Overview
A leading national coffee retailer prioritizes a uniform and high-quality customer experience across all its locations. Achieving this requires reliable performance of equipment and infrastructure. This case study examines a commissioning (Cx) review that uncovered critical deficiencies in pump installation and performance. The findings underscore the strategic importance of commissioning in safeguarding operational standards and ensuring long-term asset reliability.
Performance
Despite having established design standards for electrical and plumbing installations, a national coffee retailer encountered critical execution gaps due to miscommunication and specification omissions. Contractors were expected to adhere to the provided guidelines, but incomplete design documents and a lack of clarity around required equipment led to key components being overlooked.
A recent in-depth commissioning (Cx) inspection by Melink revealed systemic issues with water pump installations. Specifically, pumps that did not meet specification were installed by default, as plumbers mistakenly assumed pre-mounted pumps were compliant. This led to the use—or complete omission—of incorrect equipment across multiple sites.
These oversights had measurable operational and brand-level consequences:
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Inadequate water pressure, limiting future equipment scalability.
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Negative impact on coffee quality, undermining brand consistency and customer satisfaction.
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Residue buildup in water lines, posing long-term performance and sanitation risks.
Commissioning provided the coffee retailer with a proactive solution to ensure equipment, such as combi ovens and exhaust systems, met safety and performance standards. Through a comprehensive inspection by Melink, the retailer was able to maintain consistency across its locations and address any deviations from specifications by contractors and suppliers. This process not only enhanced operational safety but also improved accountability, ensuring uniformity in customer experience and store performance.
Conclusion
A key outcome for the national coffee retailer was the implementation of a centralized data portal, enhancing visibility and control over equipment performance and installation quality. The portal offers streamlined tracking of deficiencies, customizable tagging for improved data accuracy, and consistent, automated report generation.
By leveraging commissioning (Cx) services, the retailer strengthened its operational oversight and reinforced its brand promise of consistent, high-quality customer experiences. The insights gained supported improved equipment accountability, ensured system performance, and protected brand integrity. As customer satisfaction remains a strategic priority, continued investment in Cx plays a critical role in maintaining operational excellence across all locations.
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