Tiger Coffee is helping café owners maximise their investment in advanced super-automatic machines through proactive maintenance and telemetry-informed insights.
In many respects, Tiger Coffee represents the benchmark of what cafés now expect from a modern coffee machine supplier. Rather than simply selling equipment, the priority is ensuring machines perform at their peak long after installation.
That takes a significant investment in after-sales service.
As a result, Tiger Coffee has designed a 360-degree service model starting well before a machine is sold, and lasting potentially many years post-purchase.
Some hallmarks of its service include the ability to respond to non-operational machines within four hours.* The company also prides itself on precise and timely maintenance program thanks to insights gleaned from telemetry. And all of this is achieved through a technician network reaching all corners of Australia.
But it doesn’t stop there for the company – known as the largest Australian distributor of Eversys super-automatics, including the Enigma, Shotmaster, and Cameo ranges.
Cafés, roasters and other venues who purchase a machine from Tiger Coffee can protect their investment with comprehensive parts and labour warranty for up to five years with a service agreement in place.
“That’s almost unheard of in super-automatics,” says Tiger Coffee Managing Director Stephen Donnelly.
“People often think they already have a two-year factory warranty, but that only covers parts. It doesn’t cover consumables or ongoing servicing – which is important in super-automatic machines that require more upkeep.
“With the faith in the quality of Eversys machines, and our service model, we’re confident to extend that to five years when the service agreement is in place from day one. With regular ongoing maintenance, customers can expect to get more life out of their machines.”
Stephen says it’s this mindset that sets Tiger Coffee apart.
Since originating in 2008, it has expanded nationwide to distribute and service more than 1500 machines across Australia, from smaller-format venues through to high-volume operations. Each installation is carried out by Tiger’s team of factory-trained, in-house technicians, reinforcing the company’s standing as a provider of end-to-end coffee solutions.
“We’re a business that considers itself a service company first and a sales company second,” Stephen says.
“We have just one salesperson based in Victoria, and while we are looking to expand our sales team into New South Wales and Queensland, the priority is heavily weighted towards the 23 technicians we have across Australia. We can provide parts and service support in every state. Not many can say that.”
Stephen says cafés are increasingly turning to super-automatic machines as perceptions shift around the quality they can deliver. With ongoing maintenance, he says these systems are now capable of producing consistently high, barista-standard coffee, making them a more viable option across a wider range of venues.
At the same time, the operational benefits are becoming harder to ignore.
According to Stephen, the efficiency gains can translate into rapid returns on investment – in some cases within six months in high-volume environments – while also reducing reliance on dedicated barista staffing and other labour requirements.
Mechanics of the model
Tiger Coffee’s service model begins before a machine is even sold.
It starts with a consultative approach, advising the most suitable machine for the venue.
Post-installation and with a maintenance agreement, Tiger Coffee’s technicians train venue staff on the machines to help implement the coffee program.
“We calibrate and set up machines to match the venue’s style and requirements, and work closely with their roaster to achieve the ideal shot by adjusting the grind settings and extraction times,” Stephen says.
“For instance, by extending extraction and using slightly less coffee per dose, venues can create bean savings – these variables can be automated to carefully offset one another, which is one of the advantages of super-automatic machines.”
Another advantage is telemetry. Because Eversys is one of the most established high-end, super-automatic manufacturers, Stephen says the software underpinning its machines is well-developed, offering accurate, detailed and comprehensive insights for the technicians to work from.
“Telemetry enables precise monitoring of machine usage, including the total number of shots produced,” he says. “For instance, at approximately 50,000 shots, grinder replacement can be anticipated, while other components such as filters or specific modules can be serviced or replaced at defined usage intervals.”
When maintenance is scheduled – rather than reactive – Tiger Coffee can plan it around a café’s quieter periods to minimise disruption.
“Each month, we run telemetry reports that identify what maintenance is due. This is based on usage – the number of shots – rather than time,” Stephen says.
“It also helps when a machine becomes non-operational. If we get a call about a fault, we can check telemetry beforehand and bring the right parts with us, completing multiple tasks in one visit and minimising disruption.”
When machinery is non-operational, around 20 per cent of the time a Tiger Coffee technician can resolve the issue remotely by working with someone on site to troubleshoot the issue.
If a technician is required to visit, metro-based customers can expect same-day service (within four hours). For regional areas, response times are within 48 hours, and remote areas up to a week.
“If a machine is down, they’re not selling anything. That’s the bottom line and why fast turnaround is so critical,” Stephen says.
“One of the major benefits of Eversys machines is their modular design. If there’s an issue with a particular module and it can’t be fixed on site, you can swap it out immediately, get the machine running again, and then refurbish the module back at the warehouse.”
Maximised for performance
For cafés considering the leap into super-automatic technology, Stephen says they can expect labour efficiencies that can result in payback periods of well under 12 months, depending on trading hours and staffing structure.
Regardless of the venue, Tiger Coffee imports a broad portfolio of Eversys super-automatic to suit.
Among cafés and roasters, Stephen says the Shotmaster and Enigma ranges are creating the most value. Models like the E’4ms X-wide (Enigma) are sought-after because of its wider chassis and dual work zones that enable two operators to work simultaneously during peak periods, while the narrower Shotmaster machines are better for smaller footprints.
But venues will struggle to maximise their investment without ongoing maintenance, typically spaced every two to three months apart.
Stephen says Tiger Coffee doesn’t just calculate success on how long the machine is in operation. Instead, it’s about the consistency of the coffee produced over that time.
“Super-automatic machines do require more upkeep. A traditional machine is essentially a big kettle, whereas these are computerised, electronic machines that need to be properly calibrated at all times,” he says.
“This means that if critical components such as grinder burrs are not replaced at the appropriate intervals, optimal extraction cannot be achieved.
“The life of the machine is important, but it’s really about maintaining the quality of the coffee throughout that life. In turn, preserving that coffee quality and consistency is the key to ensuring customers come back to your venue, and ultimately helping your business recoup the return on your investment.”
For more information, visit tigercoffee.com.au
This article appears in the June 2026 edition of BeanScene. Subscribe HERE.
