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You’ve probably been there before, standing in a customer’s shop or on the phone trying to work out whether the multideck they’re interested in buying will fit without blocking half the store.
Or perhaps you’ve had to explain to a customer why their ambitious refrigeration plans won’t work in their cozy corner shop.
Getting the right multideck for the right space is about understanding how your customers’ businesses operate. This guide will help you navigate those tricky conversations and make recommendations that work in the real world.
We’re not diving into technical specifications here. Instead, you’ll get practical advice for matching equipment to everything from cramped convenience stores to sprawling supermarkets. Because the perfect multideck is the one that fits both the space and the business.
Understanding your customer’s space
Retail spaces come in all shapes and sizes. Rarely are they the perfect rectangle you’d hope for. Your customers might be dealing with a Victorian pub converted into a corner shop, complete with supporting pillars in awkward places. Or a modern unit that looks spacious until you factor in the fire exits, storage access and that peculiar alcove where nothing seems to fit.
So, before you even start discussing models, get the full picture. You’ll need more than the floor dimensions. Ask about ceiling heights, door widths (both external and internal), and any permanent fixtures they can’t move. Don’t forget to check the route from the delivery point to the final position. We’ve heard many stories about perfectly sized units that couldn’t make it around a tight corner or through a narrow doorway.
Older buildings often have uneven floors or walls that aren’t quite straight. What looks like a three-meter gap might actually be 2.8m at one end and 3.1m at the other. And while your customers might dream of wall-to-wall refrigeration, you need to factor in ventilation space, cleaning access and customer flow. A multideck that leaves shoppers squeezing past each other isn’t doing anyone any favors.
Small format stores
When you’re supplying refrigeration to convenience stores and independent shops, every bit of floor space is precious. These retailers typically juggle an impressive range of products in a small footprint. So, they need refrigeration that works just as hard as they do.
For these compact environments, you’re usually looking at multidecks within a certain range. Specific units can be brilliant for those really tight spots. They’ll slot in where larger units won’t go, while still offering decent display space across multiple shelves.
But it’s not just about what fits. You need to think about how shoppers move through the space. Can they comfortably pass each other in the aisles? Can they see what’s in the multideck without having to squeeze past someone else? In narrow stores, suggest slimline models with reduced depth. While they’ll sacrifice some capacity, they’ll gain valuable aisle space.
Medium-sized retailers
Moving up to medium-sized spaces, like busy cafés, delis and smaller supermarket formats, brings different challenges. These retailers often have a bit more floorspace to work with, which might sound sufficient until you start factoring in all their requirements.
In these settings, larger multidecks work better. They provide substantial display space without dominating the floor plan and allow your customers to create distinct zones for different product categories. A deli might want to separate dairy from ready meals, while a café might need grab-and-go sandwiches positioned on a different wall to their beverage selection.
The key here is thinking about the customer journey. Where do people enter? What do they need to see first? How can refrigeration guide them through the space?
Positioning multidecks perpendicular to the entrance can create natural aisles if space permits, while parallel placement along walls maximizes floor space for tables or other displays.
Large format stores
Supermarkets and large-format stores don’t usually have to worry about whether a multideck will fit. Instead, they’re thinking about creating impactful displays, managing energy costs across multiple units and ensuring everything works together as a cohesive system.
Here, you might be recommending several large multidecks to your customer, which they can multiplex to create long runs of refrigeration.
End positioning is also vital in larger stores. Those valuable end-cap positions need multidecks that can handle high-traffic areas and frequent restocking. You’ll want to suggest robust units with excellent visibility from multiple angles. Their shoppers should be able to spot a promotion whether they’re coming down the central aisle or cutting through from another section.
And don’t forget about maintenance access. In a smaller shop, staff can work around a single unit fairly easily. In a supermarket with dozens of multidecks, you need to ensure engineers can access components without disrupting half the shop floor.
Planning for this from the start can save massive headaches later.
Larger retailers also tend to think long-term. They might be planning to expand their product ranges or even extend the building itself. Recommending systems that can grow with them will position you as a partner in their success, not just an equipment supplier.
How can TEFCOLD help?
If you’re ever unsure about whether a multideck will fit in a particularly challenging layout, TEFCOLD’s technical team is just a phone call away. We’d rather help you get it right the first time than see your customer struggle with refrigeration equipment that’s not quite right for their needs.
With a wide range of products, excellent warranties and swift delivery we’ve got the multidecks you need to offer your customers plenty of options.
Browse our range or contact our sales team to learn how we can help you grow your sales of our commercial multidecks to your retail customers of all sizes.
