THE VENDIES THE VENDIES


Embark on your own Ven dies


adv enture


Managing director of SB Software, Simon Black, talks to VI features editor Heather Ramsden about what the Vendiesmeans to him


WHAT DOWE LIKE ABOUT THE VENDIES?


What DON’T we like? The Vendies evening is a great event, bringing together key players - themovers and the shakers - in the UK vending sector. It’s always fun, so conversation flows freely and it’s always extremely useful for business at the same time. It’s not just the gala event itself - that’s the cherry on the cake. It’s the whole process beforehand too - especially for the entrants compiling their submissions to explain features, benefits and achievements succinctly. The buil d-up is exciting, the dinner goe s by in a flash and the reflection that comes aftfterwards ismaybemost beneficial of all - assessing what we have learnt, and what we will do to everyone involved in organis


the event this year. forward. Thank you


ing and running better going


WHY ARE YOU SPONSORING ‘THE BEST OVERALL OPERATOR’ CATEGORY?


All of the categoriesmerit sponsorship because each celebrates vital contributions to our sector. All the entrants, not just the winners, deserve recognitio n, and thanks, fromall of us. As a company, SBS chose to sponsor Best Overall Operator because of the alignment with what we do. Every day we endeavour tomake things “simply better” for operators (and their own customers).We are extremely interested in how operators - of all sizes - set about their day-to-day operations to deliver their objectives: that’s our lifeblood.One thing’s for sure: this category will be a fierce competition and judging it will be amuch harder job than sponsoring!


WHY SHOULD THE INDUSTRY GET INVOLV VOTING AND ATT ENDING ?


LVED BY ENTERING,


As a company, we approached the Vendies step by step. Always voting (whenever we were eligible), then sending a representative to the event initially on reconnaissance, before entering for the first time (and winning - thank you again to everyone who voted for us).We have been a sponsor for the last two years, and nowadays, you just can’t keep us away . Involvement fromanyone and everyone in UK


vending is good to whatever degree. It’s healthy both for the sector and for the participants themselves:


• Filling in an entry formis a worthwhile exercise in itself, because it focuses themind on what is important to others.


• Voting calls for difffficult decisions between entrants who are all merit-worthy.


• Attending is an ideal chance to improve on your knowledge of the sector, and hopefully fill in some gaps too (finding out about thing s that yo u weren’t even aware of).


HOWHAS THE SECTOR CHANGED IN THE PAST YEAR? DO YOU THINK THISWILL BE REFLECTED IN THE 2018 VENDIES?


Looking back at our sector over the last 12months, everything feels sharper and clearer. Evenmore focused than before. It’s an extremely challenging business environment, where both efffficiency and customer service (not always natural bedfellows) are key to ongoing commercial success.


In other sectors, that backdropmight result in cut-throat rivalry, and nothing else. But in vending, it’s not the whole picture.Outsiders looking i n are always struck by our cama raderie our commitment to worthwhile causes, and our ability to engage in fierce (but fair) competition, and then share a drink (or three) together aftfterwards. The word “community”may be growing threadbare fromoveruse nowadays, but vending has been a genuine community since long before it was so trendy. Longmay it remain so.


,


WHAT DOES SBS HAVE TO OFFER OPERATORS THIS YEAR AND WHAT IS TO COME FROMSBS?


Our unending obsession continues to be making things simply b ttetter for oper ators by improving visibility, effffici ency profitability and customer service. To


, To do this, we always have the right technology


(including VendmanagerMobile and Datakey) and the right people to hand - hopefully you’llmeet some of themat the Forest of Arde n on 2 October. Enjoy the evening!


Visit: www ft ww.sbsoft.co.uk vendinginternational-online.com | 27


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36