Vending Machine Buyers' Guide |
| If you're not a drinks vending expert, this section will help you become one. |
| Knowing the right questions to ask, and choosing the right functions, is easy for those whose 'day job' is buying vending machines... but for the rest of us? |
| Some of the following criteria won't apply to your company, others will... we hope you find it useful in choosing the right drinks solution for your needs. Please select one of the following: |
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Small Company: 30 - 50 personnel |
| Typically looking to vending as an answer to kitchen mess and to health and safety concerns. Many have analysed the full savings vending offered over 'kettle and cup' and discovered that they can actually save money via vending. Almost all want to manage drinks themselves - avoiding the need to schedule and pay for outside support - and are driven by relieving the burden / distraction for administrators. | | |
| "A high quality, efficient solution we can manage ourselves" |
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Quality / Range |
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What you will want to know... |
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And why you want to know it |
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Quality branded drinks? |
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Everyone is happy if it's a brand they enjoy at home |
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How is drinks consistency
guaranteed? |
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Consistent taste is a critical part of consumer satisfaction |
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Hot and cold drinks? |
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To get rid of kitchen mess, make sure that all your drinks vending needs are satisfied |
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Soups? |
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As above |
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Ease of changing/adapting menu? |
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Seasons change, tastes change, so should your menu |
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Overall breadth of menu? |
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Getting your drinks menu absolutely right and being able to vary it |
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Filtered water? |
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Gives water drinkers a quality option from the same machine and also delivers superior quality hot drinks. Can also save you the separate hire / purchase/operating costs of water chillers. | |
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Medium Company: 50 - 250 personnel |
| Mid-sized companies are generally being driven by two factors. Either they face the same issues identified by their smaller counterparts or their existing vending machine is unsatisfactory in terms of drinks quality and/or reliability. In the latter case it's all about finding the optimum balance of quality drinks and reliable, low maintenance machines. | | |
| "Quality our people will appreciate, delivered with uncompromising reliability" |
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Operational |
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What you will want to know... |
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And why you want to know it |
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All-in-one: no need for milk / sugar / spoons? |
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Your objective is to get rid of mess and fuss |
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One-stop shop: cold / hot / soup? |
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You want a single solution that solves kitchen mess/risk issues |
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One call: service / supplies / support? |
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Save time, improve efficiency, improve supplier accountability |
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Reliability: design features / guarantees |
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Avoid frustrations/disruption and complaints and reduce TCO* |
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Drinks support: ease and speed? |
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To avoid machine being 'out of stock' |
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Cleaning: ease and speed? |
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Because we all have better things to do! |
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Service support: speed and guarantees? (is there expert local support?) |
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Downtime has to be minimised |
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* Total cost of ownership |
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Enterprise: 250+ personnel |
| The larger site typically employs a range of drinks solutions, combining cafeteria/caterer based solutions with 'local' vending machines throughout the site. The driver here is to achieve a quality level that is acceptable to a discerning employee base but that still offers the most efficient, low maintenance operation. | | |
| "Diverse drinks to suit a diverse workforce balanced with speed and ease of maintenance" |
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Value |
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What you will want to know... |
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And why you want to know it |
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Value added to the break time? |
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Does the supplier do 'fun' stuff? - competitions / free vend etc. |
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Flexibility re. free or charged for? |
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You want to get the right balance of free / contribution / profit |
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Value against cup and kettle? |
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To know what the real cost comparison is |
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Savings on cleaners' time? |
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Current cost of cleaning up |
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Savings on administrators' time? |
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Cost of administrators' time securing consumables etc. |
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Saving on water chiller? |
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Cost of drinks / cups / equipment |
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Savings on kitchen costs? |
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To know what the real cost comparison is |
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Staff time saved? |
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How much does their drinks preparation time cost currently? |
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Value versus existing vending machine |
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Improved quality AND improved value? |
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Lower TCO*? |
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Will it reduce service / maintenance costs? |
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Optimum operational efficiency? |
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Will it take less cleaning / restocking time? |
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* Total cost of ownership |
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What are your Criteria? |
| Work Environment Benefits |
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Eliminate mess |
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Reduce complaints |
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Health & safety | |
| Financial Benefits |
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Save time |
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Improve efficiency |
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Can replace water coolers | |
| Staff Benefits |
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Quality brands |
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Wide choice |
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Affordable drinks |
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Reliability / consistency |
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Fun | |
| Operational Efficiency |
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Quick to clean |
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Quick restocking |
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Rapid response service |
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Total reliability | | |
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