I discovered the importance of spare parts when Mac and I opened the Pizzeria in 1979. Although Mac was handy, his ability to fix equipment wasn’t a simple matter if he didn’t have the correct parts, and the necessary parts were not available at a local hardware store! The pizza ovens were our most precious possessions; without them Mac’s couldn’t operate, and we therefore kept a supply of thermostats, safety valves, thermocouples, gas regulators and thermopiles in the store room. The same went for our refrigeration equipment; Mac knew how to fix our freezers and refrigerators, but not without the proper parts. Spare bottles of freon (refrigerant) and at least two compressors were always tucked away for the likely event of refrigeration failures that took place on a regular basis – their presence in our storeroom was of the utmost importance.
Getting parts for our equipment to Bequia was no easy matter; unlike today, we didn’t have the luxury of Amazon, Amerijet or Fedex planes! Parts had to be shipped by sea, and we never really knew when they would arrive. Paying for the parts was onerous as well; we didn’t have credit cards, and sending a wire transfer in U.S. dollars entailed filling out an application called “form E” detailing the purchase, which would then be sent to the mainland for approval. This tedious form required an attached pro-forma invoice, so we first had to locate the part overseas and then find someone willing to deal with us over the telephone, not always an easy task! This payment process was painfully slow, and certainly added to the importation frustration. However, If we waited for something to break down before ordering parts we’d be out of business well before they arrived, which is why we ALWAYS kept spares!
Mac and I were fortunate. Although obtaining anything from overseas was difficult our rather elderly equipment was GOOD equipment, and as long as we had the necessary spare parts everything worked well for many years. I always say they don’t make equipment like they used to and I know that makes me sound like an old fogie. However, I believe it’s a fact; today’s modern washing machines, refrigerators, ovens and pretty well anything else seem to give up the ghost as soon as the warranties expire, and, although we now have the internet to make ordering parts easy, and weekly ‘planes to get them here, a sad reality faces us. The equipment in need of a part to bring it back to life may not be very old, but to the manufacturer it’s obsolete and they’ve moved on to something much better for you to buy. Or so they say.
That part you need? Prepare yourself for the sad news that it’s no longer available, the equipment you purchased 5 years ago is now a dinosaur. The good news? You now have the luxury of spending your hard-earned money quickly on the internet, and a replacement will be here in no time at all. This type of near-instant gratification can be a good thing, but when it comes to equipment make SURE you order spare parts well in advance, because they won’t exist anymore a few years down the road….
