SIEMENS
Investing for the future: vending trends and the enabling role of smart finance I
David Llewellyn & Kathryn Vassilissin
n conversation with David Llewellyn the Chief Executive at AVA: The Vending & Automated
Retail Association our own Kathryn Vassilissin, Sales Manager, Vendor Finance, Siemens Financial Services UK sat down to discuss the future of the vending industry and the ways that smart integrated finance can not only support but also accelerate change in the sector.
KV: Hybrid working has certainly had an impact on the industry and our customers. What are some of the key trends that you see emerging as a result of new ways of working? DL: There’s been a huge shift. For larger offices there just isn’t the requirement for the same level of equipment. We’re seeing two distinct phenomena: in some cases there are fewer people onsite at any given time but in others it’s totally different. Instead, people are now onsite at previously atypical times meaning there is an emerging need for 24hr provision where previously there was none.
KV: With this growing audience for vending that was previously catered for with live canteens, do you expect to see widespread adoption of micromarkets? DL: Interestingly in the US almost all proper growth within the convenience services (as they call it) has come from micro markets. Across the country they’ve seen around 26,000 micro markets pop up at sites with 200+ people. And now this is moving toward the 40,000 mark because of the way the technology and capabilities are evolving. It’s not just a small retail outlet it’s nano markets, smart fridges, a combination of vending machines, some open shelves and display fridges, with lots of variations and we’re expecting a similar change in the UK. Here in the UK in There were something like 400-460 but that in itself was a 40% growth and we expect that to continue as well.
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vendinginternational-online.com
MYSFS The MySFS App from Siemens Financial Services is a smart, innovative point-of-sale tool for vendors. The app helps salespeople to close deals faster – often through their mobile phone – and receive seamless, on-the-go credit decisions without fuss. With four easy steps, it takes just a few minutes to generate a credit proposal through to sending key documents to the customer for an E-signature.
KV: So does this spell the end for live catering? DL: There isn’t the financial gain there for food service and catering providers to fully serve canteens as before, so some have flipped their business model and are using a micro market type operation with one canteen as the hub and micromarkets, smart fridges and so on serve as spokes.
KV: It seems like there are some great opportunities in the sector right now and rethinking catering facilities can actually give back a lot of control to end-customers. We’ve learned that first hand at our office in Stoke Poges. And this is true from the finance perspective as well – instead of simply funding investment in a single machine, we now offer financing for the whole arrangement, which can include cabinetry, telemetry, and refrigeration. This flexibility allows us to work with vending operators to deliver comprehensive, tailored solutions. We’re also seeing more and more cashless vending machines. How is that impacting the sector and how far are we from a totally cashless system? DL: Around 70% of machines currently in operation are cashless up from 30% four years ago and that’s a trend that will continue to run. For operators, there are so many positives to not handling cash, these range from less maintenance (as coin mechanisms can get clogged up) to greater security (less vulnerability to break ins).
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