wheresthejelly Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Looking for data on time spent servicing your routes. Specifically, I'm interested in bulk candy (Skittles, Chicle's, peanut M&Ms, etc) and 1" products (gumballs and toys). I just bought 5 machines a couple weeks ago (Vendesign and Uturn). I recently met up with a pro in my area over lunch and learned a lot. I won't say who it is for privacy reasons. I want to restate something here that he told me, and I feel this is very critical to success. He warned me that bulk vending is not passive income. You cannot sit idly by waiting for your machines to produce cash, neglecting maintenance, poorly cleaning, or worst of all: not actively locating your unused machines. You must work at this business to be successful at it. To me, this feels like the right mindset. However, I want to get a numeric feel for exactly how much work is done to maintain a large amount of machines. I estimate that the average professional spends their average month like this: - 8 hours a month finding locations (door-to-door, telephone) - 20 hours a month servicing machines (driving, refilling/clean/maintain machines) - 12 hours a month doing back-office tasks (accounting, inventory, spreadsheets, etc) So that's 40 hours a month. If this professional has 50 machines, this would mean 48 minutes per machine per month. That is not bad at all. I love to work, and I would happily work hard for 10 hours a week doing this. This would provide a side income and free me up to work on my other businesses (stock trading and real estate) and also enjoy some leisure time. Your time spent will likely be different from this estimate depending on how many machines you own, your efficiency, the economy, and many other factors. I'd like to hear from professional (incorporated LLC and/or more than 25 machines) or almost-professional (more than 10 machines) bulk candy vendors who sell candy and 1" products. Could you list these numbers please? - Average time spent per month or week working on anything in the business and also the categories of the work (locating, servicing, back-office, other). - Number of locations and machines. - Number of routes and number machines per route. - Other interesting or relevant numbers or stats you have. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 I'm sleepy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweetstop Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Sorry there are way too many variables to assign numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musser Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 yup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 That's why I'm sleepy. I'm glad to see he wants in the business but now one can honestly answer. Read all through the forum and try to learn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davco1 Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 It's all consuming. There aren't enough hours in a day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dkochan Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 I normally service 6 - 12 locations in a day consisting of 3 - 9 head racks and sticker machines. Servicing includes cleaning machines, changing out products, collecting money and paying commission. Sent from my BN Nook HD using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheresthejelly Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 I normally service 6 - 12 locations in a day consisting of 3 - 9 head racks and sticker machines. Servicing includes cleaning machines, changing out products, collecting money and paying commission. Thanks! How much time per day do you spend servicing? If it is a full time (8 hours) thing, then you're averaging between 40 and 80 minutes per location, which is similar to my first estimate. Nice! I'm guessing lots of your locations are near one another on each of your carefully selected routes. So, it might take as little as 4 hours for 6 - 12 locations, especially if some locations are in the same strip mall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havending Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 There are days we pull in at 2 pm and days we pull in at midnight or later and some over nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaTurtle Vending Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I'm usually home by 5. Every now and then it gets extended. If I get in a zone locating while running a route then that will push the day longer. Or.....if machine issues pop up... Which like to happen on days you do not plan being out long. ST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farrisvending Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I'm a bulk candy/toy capsule vendor who has over 175 turns/43 locations. I go out three times a month for about 8 hours. I allow my self to have time to clean, maintain and stock my machines. It took me a little while to figure it out but that's what works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PerformaVending Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Wow, that one's all over the place. I try and service "strings" or "routes" in subdivided areas on whatever their cycle is, but when it comes to servicing you have to expect the unexpected- I always leave plenty of time for any unforeseen maintenance, cleanup, or possible moving around or re-configuring of equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I'm a full time guy. I work 8 days a week at my business. Some days are shorter than others and some are longer. Your business will dictate the hours you work. Some are overnight trips. I am a great multi-tasker and the vehicle is my office. You probably won't go out servicing machines and do nothing but service. You will stop at the bank, pick up product, get your oil changed, get a haircut, fix broken equipment, do some locating, change product, pull locations, install a new one, help a buddy, buy some used equipment, weigh quarters, count money, do quick math and accounting, and maybe have some lunch. There is always product to order and maintain, stickers and tattoos to straighten up, displays to find, mixes to replenish, shop to clean up, machines to get ready, machines to refurbish or take to powder coater, shipments coming in that have to be checked and put up, checks need written, stuff to send to bookkeeper,etc. I have been vending for 6 years and have about 450 machines out. I also am putting out more every chance I get. I am also an associate member of the FCVG and have obligations with them that happen daily. To assign or estimate how much time is involved doing one particular function of the business is impossible as every day is different. But I can say this. The guy you had lunch with is correct. It is not a passive ordeal. There is work involved in order for it to work. You will lose locations. Locating has to be all the time. Management changes, going out of business, theft and damage, etc is going to happen. It can be enjoyable work and a fulfilling career. Keep this mindset. I do. 1) Everything takes longer than you thought. 2) Everything costs more than you think. 3) You do not know everything. 4) Murphys Law will get a hold of you all the time. 5) Love what you do. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OU8SUMCANDY Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Having been in the business for all of about two weeks now, I'm just now about finished with my first service cycle on my 52 placed machines. I have a full-time job besides vending, so finding time can be tough. But just like anything, the more you do it, the faster you become. Just today I sh*t-canned the service setup the previous owner of the machines provided (a collapsible cart basically) and bought a big backpack. Now when I roll up to a location, I simply grab the backpack off the passenger seat and go. No more opening up the back door, lifting out that cart, trying to roll the cart everywhere, etc. The backpack is big enough that I can carry all my types of candy, cleaning supplies, tools, and some extra parts (my machines are all U-Turns so carrying some extra coin mechanisms is a necessity LOL).Something else I'm doing is identifying possible new locations along my routes while I'm servicing locations. I try and find businesses that are identical to my best locations to try and take some of the guesswork out of whether it will make money. I've already found a few of my machines that are low performers that I'll be looking to move, so I want to have new locations targeted. And Hillbilly is 100% right with his 5 mindset statements! Especially #5, Love what you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 Having been in the business for all of about two weeks now, I'm just now about finished with my first service cycle on my 52 placed machines. I have a full-time job besides vending, so finding time can be tough. But just like anything, the more you do it, the faster you become. Just today I sh*t-canned the service setup the previous owner of the machines provided (a collapsible cart basically) and bought a big backpack. Now when I roll up to a location, I simply grab the backpack off the passenger seat and go. No more opening up the back door, lifting out that cart, trying to roll the cart everywhere, etc. The backpack is big enough that I can carry all my types of candy, cleaning supplies, tools, and some extra parts (my machines are all U-Turns so carrying some extra coin mechanisms is a necessity LOL). Something else I'm doing is identifying possible new locations along my routes while I'm servicing locations. I try and find businesses that are identical to my best locations to try and take some of the guesswork out of whether it will make money. I've already found a few of my machines that are low performers that I'll be looking to move, so I want to have new locations targeted. And Hillbilly is 100% right with his 5 mindset statements! Especially #5, Love what you do. I too am using a lil cart like you said the previous guys did, I'm curious with a back pack, where do you put the lids to the machines etc? I'm still feeling out a good system, but I like the cart cuz it keeps me from putting things in the ground. ..Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OU8SUMCANDY Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 I too am using a lil cart like you said the previous guys did, I'm curious with a back pack, where do you put the lids to the machines etc? I'm still feeling out a good system, but I like the cart cuz it keeps me from putting things in the ground. .. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk I have a little 18" x 26" folding table I use that fits under my arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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