Vending machine problems? How to know right away
Whether they contain healthy snacks or not, vending machines represent convenience for busy students. When problems arise, wouldn’t you want to know right away? Here’s a solution.
The vending machine industry hauls in over $7 billion in revenue each year.¹ Colleges and universities who feature vending on campus are sharing in part of that revenue, so when things go wrong, nobody’s happy. Not only do students miss out on a safe and convenient option for snacking and sundries, but you’re losing money, too.
Real-Time Problem Reporting Can Help With That
One of the most vexing challenges for anyone who maintains campus vending machines is knowing when there’s a glitch. Likewise, nothing is more aggravating for students when vending machines eat their money, don’t return their card, become jammed, or simply run out of product.
Wouldn’t it be nice to know, the minute something goes wrong?
By sending a text message, students can report issues as they happen, in real-time, with their phones. Managers get accurate data on exactly which machine is malfunctioning so they can attend to the issue(s) as soon as possible. Students feel their voices are heard and someone cares about their problem.
Helps With Student Satisfaction
Since student satisfaction is always a goal, malfunctioning vending machines aren’t exactly helping you promote the campus vision. You care about the student experience, so why let vending machine problems detract from all your efforts?
A neglected machine can send the wrong message to students: that nobody’s watching, or worse, nobody cares. With text message notifications sent directly by the student while he or she is using the machine, you can solicit direct, instant communication when something goes wrong.
- Get notified when a product runs out
- Find out about faulty machines
- Hear about expired foods immediately
- Attend to spills right away
- Credit student accounts on the spot when a product fails to deliver after they’ve paid
- Direct users to the nearest functioning machine
Helps With Inspections
Melting candy, spilled drinks, malfunctioning coin mechanisms, food-contact equipment protection, unsanitary dispensers… there’s no end to inspection issues you need to know about.
Plus, as more campuses move towards healthier snack options in their vending machines, there are more guidelines for keeping food fresh and sanitary. One bad apple can derail your whole vending program… literally!
With a real-time feedback system in place, your students, faculty, and staff can help keep you informed of violation-producing problems with your vending machine.
Keeps Revenue Flowing
The average vending machine customer spends $27 per year on vending items, and over half of those sales are soda and other cold drinks. Other items may include consumables that melt like chocolate, or become stale like sandwiches and salads.
So when the cooling mechanism fails in your vending machine, things can go south very quickly. You’re not only losing customers, you’re losing product as well. Plus, left unchecked, melted food will produce a whole new of issues, too: a dirty machine will eventually attract insects.
A real-time feedback system where problems are reported instantly can ward off heavy revenue loss when your machines malfunction.
Increase Revenue
Aside from reporting problems instantly, students can also supply valuable information about what they’d like to see in campus vending machines. Imagine a student who needs headache relief during a late-night study session. He goes to the nearest vending machine in hopes he’ll find what he needs.
A real-time feedback system would allow that student to communicate what he’s looking for. “Not finding what you need? Tell us!”, or some such query can help administrators stay in touch with student demand. Tweaking your vending options can help fulfill that demand and, as a result, increase revenue.
References
http://brandongaille.com/23-intriguing-vending-machine-sales-statistics/
