Tag Archives: Rational Ovens
29 Jun |
Buy Online, By Phone or In Person? |
The re-connecting of our online shop has caused us to pause and reflect on how much has changed in the way the world does business. For most of time the only way was face-to-face. Still the essential for much of the catering trade. In the last half century, phone began to dominate. From the booking of a table to the ordering of the growing market for takeaways.
Now much is done online with everyone having multiple accounts and connections. Food delivery services, personal reviews and ordering the basics, are now all done this way. With the appropriate software, we can remotely monitor the performance of Rational ovens. This ensures they’re appropriately maintained for your specific kitchen’s demands and to time our engineer’s in-person visits.
Shop Back On-line
At the core of what AC Services does is high quality customer service mainly through in-person engineers and our office staff at the end of a phone or email. Having changed our accounts system, our on-line shop was temporarily off-line. But now its back, for those who want to order this way. It’s available at any time of day or in the cool of the night/early morning!
With the second heatwave of the summer and record temperatures just passed, it’s a good time to ensure that you have suitable stocks of your Rational cleaning products to keep your ovens optimally operating.
Price Questions
In the many years, we’ve had an on-line shop, we’re sometimes asked why our Grill Cleaner and Liquid Rinse Aid seem more expensive. Both are hazardous goods to deliver the level of cleaning required effectively and efficiently. Rather than advertise a lower price and then apply a higher delivery charge, we’ve always shown that delivery cost in the item ticket price. Overall, the cost is typically the same or cheaper than other suppliers.
Regular buyers will also see when we refreshed the on-line prices, that some are now a little cheaper.
Perhaps another reason to order today as the summer rush builds. If you want to phone in the order please call 01454 322222, select option 1 and talk with Lynne, Neil or Rob. Or just use our on-line shop at a time that suits you and today’s world!
Published Date: 29th June 2026
Category: Blog, Cleaning Products, News, Online Sales
Tags: AC Services, Cleaning Products, Online Sales, Rational Ovens
04 Oct |
Forward Planning |
The autumn equinox has passed and the morning mists have appeared with crisper mornings. We know for certain that autumn has started for a number of reasons. England’s Women have won the Rugby World Cup in front of a celebrating crowd of 82,000, after a year’s plus worth of preparation.
The political party conference season has begun. Although it’s fair to say that planning on these has been already variable. This is the norm!
And the ultimate reason is, of course, because this is AC Services blog reminding our catering colleagues to start planning for the winter equinox celebrations. This equinox is of course better known as Christmas and New Year.
Never too early
We know for some that the summer season has barely closed. For those in university towns, Freshers Weeks are in full swing. For them, it’s the chance to make a good impression to last over the year or three to come. And yes, there are many significant event days in-between now and December, nationally and locally which should be celebrated. But for many of our clients, in these uncertain times, Christmas is the key time to make cashflow. So they can last the difficult winter months until the spring equinox or Easter.
Many know that Christmas is a few days after the actual equinox and was transplanted onto an existing day of celebrations. At this point the ancient world could see the lengthening of days and knew that the crop-growing times would come again.
What and when to plan
Amongst the myriad of other plans that will need to be made, those for your Rational ovens are fairly simple:
- In early October, check when all your machines were lasted serviced. If some time has passed since your Rational ovens had their service and you are not on the remote service system; call our team in the office now. We can arrange a mutually sensible date in October or November.
- In late October, review the stocks of your Rational cleaning materials. Check there is enough plus a little more, to get you through November, December and in to early January. Then order what you need from our team.
- In early November, for some, remember that you haven’t done one and two and call our team on 01454 322222 immediately, we’re here to help!
Published Date: 4th October 2025
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Cleaning Products, News
Tags: Catering business, Cleaning Products, Rational Ovens, service
01 Jul |
Is Value A Harder Concept Than Price? |
With midsummer’s day just gone, technically the nights are drawing in. But it’s still way too early for us to be promoting the use of Rational cleaning products. We do that normally in November so there are no issues over Xmas. Yet we’re driven to talk about this now. Why?
AC Services has, over 2025, seen a rash that is now developing into a full-scale trend. Increasing numbers of our service call outs are for Rational ovens being cleaned with other products. Or worse being repaired by non-Rational trained engineers. We then have to deliver a solution for the second time, where the initial aim was cost-saving.
You Would Say that Anyway
Of course, we might, but so would our colleagues in the catering trade about the dishes they sell. For example, take fish and chips. Depending where that is served so our expectations change; fine dining fish and chips is not the same as those from the local takeaway. The former might get away with a small portion of fish and two very large quadruple cooked chips made from an exotic variety of potato; the latter might be more about volume. Yet both are fish and chips.
Rational cleaning products are designed for Rational ovens used in commercial kitchens. The automatic cleaning programmes in software enable the ovens to be clean and hygienic from the way that chefs use them. Alternatively consider Rational Oven care tablets costing 69p per tablet, which not only cleans the oven, but also reduces limescale. Limescale build-up reduces the efficiency of ovens and increases energy costs with longer cooking times to achieve the same cook.
Yes, you could descale using another means, but that would cost additional time and resource. Where this happened recently for a customer, we needed to replace the complete Steam Generator. This cost the customer £180 plus VAT for the first visit to diagnose the problem. As the Steam Generator is a non-van stock part we had to return to repair the oven, which cost them over £650 plus VAT. All sadly avoidable and could have resulted in lost revenue if the oven was unusable whilst the part was ordered and the kitchen had to be closed.
Our Promotion
Please don’t cut corners thinking that it will save you money. It might, but it does not give you or your customers value. Our cleaning products might not be the cheapest in the market as we ensure that they are transported in accordance with legislation, but they are the correct products for your ovens.
Our aim is always to provide the best value service. Again, like you. We’re not going therefore to give you money off your next purchase with a promo code. Why? Because value is long term and consistent and that’s what underpins all our pricing, whether that’s for service, maintenance and yes cleaning products. So please call us on 01454 322222 and we’ll help you save money on your future service costs today.
Published Date: 1st July 2025
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Cleaning Products, News
Tags: Cleaning Products, Maintenance, Rational Ovens
04 Dec |
Christmas Opening Hours 2024 |
Already this week Christmas parties are happening, so we must be in December. At this busy time of year, the only thing our colleagues in the catering trades need to know from us is AC Services Christmas opening hours.
Why? Because your focus is to have a successful Christmas and New Year season to make the most of the demand for events. While for us, our focus, like the rest of the year, is to successfully provide high levels of customer service to keep your Rational ovens running. This is our season to deal with delayed oven service requests and unfortunate repairs. We’re here if you need us to keep your customers happy.
Thinking Ahead
Why not check now to see whether you’ll be running low on Rational cleaning materials? And take ten minutes today, to check your ovens’ servicing records and current niggles to reduce the risk of breakdown. If necessary, give us a call on 01454 322222 so AC Services can help.
Like you, we’re also planning to spend quality time with friends and family at Christmas. Time off is important. 2025 promises to be just as difficult a year as 2024, with the impact of the National Insurance increases and stubborn inflation.
A C Services Christmas Opening Hours 2024
If you need to contact us about your Rational ovens, we will be available as follows:
- Monday 23rd December – Normal hours 8.15 am to 5.15 pm
- Christmas Eve – Engineers on Call for Emergencies and office open 8.15 – 3.00 pm
- Christmas Day and Boxing Day – CLOSED
- Friday 27th December – Engineers on call and office open 8.30-5.00pm
- Saturday 28th December – Engineer on Call for Emergencies
- Sunday 29th December – Engineer on Call for Emergencies
- Monday 30th December – Engineers on Call for Emergencies and office open 8.30-5.00pm
- New Years Eve – Engineers on Call for Emergencies and office open 8.30-5.00pm
- New Years Day – CLOSED
- January 2nd 2025 – Open as normal – 8.15 am-5.15 pm
At AC Services Southern, we know how crucial this Christmas season will be for many in the catering businesses. We hope you have a profitable Christmas season and a Happy New Year!
Published Date: 4th December 2024
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Catering business, Rational Ovens
30 Nov |
Christmas Opening Hours 2023 |
If we’re posting our monthly blog for November, it’s fewer than 30 days to Christmas. Almost time to start opening those advent calendars and to deck the premises with boughs of holly! As the busiest time of year, we’re aware that for many of you, the only thing you need to know from us is AC Services Christmas opening hours 2023.
Being Busy Bees
We know that you’ll probably only need these hours just in case the emergency happens that stops service. Like you, Christmas is one of our busiest times of the year as we assist catering colleagues with delayed Rational oven service requests and unfortunate repairs.
With Covid and cost of living crises, the cashflows of catering businesses have been hit hard. Delayed bookings for Christmas have increased uncertainty and the ability to plan effectively. Why not check now to see whether you’ll be running low on Rational cleaning materials? And take ten minutes today, to check your ovens’ servicing records and current niggles to reduce the risk of breakdown. If necessary, gives us a call on 01454 322222 so AC Services can help.
If you have a busy Christmas season planned after a quieter year, staffing might be a problem. This could either be in finding staff or ensuring that they are fully trained. Again, we know how you feel! This year from mid-December, one of our staff will be off to spend Christmas Down Under with her daughter.
Of course, we have a replacement ready to continue to deliver our recognised high levels of customer service. After all, we recognise that enabling colleagues to spend quality time with friends and family at Christmas is as important as doing business.
A C Services Christmas Opening Hours 2023
If you need to contact us about your Rational ovens, we will be available as follows:
- Friday 22ndDecember – Normal hours 8.15 am to 5.15 pm
- Saturday- Sunday 23rd – Engineer on Call for Emergencies
- Christmas Eve – Engineer on Call for Emergencies
- Christmas Day and Boxing Day – CLOSED
- Wednesday-Friday 27th-29th December – Engineers on call and office open 8.30-5.00pm
- Saturday 30th December – Engineer on Call for Emergencies
- New Years Eve – Engineer on Call for Emergencies
- New Years Day – CLOSED
- January 2nd 2024 – Open as normal – 8.15 am-5.15 pm
At AC Services Southern, we know how crucial this Christmas season will be for many in the catering businesses. May we take this chance to offer our best wishes for a successful Christmas and a prosperous 2024.
Published Date: 30th November 2023
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News
Tags: AC Services, Rational Ovens
31 Oct |
Trick or Treat for Halloween |
Trick or treat is an appropriate question for us to ask when we’re posting so close to Halloween. Certainly, the last year has been full of tricks for UK catering businesses with only the occasional treat. And the fast-approaching Christmas season promises more of the same as parties hesitate to book knocking the trade’s planning.
All Hallows Even
There are those who of course bemoan the fact that Halloween has become so big as a newfangled Americanism. But is it? The 31st day of October is the day before 1st November. This in the Christian faith is All Souls Day. The day when Christians remember and celebrate the departed. The older name for All Souls is All Hallows and een is merely the eve of. It was always the night before a holy day.
In Mexico at the same time is the Dia Los Muertos, which runs for 2-3 days. Interestingly this predates the conquistadors, so was not the result of their European faith being imposed. Somewhat spooky that it occurs on exactly the same day and for the same purpose. Especially as there is no comparable day in other faiths.
Trick or Treat Questions
When the youngsters come round and knock on doors asking the question, do they ever expect the response to be trick? Most assume that it’s an opportunity to fill their bag with sweets. And heaven help the neighbour who puts in some interesting and usual flavours as a trick!
The question expects reward much like the order in the restaurant. But the latter doesn’t usually have 2 options for the server. Is the treat-giver at Halloween motivated by a genuine desire to please? Or by the fear of potential damage like fireworks exploding in drainpipes, when they were metal, as the trick? The equivalent restaurant question is perhaps “are you enjoying your meal” when the waiter always hopes for or assumes a positive answer?
Our Treat Question
Every year at Christmas we have a rush on cleaning supplies at the last minute, as clients suddenly realise they are short in the rush. This is just when we’re busy sorting out the last-minute maintenance calls or worse the breakdown stopping the client’s service.
Our treat for you is 10% off Detergent Tabs Active Green 150 (56.01.535), Detergent Red Tabs 100 (56.00.210) and Care Tabs 150 (56.00.562) when ordered by phone before 12 noon on 10th November 2023. This does not include shipping costs. The discount code is TREAT. And we can assure you, this is no trick! Happy Halloween!
Published Date: 31st October 2023
Category: Blog, Cleaning Products, News, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Cleaning Products, Rational Ovens
26 Jul |
Measuring Customer Service |
Following our last blog on customer service being the core of our business at AC Services; we’ve quite rightly been asked how we measure success. Sometimes this is put more crudely as “prove it”! Our year-round measure is customer feedback. Our once-a-year measure is the Service Partner awards with our fellow Rational Service Partners across the UK.
AC Services Wins UK Rational Service Partner 2023
ACS has always done well in the annual awards to be the best Service Partner amongst all 40 UK Rational Service providers. In Rational Ovens’ 50th year we’re delighted to report that we came first. Time for a dual celebration for both achievements!
Rational is a German company. It uses a rigorous audit system to determine who should be crowned as the best each year. This includes the number of post-service questionnaires returned and the comments and scores they provide. They supplement this with how we perform in dealing with warranty calls, availability of van stock, recalls, first time fix rates, and attendance within 24 hours. Obviously also taken into account are any customer complaints of whatever nature.
The results were announced on 13 July at the end of the annual Rational Service Partner meeting. Helen said “It was great to win and be 1st place in the Rational Service Partner of the year. This recognises that putting customer service at the core of our business pays off. It also demonstrates Rational’s commitment to high standards of support for those in catering businesses”.
Customer Feedback
If you look around the various review sites, you’ll see happy customers commenting in the service provided by ACS. We were delighted to see this one recently:
“Outstanding service. We needed a new Rational Oven converted from natural gas to LPG. We contacted them on Monday. Had a site survey carried out on Tuesday; and the conversion and commissioning on Wednesday. Helen and Denise in the office were very understanding. While engineer John told us what need to be done prior to commissioning…..The manager and chefs are over the moon” Druid Arms, Stanton Drew
Sometimes the feedback comes direct to us:
“All paid. We can’t thank you enough for coming out so quickly, it was a nightmare not having an oven. We’ve had such amazing service from you all. Thank you” read a recent email.
All this positive feedback gives ACS encouragement to continue to offer the highest possible customer service to all its clients. You’d expect nothing less from the Rational Service Partner of the Year 2023!
Published Date: 26th July 2023
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Rational Ovens, Servicing
28 Jun |
Our Essence is Customer Service |
Last month we suggested that one way for catering businesses to weather the current economic storm is to focus on the core or essence of their business. With the Bank of England increasing the interest rates to tackle more persistent inflation; it’s probably right for AC Services to explain ours. It’s customer service.
Customer service! An easy opt out, many may say. After all it’s all part of any front of house business. Let’s for a moment consider that. What we don’t mean by customer service is the waiter asking “Is everything alright” mid-stride heading away from the table. That is a complaints avoidance tick-the-box approach that ultimately pleases no-one.
The Why of Customer Service
Consider for a moment what ACS does. We repair and maintain Rational ovens in the South West of England and South Wales and supply cleaning materials for those machines. Good customer service means different things in each of those scenarios:
- Repair is an emergency. Something has broken or does not work. The impact of that could be large (stops service) or small (there’s a work-around) but it always starts with a crisis call.
- Maintenance is the scheduled servicing of an essential machine so that it continues to run at optimum performance. The when is dictated by its age and normal use patterns and by our mutual schedules for convenience. This might start with a reminder call, machine notification or email.
- Cleaning materials are supplied to aid in the reduction of the first two. They are optimised for Rational machines and are proven to assist in preventing breakdowns or increased maintenance cycles. This is an order to us by phone or on-line.
The Uniting What is Knowledge
What the scenarios have in common is knowledge. Foremost is technical knowledge gained through training with Rational, but also from experience of these ovens over time. Our engineers and technical teams have 60+ years of Rational experience between them. They understand and can cope with ovens of all ages, whether that is in the kitchen or with the remote servicing of newer models.
The second essential knowledge is of the demands of catering businesses. For maintenance visits we try to avoid the peak of service. Although for some clients, we know there is never really a lull during the normal working day.
Thirdly we know the area. Keeping costs down is an issue for all businesses so we schedule our engineer’s routes logically across their local patches. Because they work locally, they understand their clients. Equally importantly they’re able to respond quickly to the stop-service breakdowns by rejigging those routes.
Not Just the Engineers
But that knowledge does not just exist in the engineers, it also sits in our front of house aka our office-based team. With over 30 years of catering and Rational experience between them, they can diagnose and deal appropriately with all inbound and outbound communication.
Apart from our very short initial department selection, this is not an impersonal tele-service operation. We aim to know and understand our clients. The same issue for one clearly needs an immediate repair, while another sees it as something to pick up in the next maintenance booking. Or this time can’t wait, because tomorrow is a prestigious event. Lynne, Denise, Neil and Helen understand the impact it has on your catering business and look for solutions to minimise this.
True customer service is understanding the customer’s needs and efficiently solving their problem while minimising the downtime in their kitchen. This approach drives everything that AC Services does and explains why we have high levels of repeat business and happy customers.
Published Date: 28th June 2023
Category: Blog, Catering Business, News, Rational
Tags: AC Services, Catering business, Rational Ovens
29 Mar |
Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Show |
For the last 87 years the place to be in March, has been the Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Show. For anyone in catering businesses there’s always some nugget to find in the UK’s largest gathering of the food, drink and hospitality sector. In 2022, it got even better when HRC joined forces with the Pub Show. It now includes all sectors and the entire supply chain for food and beverages.
Everything under One Roof
The Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Show is the destination to experience product innovation. Over three days visitors have the chance to meet and reconnect with over 1500 suppliers. These are from across food & drink, professional catering equipment, design & decor & hospitality tech. Anyone from the trade can discover, taste and test the latest products created specifically for hotels, restaurant & catering professionals.
The Show is organised into five main sections for food service, professional kitchens, design and décor, hospitality technology and the Pub Show. As a trade-only show there are opportunities to network (facilitated as well as freestyle); to hear noted speakers discuss the latest trend; and to get business advice directly from experts. Alongside this runs the UK’s most prestigious cooking competition – International Salon Culinaire.
Rational Attendance
At AC Services Southern, we recommend that anyone in catering attends HRC. If you missed this year’s put it in the diary for next year, now. When we attend, we always learn a lot about what is happening today that will affect our clients tomorrow. We need also to admit that we might be a little biased, as Rational always has a stand.
This year Rational demonstrated its iKitchen approach with its latest generation of cooking systems, the iVario and iCombi Pro. These combined cover 95% of all conventional cooking applications; at the same time achieving space savings of up to 40%.The cooking systems are made for cooperation, and when combined with the ConnectedCooking network solution, the intelligent kitchen is complete.
Seminar Variety
The seminars genuinely cater for all. For example, Hospitality 2023 a Global View in which IGD Insight and Economy specialists Nicola Knight and James Walton shared their predictions for 2023 on the impact of global pressures on the hospitality sector in the UK. It was followed by Successfully Interpreting Future Trends to Unlock New Revenue for Your Business. This had the subtitle of Ever Attended a Trends Talk and Thought There Was No Way Your Business Could Relate? The solution was a panel of hospitality champions discussing how they managed to interpret future trend predictions.
And they don’t avoid the basic new challenges such as Making Sense of Fat, Oil and Grease Management Responsibilities. This focused on the recent launch of an important guide to fat, oil and grease management in foodservice kitchen wastewater. This report brings together all that a site needs to know to make an effective evaluation of how it should manage its FOG disposal to prevent sewer blockages.
International Salon Culinaire
International Salon Culinaire has been regarded as one of the world’s top competitions for chefs for over a century. Over 100 live and static competitions across the three days provide a platform for chefs of all levels to go on to greater success in the industry.
Gold Medal Winners this year ranged from James and Alan Dougan of NHS Scotland GGRC in the NHS 4 Nations Chef Challenge to those beginning their careers, like Boe Trowbridge of City of Portsmouth College Monday’s winner of Butcher a Whole Chicken for Saute.
The 2023 HRC Chef Ambassador for HRC and International Salon Culinaire was Monica Galetti. She shares our view that:
“Now, more than ever, it’s so important for hospitality professionals and chefs to come together, network, learn and continue growing this fantastic industry. There’s nowhere better do to this than at the Hotel, Restaurant and Catering Show.”
Published Date: 29th March 2023
Category: Blog, Catering Business, Events, News, Rational
Tags: Care homes, Catering business, farm shop, Hotel, mass catering, Pubs, Rational Ovens, Show report
26 Feb |
A Day in the Life of an AC Services Engineer |
AC Services Southern’s business is all about keeping catering’s Rational ovens going through maintenance and repair. We have a group of trained engineers out on the road for almost 365 days a year. We’re often asked what do they do? So, here’s Jon’s day on a Monday at the end of January.
Monday Morning
Preparations for the first calls of the week are always done on a Friday with phone calls to confirm it’s still ok to attend. (The rest of the week, it’s the afternoon before.) This allowed Jon to collect late on Friday afternoon, the required spare parts for his first two jobs. These had both previously been estimated.
Jon lives in Weston. So a 40-mile drive to JD Wetherspoons William Dampier to complete 2 different estimates at the same time. One had been made in December and a second fault occurred in January. Combining reduces the inconvenience and interruptions on the kitchen; as it typically continues to work around our engineer. It’s also more cost effective given third party maintenance contractors often need a visit to fault find and a second to repair. Having arrived at 9.30, Jon was away by 11.45 with both ovens fully back in service.
His next job was in South Petherton some 9 miles away at the Lopen Raj. They had become a customer of ACS in September 2022, when they called us to service one of their ovens. At the beginning of January in a deep clean, they had moved the oven. Unfortunately they caught the dial and pulse generator, which had snapped off. We’d called the next day to repair only to discover after calling Rational to confirm, that the Raj had a unique pulse generator. This needed to be ordered. With the proximity to the William Dampier it was convenient for all to slot this job in next. Jon completed the job by 12.30; not bad given the travelling time.
Monday Afternoon
At the start of the day, Monday afternoon was clear of appointments; but Jon has been an ACS engineer for 24 years and knows that will never be the case. Overnight Wagamama Trowbridge had placed a service call via their app requiring an urgent visit on Monday. Two of their ovens, a combi duo stack and another oven, had no function. Jon headed 50 miles North to thoroughly test the ovens. As a result, he upgraded their software to the latest settings and identified that the cause of the issue was an electrical supply fault. This required an electrician to correctly rate the circuit breaker in the fuse box.
Day over you might think as gone 3.00, but no. We’d had a call from a school with a report that the oven was not getting hot enough. The visit needed to be after the lunch break. Sadly, the cause of the fault was operator error, with oven temperatures set to Fahrenheit not Centigrade. On the plus side Jon also resolved a software update problem on the same machine.
Only Half the Story
With Jon home by 6.00, you might think that was a busy day, but it doesn’t explain the half of it. Engineers have to:
- Do a mental health and safety risk assessment when on site particularly with other staff working around them in small spaces
- Write out job sheets and explain them to chefs or maintenance contractors about what they’ve done or found
- Take HACCP and service data from the ovens, ensure software is up to date and upload new software where appropriate from the Rational portal.
- Fill out mileage forms and ensure vans have fuel. Then there’s the part numbers for the estimates and job sheets. And reporting on parts fitted for the bill.
We could go on, because added to all of this is the customer service and back-office staff that get the engineers efficiently to our catering colleagues in need. But we’ll leave that to another time, while we thank Jon and our other engineers for their greatly appreciated hard work.
Published Date: 26th February 2023
Category: Blog, News, Rational, Service plan
Tags: AC Services, Maintenance, Rational Ovens, Servicing