Professional kitchens are busy places, and the last thing that you need is an equipment breakdown in the middle of service. So clearly choosing a quality supplier for your catering equipment is important, but that quality needs to be expressed in every aspect of your supplier's performance. These include some aspects that you may not be aware of, but which can make a significant difference to how efficient and profitable a catering or restaurant business eventually is.

So when you look at catering equipment suppliers, how can you tell a great one from a poor one? Here are five indicators that you should look for.

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1. They stock a superb range of equipment

This is important because if you have a need to deliver a new or different kind of service to your customer, you want to see what's available on the market. You don't want to be limited to a few random products that happen to be in stock. In fact, the supplier's range should be something that you want to browse and therefore to provide new ideas.You want to see things that are up-to-date, because in an industry as competitive as catering, your business always needs the edge that new and innovative equipment will deliver.

2. The equipment is high quality and reliable

You need a supplier who has done the legwork on your behalf. This means that they have a real in-depth knowledge of which products are good value and reliable. They aren't going to sell you a turkey because they don't stock them. Inevitably, suppliers with a large and diverse customer base have a much better knowledge of the most reliable and cost-effective equipment.

3. Every part of the process works well

A supplier who is interested in quality will be interested in it from the moment they take your order to the moment they deliver the equipment. They deliver when they say they're going to deliver, and that means you can rely on them. With many events that must be catered for, there can be no second chance - that couple will only have one wedding reception, for instance - so those who provide hospitality have to have suppliers who won't let them down and who will go the extra mile to help out if there is a sudden or urgent requirement.

4. They back up their sales with service

Anyone can set up on the Internet and sell equipment, but a high quality supplier will have a professional backup operation running. That means that their customers can pick up the phone and talk to a real person if they have queries.

5. They try to do the right thing

A high quality supplier will have awareness of all aspects of its business and will be trying to improve its environmental footprint. Better suppliers will try to source their goods from companies who have their own environmental policies, so that they have a supply chain that they are confident is the best it can be.