OFFICE REFRESHMENT Office managers and commercial landlords are shifting focus from


keeping the office safe (and protecting against the spread of Covid) to making their spaces functional and fit for purpose, depending on how flexible the style of working going forward is planned to be. The larger corporates will probably concentrate on providing


the type of spaces and facilities that will draw workers in while the smaller companies will be more budget-focused. Operators will need to tailor their offering according to the needs of the customer. If workers are reliant on the vending offering to subsidise meals brought in from home, then the breadth of selection will be a key factor. Good choice always wins. Office workers tend to value quality liquid refreshment as well,


so operators and catering providers should make sure the coffee is good and the cups are robust and comfortable to carry, with well- fitting lids. Ultimately, companies want to be able to afford the best they can for the workforce – particularly when the last couple of years has been so miserable.


GILLIAN WHITE, CRANE MERCHANDISING SYSTEMS The age of hybrid working, labour challenges and inflation. All of these have a major impact in the delivery of refreshment services in a traditional office. Where refreshment is seen as a way to make the office more enticing, it’s likely that premiumisation, particularly in hot beverage offerings is a trend that’s set to stay: making office refreshment comparable to a retail coffee shop experience and within that, offering espresso-based drinks is a must. Creating the refreshment area to be one of collaboration, relaxation and reward is going to drive a different look, feel and execution. Wellness is also rising to the fore and, as more products are


available in the “health and wellness” categories, offering those is another win to enhance a day in the office; using screens on machines to inform about allergens and nutrition isn’t just required, it can broaden the audience as informed choice is a reality at the vending machine. Clearly, operating a fleet of machines in the most cost-effective way is essential. Purchase equipment that gives the best total cost of ownership to ensure that the day- to-day operations of filling, cleaning and servicing are optimised for return on investment. Using a vending management system to plan routes and control stock is no longer nice to have, but a smart solution to manage the changes in delivering best-in-class refreshment services of an office environment in the new reality. Finally, identifying locations


where there are density of people on a regular basis and adding those to an operating business is a smart move. Manufacturing and logistics/distribution locations are potentials; lots of people working, many on 24/7/365 patterns and they will need refreshment to ensure productivity.


SIMON BLACK, SB SOFTWARE MANAGING DIRECTOR Since the worst of the pandemic is now over, everyone has been talking about the return to the office and getting back to normal. But the office environments we are returning to are not the same as they were. And the “new normal” differs from the “old normal” in ways that are materially significant for our sector. Work culture has also changed and evolved. As well as increased demand for home-working, resulting in less constant/predictable levels of office utilisation, there’s added inflation, and skills shortages putting upward pressure on wages as well as increasing employees’ expectations for working conditions. Against this backdrop, the key challenges for our sector we can see playing out in office refreshment include: • employers incentivised to provide more/better for staff (including fresh/hot food and quality coffee) – and needing to do so efficiently


• micro markets (and unattended retail) booming – either as new offerings or to replace staffed canteens


• ever greater emphasis on availability of the right products in the right places at the right time, meaning that visibility and customer service are even more important than before. We know that good data helps with all these challenges. In brief, there’s increased need to do more and better, and also sooner/quicker: with the trend in inflation bringing efficiency into even sharper laser-focus for our clients At SBS we try to help our clients with the following? • the Nova kiosk - for micro markets and unattended retail;


• Vendmanager integrating micro markets into larger vending estates for efficiency;


• Databridge, now bringing more machines online including OCS;


• VoD (Visit on Demand) providing effective re-stocking;


• Optimal Fleet Routing, making the most of time and resources to maximise efficiency/service. The changes playing out in society/employment


present opportunities in office refreshment that will only continue to grow. That said, don’t miss the opportunity to harness and leverage data to your best advantage.


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