A piece of rented equipment failed during the busiest time of the year. A call to the supplier promised an engineer but that visit never happened. Fair enough – sometimes problems can’t be fixed on-site but what happened next was a telling indictment of the way in which many suppliers view our industry.
For 72 hours, we were left in the dark. No updates. No replacement equipment. No apology. Meanwhile, we had a fully booked ‘Sunday Lunch with Santa’ and no oven to deliver.
The result? Lost revenue, disappointed customers, possible reputational damage and several years taken off of my life – all because a supplier failed to act with urgency or empathy.
Treated as transactional accounts
On reflection, I realised this isn’t just about one incident. It’s about a mindset. Too many suppliers treat hospitality businesses as transactional accounts rather than partners.
In today’s climate, that attitude is not just short-sighted – it’s dangerous. Pubs are struggling under rising costs and shrinking margins. Every cancelled booking, every missed service pushes us closer to the edge. And when pubs fail, suppliers fail too. The relationship is symbiotic: if we go down, so do they but this reality doesn’t appear to have registered with many suppliers or their employees.
What should have happened? Immediate communication. A clear plan. A replacement unit delivered without delay. Even a simple apology would have shown that they cared. Instead, silence spoke volumes.
Understand the stakes
Empathy isn’t a luxury – it’s a business necessity. Suppliers need to understand the stakes. When equipment fails in hospitality – it’s not an inconvenience, it’s a crisis. Customers don’t wait. Events don’t reschedule. Every hour counts. The suppliers who recognise this and act decisively will earn loyalty and secure their future. Those who don’t will watch their client base disappear.
Flexibility, responsiveness and genuine partnership are the keys to survival – for both sides. This means: Rapid solutions, not empty promises. Proactive communication, not radio silence. Shared responsibility, not shrugging off the problem.
The hospitality sector is fighting for its life. Suppliers must fight with us, not leave us stranded. Because if pubs close their doors, the supply chain won’t just lose a customer – it will lose an entire industry.
