Getting started in vending
Getting Started in Vending Contents 2. Charity vending machine program |
Here are a few tips if you have just started in vending.
When you are servicing your vending machines, don't be in too much of a hurry to 'get-in' and 'get-out'...
The time to service a vending machine will depend on the type of vending machine, what you have to do to refill the machine, the time it takes to collect the money and whether you need to fix anything.The best case scenario is having nothing to fix, refill the machine with the same product(s) and walk out with a bag full of money. You can move onto you next location very quickly.
This best case scenario won’t always happen. You’ll find that people will want to chat to you (or you’ll want to chat to people), coins get stuck, the machine is somehow broken, you may want to change the product for sale in the machine etc. This all takes time.
Spending a bit more time at a location isn’t a bad thing. Firstly, the boss sees that you are really taking care of the machine and secondly, you’ll get a chance to become more familiar with the location and the sort of people who are using your machine.
When servicing your machines, you’ll find that staff will say hello to you or tell you if there has been a problem with the machine. Use this opportunity to build a rapport with them and ask them what they would like to see in the machine. This is great feedback for you.
Have a coin bag for each location
It’s a little bit more work, but keep a separate coin bag for each vending machine’s takings.
This will allow you to note each machine’s sales and compare them to previous takings. You can see how this is done by looking at the vending analysis page. You’ll get a better idea of what is happening and whether you need to make changes to your product, machine or location.