VENDING & WATER COOLERS


the emphasis of machine design to product quality and user experience rather than pure speed of service and convenience.


There is still a knowledge gap among FMs regarding the true possibilities of these machines so it’s vital to educate yourself about what is available and which solutions best for your needs.


2. WHAT REPRESENTS RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) TO YOUR BUSINESS?


Technological advancements in the vending industry balanced against the recession-induced need for maximised ROI have resulted in the world’s most cost-efficient machines.


The modern customer will go out of their way to purchase ‘barista’ style full-bean coffee or leaf tea ahead of cheap instant produce.


Therefore, while more expensive to purchase than their predecessors, vending machines equipped with quality produce and which subsequently charge higher retail prices for food items, have already proven to be far more cost-efficient in both the short and long-term.


“GONE ARE THE DAYS OF SEEING THAT CHOCOLATE


BAR MOVE FORWARD THEN LEFT HANGING FROM ITS STAND,


AGONISINGLY OUT OF REACH!”


Another common consideration is whether the food items your machines will stock are to be subsidised by your company or whether you wish for the machines to be programmed to offer meal deals or even linked to a user-database to reward loyalty.


3. SMART THINKING It’s vital to ensure your operator is flexible and that your machines are able to maximise ROI all year round. For example, staff are more likely


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to purchase bottles or water than hot drinks in the summer months. Seasonal spending spikes could also represent a key period of conference programme and increased visitors.


The use of an ‘Always-On’ connection rather than the outdated ‘dial-up’ system means that sudden changes in demand can be identified and accounted for immediately, with additional capabilities for automatic stock ordering.


The new use of bidirectional monitoring also allows you, the FM, and the machine operator live-access to each machine’s current stock level and purchase records while simultaneously allowing you to remotely reconfigure ingredient settings.


4. TAKING STOCK In the modern era of efficient and increasingly reliable technology, the frustrating sight of an ‘out of order’ sign will turn many customers away for good.


In order to significantly reduce machine ‘downtime’ periods - where no purchases or profits can be made as a result of running out of stock or fault – new back-end telemetry technology has enabled real-life maintenance reports and even remote bug-fixing.


To that end, the next generation of machines are designed to contain simple and effective spring mechanisms and no potentially faulty motors. Gone are the days of seeing that chocolate bar move forward then left hanging from its stand, agonisingly out of reach!


Remember, ideally as the FM, you should only ever have one point of contact with your operator and the member of staff who arrives to clean and restock the machine should be the only person you see.


If the machine reports a rare serious fault, some operators now offer a ‘box pool’ system, whereby, rather than fixing the machine on site, a new machine is simply wheeled in as an immediate replacement and the other taken away for repair and redistribution.


5. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!


Every workplace has a flow. It’s therefore vital to position a vending machine in the correct location. The last thing you want to do is create a blockage in a key access corridor, however, it’s imperative to maximise visibility of the machine.


Likewise, while the operating noise of machines has been reduced significantly, you may wish not to place the machine in a quiet office.


Additional considerations such as elevator weight restrictions and door accesses have proven an unforeseen obstacle to vending machine delivery on plenty of occasions so make sure you take everything into account!


6. WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR USUAL?


‘Hello Jamie, would you like your usual Americano?’


While the first consideration I highlighted was ‘what do you need the machine to do’, my final point is ‘what does your customer/staff member want it to do?’


“‘HELLO JAMIE, WOULD YOU


LIKE YOUR USUAL AMERICANO?’”


If your staff member is using a machine on the fifth floor they will expect the same system as the first floor. By linking machines together through back-end telemetry, you can increase customer satisfaction and once again increase the all- important ROI.


The use of user-database information that enables your machines to remember the purchase history of a user and also recognise them by facial data can both enhance the customer experience and speed up the transaction, again increasing use and efficiency. This could be sped up again with a cashless payment system.


www.smartvendsolutions.com TOMORROW’S FM | 23


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