Author: Phil Masters

Phil Masters has witnessed and shaped the convenience services industry for over five decades. Since earning his associate's degree in Marketing in 1970, Phil has played a pivotal role at Vending.com and The Wittern Group, Vending.com’s parent company. He’s been a key contributor and leader in evolving vending solutions. His impact surpasses the typical roles associated with sales. He has pushed boundaries and embraced change by spearheading new stylings for Vending.com’s vending equipment line and pioneering corporate partnerships and branding campaigns with iconic companies like Harley Davidson, John Deere, General Motors, Ford, and others. Phil is fortunate to be a part of driving the success of Vending.com and looks forward to celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2031. He’s thankful for the opportunities to introduce new programs and provide innovative and tailored solutions to help individuals and companies reach their vending goals and thrive in an ever-evolving market.
Posted on | by Phil Masters

Family Vending Business

 

vending family business

 

A family vending machines business can be successful for new and existing business owners. However, it has advantages and disadvantages, and a succession plan is essential.

Advantages of a Family Vending Business

  • History of working toward common goals at home
  • Each person is committed to business and family success
  • Simple and effective organizational structure
  • Already know the strengths and weaknesses of coworkers

Disadvantages of a Family Vending Business

  • Lack of openness
  • Rivalry for leadership, rewards or recognition
  • Leading with emotions instead of business sense
  • Mixing personal and business interests
  • Less rigid about consequences for poor performance

Creating a Succession Plan

From the beginning of any family business venture or three years before a senior leader retires, a succession plan should be put into place. For success, businesses should make new leadership decisions based on talents, abilities, job performance and skills rather than seniority or sentiment. Then, new leaders should be trained to run all aspects of the company, from marketing and sales to bookkeeping and Human Resources.

Operating a family vending business with new and used vending machines for sale has both advantages and disadvantages. Understanding these factors in advance and creating a succession plan minimizes frustration and maximizes success.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

How to Get a Vending Machine License

The licenses and permits that you will need to operate soda or coffee vending machines, snack vending machines, or other machines will vary depending on the state and even county

vending permit

 

where you live. Knowing how to get a vending license or permit and how much it costs are details to check into before you purchase machines so that you have them established before installation.

The Small Business Administration has a directory where you can find your state’s webpage for license requirements. If you are are unable to find the answer on your state’s site, call a local office of the SBA. Someone there will most likely be able to help you find the proper forms and information.

Having licensing and permitting in order before you install machines can save you expensive downtime or even fines later on. Licenses for drink vending machines and other types are generally inexpensive. In Alabama, for instance, the fee for a license is only $75 per year for a vending business that has revenue between $60,000 and $80,000. Other states have fees that are in the same range. Some do not require licensing at all.

Are you ready to start or expand your vending business? We have a vending machine for sale that fits your needs.

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending machine financing, services, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Stocking Your Vending Machines

Snack vending machines are often the subject of jokes, with disgruntled customers pounding on the machine in hopes that their purchased snack will fall. Yet if that vending machine is yours, the way in which you stock the snacks is crucial to your profits.

When people don’t get the snack they paid for, they will get upset, and may not use the vending machine again, in spite of any vend guarantee you provide. The next customer may get more than one item with just one purchase due to snacks stuck in the machine. This cuts into your profits. As a result, you need to ensure that you are stocking your vending machine correctly to avoid this problem.

As you do when stocking a drink vending machine, when stocking candy vending machines, take your time, and make sure all packages are facing forward. Tuck them into their respective slots, working from back to front, and ensure that every space is filled. Make sure the snacks you purchase are the right size for your snack machine to avoid stuck products. When you are finished stocking, test the vending machine to ensure it is properly dispensing each snack. This will put more money into your pocket and eliminate problems from unsatisfied customers.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Improving Your Vending Machine Display

Your vending machine may seem like a “set it up and forget it” type of investment, but you need to give a little attention to the display if you want a large return on

Vending Machines

 

investment. With the right vending display, you can even turn an old vending machine used at one time for out-dated products into a thriving, lucrative income generator. The key is to create an eye-catching display that will cause people to stop and take a closer look.

The goal for your snack machine display is to make it catch the eye of the passer by. Bright colors and images of favorite brands work well. If a brand you stock has a new packaging, use that to gather attention to your vending machine display.

Look for appealing images that will trigger a craving for what you sell. A soda can or bottle dripping with ice and water droplets will cause thirst on a hot day and increase people’s desire to buy a drink from your drink machine.

Make sure your vending machine display is not outdated. If it looks like the machine has been sitting untouched for years, your customers will be skeptical, and your chances of making a sale are low. Make changes regularly to increase interest and give customers variety, and you will see a greater return on your investment.

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Know Your Options – Vending Machine Financing

Vending Machine Financing Options

When you start looking at vending machines for sale, one thing that is a major hurdle in purchasing a machine you need or want is the cost. Luckily, there are a number of financing options available. This is especially good since snack and drink vending machines can be a great investment opportunity for many businesses—paying for themselves several times over in just a short amount of time.

Credit Card

If you have a credit card with a high limit, this can be a great option for paying for your machine. This is simple and will allow you to pay your normal credit card bill each month with no extra bills. However, the interest rates can sometimes be higher than other options.

Manufacturer Financing

Check with the vending machine manufacturer. It could be that they offer private financing or perhaps they work with another financing firm to give you options. Quite often, you can get a lower interest rate than you would pay with your credit card and there are flexible payment terms.

Concerns

Before you jump in and finance one machine or several, it is important that you look through your current financial situation and make sure you are not getting in over your head. Do you anticipate that your machines will bring in enough each month to pay your loan? If not, do you have a backup plan? Talk to someone who knows the vending machine industry in your area and get a better idea of what you can expect.

As you can see, finding financing for your vending machine investment may not be that difficult. Make certain you do your research and find a finance and payment plan that will serve you well now and in the future.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Unexpected Benefits of Drinking Coffee

When considering vending machines for sale, opting for a coffee vending machine will automatically be passing along an array of potential health benefits. More than two dozen of those benefits were outlined by Complex City Guide , including coffee’s ability to reduce the risk of various health conditions and diseases. Three health benefits of drinking coffee especially stand out as big pluses for office workers who would be likely to encounter drink vending machines serving coffee.

Work pain relief

Sitting at a computer all day can wreak havoc on the shoulders and neck, but a cup of coffee before work can help alleviate common pains of the typical office job. A 2012 study out of Norway found 40 percent of folks who drank coffee enjoyed a lower level of pain than those who skipped the Joe.

Lower blood pressure

Although the initial effect of coffee’s caffeine is to give your blood pressure a short-term boost, it can actually help lower blood pressure for the long term. France’s Preventative and Clinical Investigations Center found those who regularly drink coffee can enjoy significantly lowered blood pressure than those who don’t. It also noted regular coffee drinkers have blood vessels that are more elastic in nature, which helps decrease the chances of developing high blood pressure.

Cavity prevention

Any candy vending machine manufacturer may want to consider adding coffee vending machines to their lineup. Certain elements found in coffee may reduce the formation of plaque, such as an element known as the tannins. This compound is found in coffee beans and has been shown to halt the plaque formation process, stopping plaque buildup before it even starts.

While most drink vending machines aim to serve up a refreshing beverage, drinking coffee can be especially refreshing for its health benefits: its ability to alleviate pain, lower blood pressure and leave you with fewer trips to the dentist.

Benefits of Drinking Coffee Regularly
(source: happytoserveyou.com.au)
Posted on | by Phil Masters

The Benefits of Buying a Used Vending Machine

New vs Used Vending Machines

When you invest in your vending business, every penny counts. One way to make your money go further is to choose used vending machines instead of new ones. Used vending machines are of benefit because they can cost a fraction of what new ones cost. And, when you focus your search on used machines that are certified by the vending machine manufacturer, you can rest easy that you are buying reliable equipment.

When looking at used machines, ask the following questions:

  • What sort of warranty is offered? Vending.com offers a 90 day warranty on bill acceptors, coin acceptors and control boards, so, you know that your investment is secure.
  • What is the condition of the machine? When we offer a used vending machine for sale, it is only after the machine has been factory remanufactured and certified by our trained and caring staff.
  • What will you pay for delivery? Our company delivers our certified used machines for free. Other companies can charge hundreds of dollars, running up your costs significantly.
  • What sort of financing is available? Our low monthly payments and 100% financing mean that you can get your machines placed quickly and start earning.

There are a number of sizes and styles of drink and snack vending machines in our inventory. And, new machines come in all the time, so, we are always able to get exactly what you need to fit your available spaces. Ready to explore your options? Call us at 1-855-595-1839 to learn about our inspected and certified used vending machines for sale. We can answer your questions and help you find the perfect machine to open your vending business or expand an existing route.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Can the Coffee Help Fight the Signs of Aging?

Coffee Vending Machine | Vending.com

Surely you have heard the hype that coffee can help you look younger. You head to your favorite drink vending machines and stock up on the stuff to not only get a much needed boost of energy, but to watch your wrinkles dissipate. But it is really true? Can coffee really combat aging? It can! If you are hoping for a miracle in a cup, coffee is not your answer. In fact, there are not even real scientific studies on this claim. That being said, coffee is loaded with antioxidants, which are effective at fighting away many signs of aging, like fine lines and age spots. So in that regard, coffee may be contributing slightly to your cause.

Moderation is key. One of the reasons people believe coffee does slow aging and helps them appear younger is because the caffeine in it shrinks cells by dehydrating them. This is great for puffy eyes, but not so great for your body. So you should try to limit yourself to a couple of cups per day. If you go overboard, instead of the coffee helping your skin look smooth and supple, it will make your face look shriveled up and old. So when you are out and about and you pass by those drink vending machines at the office or the gas station, grab a coffee in the morning and perhaps one in the afternoon, but choose something else on your other stops. And if you are looking into buying vending machines for sale, or you are a vending machine manufacturer, considering adding a variety of both coffee drinks and non-coffee drinks to keep all of your customers happy.

In summary, when used in moderation, coffee can give you the energy you need to combat the day while helping your cause to slow aging, but if you overdo it, it will have the opposite effect on your skin.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Calorie Count Regulations Coming into effect

Starting July 1, 2014, all US public schools will have regulations regarding food and drink standards. The Nutritional Standards of All Foods Sold in Schools came about largely because of Michelle Obama’s efforts to decrease childhood obesity.

The law impacts all foods and beverages sold on campus or as part of meal programs during the school day. These foods and drinks may come from the cafeteria, school store, snack bar or vending machines. The new rules therefore introduce new vending machine food and drink regulations to the industry.

The new food requirements call for foods that are whole grains; have fruit, vegetable, dairy or protein products as the first ingredient; or contain 10 percent of the Daily Value for calcium, potassium, vitamin D or dietary fiber.

Drinks can be low fat cow’s milk, soy or rice based products, 100 percent fruit juice, or water. Soda, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, sports drinks and energy drinks are prohibited.

Contact us to learn more about the new vending machine regulations associated with these increased nutritional standards.

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines for sale, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

The Importance of Proper Guidance for Employees

For many employees, the employee handbook is only one small piece of working for a company – a piece quickly forgotten. They read it, forget it and get on with learning and doing their job. While this may not be ideal from and employer perspective, it is important to realize that forgetting the employee handbook is a luxury only available to employees. As an employer, the employee handbook is an important tool for communicating with your workers and protecting your company from unnecessary lawsuits.

The importance of an in-depth employee handbook

The employee handbook explains a number of things to your employees – things that they need to understand to integrate effectively with your company. It not only tells them the history of your business and your mission and goals, it explains hard and fast rules for getting along in the company. It lays down the law on what is and is not acceptable.

In addition to the rules of your company, the handbook also lays out the specific laws that are applicable to employment with your company. There are federal and state laws pertaining to employment – and perhaps to safety in your particular industry – that employees need to be aware of.

All of this information is put down in clear writing that is then explained to the employee by your company. Employees can look to the handbook for clarification, as well as to management and human resources if applicable. The important thing is, all parties have the same reference – the handbook.

The handbook protects your company

You company could do everything right, operating well within the law and treating your employees fairly. This does not protect you from legal action by unscrupulous parties – even people you have hired and taken care of. Companies are sued all the time whether they do anything wrong or not. But, as long as you are obeying the law and have solid documentation to back you up – such as with your employee handbook, you should be able to effectively defend yourself.

Consider at-will employment. If you are in an at-will state, you should certainly have that information front and center in your handbook. Employees should know that legal realities of your relationship to prevent any confusion on down the line. Disciplinary measures are sometimes necessary and should be mentioned in the handbook as well, along with the relationship between disciplinary measures and at-will employment.

Harassment policies are also an important component of the handbook. Sexual harassment charges can hit a company hard, damaging both its reputation and its bank account. Your policies towards any type of harassment or discrimination should be clearly stated in the handbook. This is something you will want to be able to reference should anyone ever attempt to lay blame on your company policies for harassment or discrimination situations.

Invest in your employee handbook

The employee handbook is important enough to invest time and money in. Consider hiring an attorney familiar with employee handbooks to ensure you include everything necessary to protect your company – both now and in the future.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

The Affordability of getting a Used Vending Machine

If you wish to begin a vending machine business or to expand an existing route, used vending machines are an attractive option. Used machines often cost a fraction of what a new machine costs. However, when buying them from a reputable and well-established supplier, they can be be as reliable as brand new machines.

When shopping for used machines, always look for ones that are inspected and certified. This helps you ensure that the machine is in good working condition and will faithfully vend products to your customers.Certified Used Vending Machines for Sale

Vending.com offers several factory-remanufactured certified machines. These machines come with a 90 day warranty on parts that include the bill acceptors, coin acceptors and control boards. Plus, as a respected vending machine manufacturer, we support your purchase with a dedicated help line.

For greater affordability, machines can be purchased on one of our vending machine payment plans. Used snack machines are just $79.35 a month and drink machines are only $97.35 a month. Each of these can be paid off with just five vends a day.

Our supply of used vending machines for sale rotates constantly. Check back often to find the drink machine, snack machine or combo vending machine that fits your customers’ needs.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Happy Independence Day from Vending.com!

Wishing all our friends and followers a Happy and Healthy Fourth of July that is spent with family and friends.

Vending.com All American Vending Machine Manufacturer

About Vending.com

Vending.com brings together a multitude of vending expertise through our circle of services. Everything you need to start, grow, or manage your vending business is provided through our easy online access. We provide vending services, financing, vending industry news, technical repair, parts and much more. Vending.com is one of the companies under the Wittern Group umbrella. Whether you are an entrepreneur starting your own vending machine business or expanding your current business, Vending.com offers you a full-range of vending machines, financing, location assistance and other services to meet all of your vending needs. As a full-line vending sales company we provide customers nationwide with the right equipment for their client’s location. Our large selection of snack, soda machines, hot beverage, cold and frozen food and other quality vending machines can be configured and customized to fit any size location from small businesses to large factories. Let our network of vending machine companies go to work for you.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

How Motivation Impacts Productivity in the Workplace

Every company wants employees who arrive at the office in on time, put 110 percent into each day and value customers. Those productive and motivated employees directly affect profits, but keeping quality employees is a challenge most businesses face. How can a company achieve maximum employee productivity? By implementing eight motivational techniques that can help improve productivity in the workplace.

1. Employee Recognition

Recognition is the biggest way a company can keep employees motivated. When employees know they are valued and appreciated by their company, they feel good about themselves and their abilities. They want to live up to the praise and work even harder. Companies can provide recognition with:

  • Performance certificates
  • Employee of the Month rewards
  • Verbal gratitude for a job well done
  • Public recognition in an internal or customer newsletter
  • Annual employee recognition banquets

2. Job Security

Employees value stability in the workplace. If they work for a company with one foot in the grave, they are more likely to place minimal effort into their job. A productive work day results when employees know their employer is succeeding and moving forward.

3. Interesting Work

Every employee works better when he or she performs enjoyable work. Wise hiring agents match employees to positions that maximize their training, skills and interests. Then, employees arrive at work enthusiastic and eager to do their best, leading to more motivation and productivity in the workplace.

4. Promotion Opportunities

Most staff members appreciate promotions and work hard to achieve this reward. When possible, companies should motivate employees by offering opportunities for increased responsibility and eventual promotion.

5. Positive Working Environment

Bullying, discrimination or cliques discourage employees from doing their best and may lead to high turnover. A positive workplace environment encourages staff retention, motivation, and productivity.

6. Supportive Supervisors

Every employee carries personal problems to work. Caring supervisors do not need to be therapists, but a kind word, flexible work schedule and understanding shoulder go a long way toward showing employees that they are valued. Employees then work harder and smarter.

7. Tactful Discipline

Every work environment needs a disciplinary policy. However, harsh discipline, including being called out in front of other employees, does not promote productivity. It does cause staff members to fear making mistakes, and it stifles creativity, however. Productive workers understand the rules and know that they will be disciplined with tact if necessary.

8. Financial Incentives

Monetary rewards go a long way in showing appreciation to staff members. Employees will work harder to meet quotas, gain positive customer reviews and meet other goals when extra money is at stake. If financial bonuses are not possible, companies should at least pay employees a fair wage for the tasks they complete and benefit from a fun break room, regular office outings and other special events.

Employee productivity and company profits go hand in hand. Companies can increase motivation and energy with coffee vending machines, but they will also want to implement eight techniques that increase productivity every day.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Vending Machine Guide to Purchase

23 selectionMany companies that purchase snack vending machines and drink vending machines spend far more time worrying about items they’ll purchase to put into the machines than the actual vending machines themselves. That’s not always the best course of action, so we wanted to help guide you in purchasing your vending machine.

Whether the interest is in purchasing a used vending machine or buying brand new products as they roll off the assembly line, it’s important to know a few critical details about vending machines before making the decision to buy.


How long should vending machines last?

Vending machines should last ten years or longer. Vending machines are an investment. It’s important to make sure the investment is one that’s meant to last at least ten years in order to be a cost effective business choice.

What is the outlook of the vending sales company?

Businesses in many industries come and go. It’s important to look at the past and present of businesses before entering into partnerships with them. The history of the company and the way the company runs today has a significant impact on the future of the company. What you really want to know is that the company will still be around to serve your vending machine needs ten years from now.

Does the company stand behind its products?

This is perhaps the most important detail to know of all. No one wants to do business with a company that doesn’t make a visible show of faith in its own products. One of the most telling ways businesses can do this is by offering warranties and/or guarantees on the products they sell or service.

Does the business offer local representation to serve your needs?

The key is to work with businesses that have a local presence for a quick response when problems arise. Problems arise and repairs need to be made on occasion. When these things happen, getting the machine repaired and back in service quickly is a priority. This is much more likely to happen when there are local representatives available to see to these details.

Making the right decision is not always as simple as it seems. However, knowing the important factors to look for first, like those in our vending guide, helps you narrow down your choices in order to make an informed decision that will best meet your business needs.

Vending.com
Posted on | by Phil Masters

Which Vending Machine is Right for You

So you’ve made the decision to get into the lucrative and enjoyable vending machine business. Welcome! Now comes the first important step towards making this new business investment pay off: choosing the ideal vending machine for you. There are a wide variety of vending machines out there to choose from, so you will want one that works best for the customers where the vending machine is set up, as well as what works best for you to maintain. Below are a few things to consider from each type of vending machine before you invest in them.

Combo Vending Machine

Combo vending machines sell both snacks and drinks, making them a one stop shop for customers. These machines will have a lot of inventory and may have to be restocked on a regular basis, which means a little bit of extra work—but if people are using the machine regularly this is not a bad thing. This type of vending machine will also be a little more expensive and may require more maintenance down the road, so be sure you will get regular customers when you set it up.

Soda Vending Machines

The soda vending machines just dispense soda, as their name suggests and are often popular and lucrative. These drink vending machines will have to be restocked regularly and they require more electricity to keep the soda cold, which means they have more moving parts and a higher chance of malfunctioning that just snack vending machines. Make sure you are setting up these vending machines in a place without a lot of competition, namely a convenience store or nearby supermarket who may try to give customers other, cheaper options.

Snack Vending Machines

These types of vending machines may be one of the safest investments as they don’t have to stay cold, don’t have many moving parts and don’t require a lot of electricity. The products in these snack vending machines also will last for an extended period of time in most cases, depending on what you are stocking. This is the ideal vending machine for a location that doesn’t have any other competing places within walking distance with a quick snack available.

Coffee Vending Machines

These drink vending machines are not as common but can be gold mines in the right location. However, coffee vending machines will require regular attention, as people can be picky about their coffee. What comes out of your vending machine should be as good as all the other coffee shops around, or should be the only real option, if there aren’t any other coffee shops around. So do your research before going with this type of vending machine, as the coffee market is often crowded.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

Back To School | Healthy Vending Options

snack machinesToday’s student in the U.S. is used to choosing from a variety of options. From classes, to friends, to after school activities, variety is the spice of life in middle and high schools. This may be a key reason that the vending machine has been such a successful tool for satisfying hunger cravings for our nation’s kids. Beyond its function as a nutritional vehicle for keeping kids alert and energized, it is also a significant revenue builder for the nation’s schools.

This fall a federal law will require vending machines placed in educational environments to forgo the candy and sweet treats in favor of healthy vending machine snacks in schools. Some school administrators worry about the financial impact. Many have been grappling with the decline in revenue since regular sodas have been replaced with diet and sugar-free versions. Fortunately, along with Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative to fight against childhood obesity, the nation has been trending toward a more sophisticated approach to eating with health and flavor in mind.

The vending machine is now at the center of the debate in school-based nutrition. Some commercial vending companies today, such as Vending.com, support healthy vending machine snacks in schools. From Vitamin Water and spring water instead of soda, to baked potato chips instead of the oilier counterparts and dried fruit in place of baked goods and other sweet tooth snacks, Vending.com knows how to satisfy a kid’s need for variety within the limits of federal regulations successfully. Yogurt and energy bars are other nutrient dense snack food alternatives to sweet and unhealthy foods that kids choose and parents can rest easy about.

The new, healthier products, coupled with technology, gives students an exciting and fun way to meet energy needs throughout the day, and to have fun while doing it.

A Vending.com representative can advise you about the user-friendly healthy vending machine snacks in schools and a vending machine for sale that offers benefits, such as:

  • filling a vending machine that still entices the kids to buy products
  • meet guidelines
  • give you a return on investment that makes sense
Posted on | by Phil Masters

Keep Your Employees Happy, While Saving Money

A company that keeps its employees happy is more productive overall and can more effectively meet the demands of the marketplace.

While benefits and other significant perks are a main focus for most businesses, smaller areas, such as an employee break room that offers nutritious foods, can also be perceived as important.

Employees usually need a nice, convenient working environment in order to concentrate on work, and spend less energy on decisions that support their general well-being. This is the reason that parking and other basic needs are usually important features of a positive work culture.

In the case of an employee break room, having a positive environment that offers nice decor, ample seating, and a comfortable space for either sitting alone or gathering with a colleague or two over a beverage or a quick meal, is important.

A break between work that recharges energy, gives an employee social support and offers a source of pride is a great gift for your workforce that can establish trust, reduce employee sick days and turnover, and increase your bottom line.

Vending Machine

A vending machine in a company break room is a primary source for snacks and even meals for many employees. While foods are also often purchased elsewhere, the convenience of on-site vending snacks and meal-friendly foods frequently becomes a staple for those working hard and requiring nutritious support to bring them to the next meal. In some cases, selections in a vending machine can actually offer meal replacements, which is a great time save that need to remain on the company grounds between meals.

Your employees may be eagerly anticipating the next vending machine selections that you choose.

Selecting snacks that provide nutrition, such as yogurt, cheese, pita chips, and sugar-free or low-sugar beverages, such as Vitamin Water, can support a healthier culture and extend productivity. If you instead stock a vending machine with mostly sugary snacks and offer fewer healthy options, it could affect the attention span of employees, and even their health.

A vending machine is traditionally considered a source of junk food, but the image and available food options is changing. Stocking an employee break room drink vending machines with tea, water and seltzer water, and a snack vending machine with fruit, and savory healthy foods will help show that the company is supporting their well-being and is aware of the leading health trends.

Purchasing a vending machine for sale and its products through Vending.com, which has been manufacturing vending machines since 1931, will give you the necessary tools to deliver a superior break room environment to your prized employees. It is crucial to work with a trusted and reliable company that knows the industry. From a coffee vending machine to one that includes mostly food products, Vending.com has you covered.

Posted on | by Phil Masters

iHeartRadio Loves Instagram | Get Swag For Your Instagram Photo Via Vending Machine

instagram iheartradioEver thought of promoting a brand by offering merchandise in exchange for social media exposure? That’s exactly what’s happening on an iHeartRadio tour featuring a t-shirt vending company that accepts Instagram photos as payment for merchandise.

The marketing campaign is targeting college students by setting up these vending machines at the Universities they visit throughout the Midwest and South.

How does it work?

  • The consumer touches the screen
  • Retrieves a unique four-digit code
  • Takes an Instagram photo
  • Tags it with hashtag #iHeartRadio followed by the unique four-digit code
  • Retrieves their swag – either iHeartRadio t-shirts or iHeartRadio emblazoned sunglasses.
  • The Instagram photo can then be shared and re-shared all over social media, including Instragram, Twitter, and Facebook.

It’s that simple.

The days of setting up tables and tents and giving away pens and magnets to promote brands are over. Instead of trying to lure consumers to temporary tents and trying to unload free stuff, vending machine companies have really come up with a genius marketing campaign that attracts consumers directly to the vending machine like magnets and then gets them to interact and spread their message.

The idea of interacting with the vending machine using social media is truly novel. And although the merchandise is essentially free, the consumer has to put some effort in, but the effort is something fun, something he or she likes to do anyway, whether or not they get a free pair of sunglasses.

Social media vending machines can be rented or bought from vending machine manufacturers and companies, which are integrating this technology as an innovative new way to enhance a brand’s awareness and visibility. Additionally, social media vending machines for sale may also include a used vending machine, lowering the initial investment to get your brand or service out there.

This is a fun way for people to share photos, which is something they like to do anyway, and then receive something free in return. The benefit for brands that participate in this campaign is also quite significant. After all, who wouldn’t brag about getting a t-shirt, sunglasses or keychain just for sharing a photo? This creates an interactive buzz about products and brands that will reach much further than any type of traditional advertisement or television commercial.

So are vending machines that exchange swag for Instagram photos the wave of the future? Time will tell, but there are few who would turn down this easy way to score some free stuff!

Source:

http://www.adweek.com/digital/iheartradios-vending-machine-turns-instagram-photos-swag-160986/