A workday without coffee is simply unimaginable or inconceivable to many office workers. An effective motivational tool for employees, good quality coffee keeps staff at the office with less break time to venture to a nearby coffee shop to get their brew. Of course, if you allow customers to visit your office, having great coffee is a reasonably economical way to make a wow first impression.
Office Coffee Machine Choices
When you choose the right office coffee machine usually comes down to considerations of budget versus machine type you desire, with quite a lot of choice on the market:
- Office Coffee Vending Machines are usually free-standing (some are table top coffee machines versions) which dispense a variety of hot drinks, including coffee. You have the ability to add a (usually) subsidised price or simply offer a completely free vending service. You can agree with your vendor which types of drinks and coffee will be available.
- Filter, Pod and Capsule Coffee Machines are most suited to the office environment, especially if space is tight and your office includes a kitchen or catering area.
- Bean-to-Cup or Automatic Coffee Machines are top line models that work like regular vending machines, however they offer a superior tasting and higher quality coffee. The Bean-to-cup models will even grind fresh coffee beans to make a coffee that any barista would envy.
- Professional or Industrial Coffee Machines are more commonly found in larger cafes and/or restaurants, but larger corporates, particularly multi-national corporates, usually invest in these types of machines, as they provide the best coffee taste at a very low per-cup price.
Office Coffee Machines: So what do they cost?
The cost of your office coffee machine will vary largely on the level of sophistication you require for purchase or rent. The cost of an office coffee machine can be divided into two areas: the purchase and the operation. If you are buying the machine yourself, prices vary from under R2000 for a small pod or capsule machine coffee machine, to tens of thousands of rands for a highly-specialised industrial machine. Then you also have to consider the cost of servicing, restocking, consumables. If you opt for a office coffee machine rental, you may have to optionally pay a one-off installation fee, with rental prices depending on the plan you choose. Some even offer unlimited coffee for a fixed price and waiver the initial fee as well (free installation).
Rent or Buy your Office Coffee Machine?
Companies particularly like the idea of renting the office coffee machine as this is more cost-effective in the long run, especially if there are high volumes or multiple machines needed. This saves them the initial purchase cost, as the machine is a known amount per month. These rental contracts also offers predictable payments and comes with maintenance and the option for consumables to be delivered to the office, sweetening the deal for many office administrators as the ideal choice.
Many corporates also forget that they can also get a solution for events and exhibitions, where the coffee machine is only needed for a few days. This usually really impress customers who love the free coffee and are then more likely to remain in the area talking to sales and support staff at the event area.
Very small companies or work from home offices, usually go for the purchase of the office coffee machine as it makes more sense to buy the machine outright and then shop around for the best price on coffee consumables when you need to restock. However, some rental companies have affordable plans even for these smaller companies, allowing them to run the service as an expense (versus a capital purchase).
