It’s all too common for restaurants to be reactive when equipment breaks down thanks to a lack of time and/or resources. Usually, this reaction results in calling a vendor. After all, as an operator, you’re looking to make the best decisions—and cut costs—with every fix.  

But this doesn’t always work in your favor. 

How are you saving money when that same piece of equipment fails for the second time in a month? Suddenly, you’re paying for a second dispatch when the job wasn’t done properly the first time. This is why first-time fix rate is so important.

And what happens when one of your GMs doesn’t notify the rest of the team that a vendor was onsite, leaving you to pay for unnecessary service? A lack of documentation can waste both your time and your money. 

When evaluating service providers for restaurant maintenance and repairs, there are several key indicators you should look at:

The hourly rate

Get estimates for the time it will take to fix the equipment and factor in any additional port-to-port or overtime fees. This is the most common metric used to evaluate service providers—but it shouldn't be the only one.

Vendor availability

Are they able to fix the equipment today, tomorrow, next week? And does this match the level of urgency for your restaurant and the piece of equipment in need of repair?

First-time fix rate

First-time fix rate is the percentage of time that a service provider resolves an issue on the first visit without consulting additional technicians or sourcing for new parts.

Our second annual State of Repairs Report uncovered that the top 25% of service providers: 

• Respond 6% faster,
• Cost 13% less, and 
• Solve incidents 222% faster.

Access the latest State of Repairs report here.

Why is first-time fix rate a key indicator of vendor performance?

First-time fix rate is one of the most valuable indicators when choosing a service provider, but it’s often overlooked in favor of vendors with the lowest hourly rate. In choosing a lower cost upfront, this strategy can backfire when the lower hourly rate is charged multiple times for multiple visits.

In selecting a service provider with a high first-time fix rate, you can eliminate multiple travel expenses, additional overtime fees, and unsuccessful solutions to fix the problem. 

Having a high first-time fix rate also indicates the service provider is knowledgeable about the equipment and has the proper tools to fix it.

We recommend restaurants have five service providers per category in their roster and knowing what the first-time fix rate is for each. This is where 86 Repairs can help.

How to find first-time fix rates for vendors

When you partner with us, you gain access to actionable data and insights across every piece of equipment in your restaurant. We track each and every incident, so we’re armed with the knowledge of which solutions did or didn’t work when a piece of equipment breaks down. 

And, you guessed it: we track every repair by every service provider, including their first-time fix rate.

While you may be accustomed to making your R&M decisions based on a vendor’s hourly rate or availability, it’s time to consider first-time fix rates, too. You’ll be spared from high costs, repeat visits, and service disturbances when the equipment is repaired right the first time. Over time, these costs add up to big improvements for your bottom line.

Looking to save even more money and time on R&M? 86 Repairs will manage it for you from end to end. Our on-demand restaurant repair ensures your team is supported 24/7/365 when emergency strikes, and our preventative maintenance plans help you extend the life of important kitchen equipment.

Book a demo to learn how it could work for your restaurants!