs.
At Reward Hospitality, you can call us at 1800 473 927, and one of our friendly staff will be in touch with you to discuss getting samples before placing bulk orders.
We are a leading hospitality supplier with over twenty-five locations across the Asia Pacific, providing our services to all corners of the region. In Australia alone, we have over ten warehouses delivering to several metropolitan areas like Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.
We offer custom services, a comprehensive range of hospitality supplies and equipment, and product consultations through our physical stores or via online enquiry (we suggest in-person consultations where possible, so you can personally inspect any available product samples). Our company also provides custom printing on hospitality staples like glassware, table napkins, product packaging, and staff uniforms.
We even house exclusive brands such as Earth Essentials, Soft Clean, Kleaning Essentials, Choyer, Pro.Mundi, and Pro.Cooker – all to raise the bar on your hospitality services.
Because of our experience in hospitality, we now have dedicated teams of experts handling customer enquiries on various aspects of hospitality and care. Some of our teams’ services cover venue design and equipment advice.
How long in advance should I place my order for hospitality supplies?
Regarding lead times on shipping, it’s important to research the average turnaround for the specific hospitality supplies you intend to procure and where and from whom you plan to source your supplies.
For example, a one-week turnaround is a reasonable lead time if you’re getting unbranded supplies from a local wholesaler. At Reward Hospitality, we understand time is of the essence of your business – that’s why we offer a 24- to 48-hour delivery on in-stock items for your utmost convenience.
On the other hand, you’ll need to consider the production period and the delivery estimates for customised commercial kitchen supplies. You may also ask about available stock on in-demand commercial kitchen supplies or equipment, like Libbey glassware or Panasonic microwave ovens.
Whether or not your supplies will need to be customised is especially important if you’re pre-ordering products that need to be fabricated from scratch, like staff uniforms or brand-specific collaterals, or involve items that require careful handling, such as glassware or food processing equipment.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) targets are also to note. ESG goals are now a critical requirement for Australian businesses. This has placed a responsibility on suppliers and end-users to ensure that their daily operations produce as minimal waste as possible.
You’ll want an environmentally conscious supplier or wholesaler for your hospitality supplies or equipment; compliance on quality checks for this purpose may take some time, especially for customised hospitality items. At Reward Hospitality, we believe that taking initiative to reduce single-use plastics is everyone’s business – that’s why we’re a proud member of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO) as part of our commitment to fostering sustainability.
If you’re concerned about strict compliance due to the nature of your company’s or organisation’s services, and you can visit a hospitality warehouse for an in-person consultation regarding supplies, don’t hesitate to ask about their quality assurance process.
A consultation will also help you determine if your chosen supplier is experienced in supplying for your particular industry or business model and whether or not they can scale their supply chain to fit your clientele.
You want a supplier that cares about your clients as much as you do because good service is a matter of details. Let Reward Hospitality do the heavy lifting while you concentrate on providing exceptional service to your patrons.
Get in touch with our team and make your first bulk order with us today!