Should You Rent or Buy Your Water Cooler?

With a focus on hydration, most workplaces are aware how important it is for them to provide their employees and guests with access to unlimited and safe drinking water. One great solution for this is the office water cooler.

Once you have determined that an office cooler would be a great addition to your office, it is time to decide the next steps, which may include:

1.     Which company should I use?
2.     How much will this service cost me?
3.       Should I rent or buy my water cooler?

While we have answered the first two questions for you in separate articles, we would be doing you a disservice if we did not address the third. At Exell, our customers come first, and it is very important to us that they have all of the information up front.

Pros of Buying Your Office Water Cooler

No rental agreement

As a business owner, you may be hesitant about signing a contract with the restrictions that come with rental agreements. While these contracts may feel restrictive, they are only there to protect both parties. They request that equipment only be moved by certified team members, which takes the responsibility off of you should something get damaged.

No minimum purchase

Depending on the company, some rental agreements also require a minimum amount of cases each month. While this may seem daunting, if you are working with a quality company, they will take your needs into consideration when determining that number. The service should be tailored to the customer, leaving no water wasted.

Pros of Renting Your Office Water Cooler

Low cost upfront

When you are working with a water service company, the equipment rental is free with the purchase of product. This means that you will not be required to spend several hundred dollars up front to furnish your office with a water cooler. If you have a larger office, you may need several coolers, which will only increase that upfront cost.

Options for higher quality equipment for free with service

Our service charges by water usage and not equipment, so you have the option to upgrade or switch out equipment to fit your needs without worrying about adding money to your bill.

Routine Maintenance

When trying to run a successful business, it can be a hassle to remember something as tedious as changing your water cooler filter. When you rent your equipment, that is included in the service. We have our experts reach out to schedule filter changes, making it easier for our customers to focus on their own customers and not a filter schedule.

Expert team

With our equipment comes the expertise of our team. We have it designed to where you have one contact, regardless of any issue you may face. Your sales representative will field any calls you may have, help you troubleshoot, and contact the correct person to address the issue.

Upgrades

When you buy your equipment, you get what you get, regardless of its working condition. When you rent, the company is responsible for the equipment. This means that when it reaches the end of its life, it will be replaced with a new cooler.

Changing Needs

Another great benefit is that if your needs change, you can upgrade your equipment to accommodate that. You may reach a point where you want to switch up your cooler types, and when you are renting you have access to many equipment options. This is great for startup companies who are unable to assess their water needs at the beginning.

Cons of Buying Your Water Cooler

High Upfront Costs

Even the cheapest water coolers are expensive, so you would be incurring several hundred dollars before you even contact a service company to start delivering. There is always the option to go for a lower-cost model, however over time you will find yourself spending more money on repairs than if you had bought a high-quality model in the first place.

Owner Responsibility

The old adage says, “with ownership comes responsibility,” and that holds true in this situation. This means that you are responsible for routine maintenance, such as filter changes. This also means that if something goes wrong, you are responsible for either calling a plumber or contacting the company for a technician.

Once you’ve contacted the plumber or technician, all they will do is diagnose the problem. From there, you are responsible for paying for them to fix it, including any additional parts needed. If the problem is unable to be fixed, you are then responsible for purchasing a new cooler and properly disposing of the old, which may include a bulk pick-up fee depending on location.

Cons of Renting Your Water Cooler

You Must Sign a Rental Agreement

Again, the only downside to renting is the rental agreement, and even that has its benefits. This is put into place to protect both parties, and when you are working with a quality company, the timeframe will not matter because you will be ready to sign for a second term.

How to Choose the Right Water Cooler Option

It can be hard to decide whether renting or owning is right for you, but you should take a few things into consideration:

1.       Do you anticipate company growth, prompting the need for additional coolers?
2.       Do you like the option of having one person to call for all water cooler needs?
3.       Are you prepared to replace equipment as needed if it cannot be fixed?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, we highly recommend renting your water cooler. There are far more benefits, leaving you more time and energy to focus on the core of your business.

Whatever you decide, just know that you and your business will be in good hands with Exell. We’ve been in the water business for a long time, and we pride ourselves on excellent service. We are here to answer any questions about your service needs.