Before hiring a vending machine company, Wicked Healthy Vending suggests that you consider what is important to your organization and what it wants to provide its customers. These 7 tips may help you in this process.
- Vending Machine capabilities
- Are you seeking a vending machine that is American Disability Act Compliant (“ADA”)? This provides accessibility to those customers in a wheel chair so the retrieval door, dollar slots and credit card readers are all in their reach.
- Does the vending machine have credit card capability and does it take Apple/Android and contactless pay?
- Does the vending machine company have vending management software that will allow it to remotely check on the machine’s purchases to know when they need to fill the machine?
- Are there other features in a vending machine that may interest you?
- Product Selection
- Are you looking for traditional snacks and beverages? Think of your soda, potato chips and candy bars;
- Do you want to provide your customers, employees, members, guests and students with healthier snack and drink options?; or
- Would you like a combination of traditional items and healthy items in the vending machine?
Keep in mind that certain organizations require healthy vending, such as public schools and YMCAs, while others seek it out because of their mission to provide a healthier lifestyle to their stakeholders or simply because their customers are asking for more nutritious snack and drink options.
- Supplier Diversity Are you interested in partnering with a diversified business, such as a certified woman-owned, minority-owned or veteran- owned?
- Community Involvement Would you like to hire a vending machine company who is involved in the community and one who can partner with your organization on community initiatives?
- Conduct Due Diligence
- Is the vending machine company a legitimate company with a website and business presence?
- Are they insured or licensed by their state if required?
- What is the vendor’s response time to issues under reasonable circumstances?
- Meet and Greet your Prospective Vendor If possible, meet with your prospective vendor, either in person or virtually to determine that the vending company is a good fit.
- Are they punctual and prepared to answer questions?
- Are they listening to you?
- Are they willing to provide samples?
- Do they outline realistic expectations? It is better to have a vendor that sets realistic expectations than one who wants to get in the door and then under-delivers.
- Provide Vendor Information about the Location As it is important for a vending machine company to provide a realistic picture of its capabilities and services, it is just as important for the organization to be candid about the location. Be ready to share with the prospective vendor:
- The number of people on site that potentially can purchase from the machine.
- Hours of operation and number of days a week the location is open to its customers
- Number of shifts
Providing this information will help the vending machine company recommend, based on experience, what type of machine would work best, such as a combination snack and drink machine, a machine that can accommodate refrigerated entrees, or a separate snack and beverage machine. It will also allow the vending machine company to assess whether the location will be busy enough to warrant servicing the location.
Trust the best, when hiring a vending machine company to supply healthy snacks and drinks!
