HYBRID VENDING It’s a time of great change – and that (in my experience) should


mean a time of great opportunity. The vending industry is a perfect example of maintaining sales momentum off the back of these trends. The sector is showing signs of post-pandemic recovery according to the Vending & Automated Retail Association (AVA), and further growth of 20% is anticipated throughout 2022. This is fuelled by the “new ways of working” phenomenon. Quite simply, hybrid working requires hybrid solutions and


there is an opening opportunity for vendors in the catering space. With staff coming to the office less frequently, the need for traditional workplace canteens has lessened. Instead, many companies and facilities managers are opting for vending solutions such as micro-markets. In fact, at Siemens Financial Services (SFS), we’ve taken precisely


that approach. Our Head of UK Operations, Liz Barber explains: “Before COVID-19 we had the classic set-up: a fully staffed canteen


where people could buy and eat their lunch. But since returning to the office things are radically different. SFS’ employees now come into the office an average of 2 days per week, and chiefly the middle of the week, so what worked before just isn’t right anymore. That said, ahead of the return to work the questions I was asked


most frequently centred around catering. Would the canteen still be there? Could they get hot and cold food onsite? This is particularly important given we operate out of a business park so offsite alternatives are limited for us. From an operations perspective, I knew we needed a new solution and I saw this as an opportunity for us to increase choice and quality. …alongside hybrid working needs, vending can cater to businesses’ sustainability goals. Working with a vending partner, my eyes were opened to the possibilities of modern-day vending. Entirely contactless payments, high quality hot and cold options for all diets, intelligently tailored supply.” As Liz points outs, non-live catering facilities can monitor use to


improve supply and reduce waste. So, alongside hybrid working needs, vending can cater to businesses’ sustainability goals. Most vending operators will support with installation but those


leveraging expert partners to help customers make the most of this shift will stand out from the crowd. As Liz continues: “In our case, we wanted to design a whole new space that


matched the state-of-the-art equipment and our mindset as a business. Our vending partner connected us with a company to refit and redesign the hub and they’ve made the whole process seamless. They completely understood our vision.” Alongside design, finance often represents a challenge for investment – particularly as industries continue recovery in the post-pandemic period. Rising interest rates and volatile markets mean businesses want to preserve working capital. Working with a specialist financier like SFS, let’s you offer customers smart finance solutions to match their cash flow needs, paying for equipment in manageable instalments instead of outright. Similarly, our digital capabilities can help to close those deals quickly with no need for face-to-face contact. The world of work is changing and by working with specialist


partners vending operators can lead that change. To learn more visit: www.siemens.co.uk/vendor-finance


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