Crazy New World

[adog]

Wow I was at the mall today and saw a new soda machine coke put out down in California! The thing had a huge touch screen that showed digital products and all you had to do was put the dollar in the bill validator and point and touch the drink you wanted as if you were pointing at a drink through a glass front machine and the drink would fall out! I was amazed! Not sure who made it though but this machine must have cost thousands of dollars!

Looked something like this... Only one I could find on google images. But it was red instead I believe?

http://www.shoppingblog.com/new-coke-vending-machines-will-offer-video-and-sound-3310914

[AZVendor]

Vendors Exchange has the same thing for snack machines now where the glass window is replaced with an interactive LCD screen. It is produced in conjunction with Intel and my understanding is it costs about $3000. VE will certainly have it on display at the NAMA show.

[CajunCandy]

My buddy just came back from Los Vegas and told me the same thing.

[orsd]

There was one at a Westfield

I believe it was a royal

[mission vending]

Wow I was at the mall today and saw a new soda machine coke put out down in California! The thing had a huge touch screen that showed digital products and all you had to do was put the dollar in the bill validator and point and touch the drink you wanted as if you were pointing at a drink through a glass front machine and the drink would fall out! I was amazed! Not sure who made it though but this machine must have cost thousands of dollars!

Looked something like this... Only one I could find on google images. But it was red instead I believe?

http://www.shoppingb...d-sound-3310914

Have not seen those in the wild yet but have seen the stories written about them. Going to need a electrical engineering degree to work on them.

[Broncho]

Vendors Exchange has the same thing for snack machines now where the glass window is replaced with an interactive LCD screen. It is produced in conjunction with Intel and my understanding is it costs about $3000. VE will certainly have it on display at the NAMA show.

Try $5500 and they are built on top of a refurbed Dixie 501E or a AP 117. I have 2 snacks and 3 drinks as well as a slave snack on one of the drinks. They are amazing machines and they have tons of capabilities. Using the slave snack makes it feasible to do at more accounts, but thats a new addition that was developed in the first quarter of this year.

[kiwi]

Try $5500 and they are built on top of a refurbed Dixie 501E or a AP 117. I have 2 snacks and 3 drinks as well as a slave snack on one of the drinks. They are amazing machines and they have tons of capabilities. Using the slave snack makes it feasible to do at more accounts, but thats a new addition that was developed in the first quarter of this year.

$5500 is only pocket change to you Broncho!

I haven't seen you on here for awhile mate.. How's things been going for you?

Are you & the wife going to the NAMA Oneshow this year?

[Broncho]

$5500 is only pocket change to you Broncho!

I haven't seen you on here for awhile mate.. How's things been going for you?

Are you & the wife going to the NAMA Oneshow this year?

We are not going, we had 2 drivers quit and we got put in a really bad situation for a while because of the economy in our area. Its so busy that we cannot find help and the help we are getting is not very good. We are fully staffed now, or at least when a driver comes back next week from surgery. I was still planning to go until the Boston thing happened and I decided it wasn't the best idea to travel.

As far as the machines go, its still not pocket change! It just happened to be the best fit for this specific account. I mis-spoke though, I actually have 4 of the drink machines. I placed all the machines in one account except one and forgot to count that one.

I also had a mishap last week with a machine and cut my fingers pretty bad. I kept thinking I would go to the show no matter what this year since its usually the only vacation I take every 2 years. Still haven't gotten the stitches out yet, so its hard to convince the wife we should still go with everything thats been going on.

Edit in a picture of

[kiwi]

We are not going, we had 2 drivers quit and we got put in a really bad situation for a while because of the economy in our area. Its so busy that we cannot find help and the help we are getting is not very good. We are fully staffed now, or at least when a driver comes back next week from surgery. I was still planning to go until the Boston thing happened and I decided it wasn't the best idea to travel.

As far as the machines go, its still not pocket change! It just happened to be the best fit for this specific account. I mis-spoke though, I actually have 4 of the drink machines. I placed all the machines in one account except one and forgot to count that one.

I also had a mishap last week with a machine and cut my fingers pretty bad. I kept thinking I would go to the show no matter what this year since its usually the only vacation I take every 2 years. Still haven't gotten the stitches out yet, so its hard to convince the wife we should still go with everything thats been going on.

Edit in a picture of

Mate.. Sorry to here about the bad run of luck you've been having! That explains why you haven't been on here!!

We were planning to go to the Oneshow this year but I am going to have to put it off for another year. My wife has promised me that we will definitely be going next year so I hope we can catch up with you then if you will be there.

How did you cut your fingers?

I thought I was bad.. I look like a walking advertisement for Band-Aid sometimes with all the plasters I have on my fingers but your fingers definitely beat me!

[Broncho]

Mate.. Sorry to here about the bad run of luck you've been having! That explains why you haven't been on here!!

We were planning to go to the Oneshow this year but I am going to have to put it off for another year. My wife has promised me that we will definitely be going next year so I hope we can catch up with you then if you will be there.

How did you cut your fingers?

I thought I was bad.. I look like a walking advertisement for Band-Aid sometimes with all the plasters I have on my fingers but your fingers definitely beat me!

It was on a new Royal that I set at a hospital. I was moving pretty quick and caught the inside of a column and didnt even feel it. I went to grab another case and blood started shooting out. Luckily it was at a hospital, so I walked down to the ER and got some stitches and was back on route by 2 hours(I had no choice being as short handed as we were). I went to look at the machine and the edge I hit is extremely sharp! Comes down to a simple manufacture flaw on a specific column.

[mission vending]

It was on a new Royal that I set at a hospital. I was moving pretty quick and caught the inside of a column and didnt even feel it. I went to grab another case and blood started shooting out. Luckily it was at a hospital, so I walked down to the ER and got some stitches and was back on route by 2 hours(I had no choice being as short handed as we were). I went to look at the machine and the edge I hit is extremely sharp! Comes down to a simple manufacture flaw on a specific column.

That's a big time Owie!!

[Broncho]

That's a big time Owie!!

I have had worse, just not at work. I need to get the stitches out tomorrow and I am looking forward to being able to fill machines with my right hand again.

[kiwi]

Luckily it was at a hospital, so I walked down to the ER and got some stitches and was back on route by 2 hours

Back in 2 hours.. they must breed 'em tough in Texas!

[Broncho]

Back in 2 hours.. they must breed 'em tough in Texas!

I honestly didnt think it was that bad and I would of gotten back faster but I needed to eat something because I felt light headed. The worst part was that I was at work at around 3 that morning and I didnt get home till almost 7 because of the accident. I have been working ridiculous hours lately and that was part of why I got hurt, but hopefully thats over for now.

When we setup the hospital in February, I landed another large account were we had some of their properties. I ended up setting 38 machines in a week. One of my guys worked 2 100 hour weeks with me and we got it all done.

[mission vending]

Back in 2 hours.. they must breed 'em tough in Texas!

They sure do, I used to walk to school 3 miles each way through 3 feet of snow and uphill both ways.

I honestly didnt think it was that bad and I would of gotten back faster but I needed to eat something because I felt light headed. The worst part was that I was at work at around 3 that morning and I didnt get home till almost 7 because of the accident. I have been working ridiculous hours lately and that was part of why I got hurt, but hopefully thats over for now.

When we setup the hospital in February, I landed another large account were we had some of their properties. I ended up setting 38 machines in a week. One of my guys worked 2 100 hour weeks with me and we got it all done.

Been there. Done that and have the scars to prove it.

[moondog]

Back in 2 hours.. they must breed 'em tough in Texas!

That's just a scatch for us Kiwi. I carry a roll of duct tape for such things.

[Broncho]

That's just a scatch for us Kiwi. I carry a roll of duct tape for such things.

Really? I like electrical tape better, but I think that is because I always have some on me.

Before you ask, I am required to send it to the wife when they happen. Otherwise I could get in trouble by surprising her when I get home.

[moondog]

Really? I like electrical tape better, but I think taht is because I always have some on me.

Yep,

For the minor stuff, electrical tape does work well but I find the duct tape to be much more macho. Who needs tattoos when you've got all those scars?

[kiwi]

I honestly didnt think it was that bad and I would of gotten back faster but I needed to eat something because I felt light headed. The worst part was that I was at work at around 3 that morning and I didnt get home till almost 7 because of the accident. I have been working ridiculous hours lately and that was part of why I got hurt, but hopefully thats over for now.

When we setup the hospital in February, I landed another large account were we had some of their properties. I ended up setting 38 machines in a week. One of my guys worked 2 100 hour weeks with me and we got it all done.

Those are some CRAZY hours you have been putting in!!

I think you definitely deserve a holiday but you should forget about the Oneshow & come Down Under for a break.

I could take you to the place that my father's from at the top of the North Island of NZ. It is like paradise there & you could sit back & relax with a fishing rod in one hand & a cold beer in the other!

[kiwi]

Really? I like electrical tape better, but I think that is because I always have some on me.

Before you ask, I am required to send it to the wife when they happen. Otherwise I could get in trouble by surprising her when I get home.

It's funny how we all claim to be tough guy's that can handle abit of blood & a few scars but when it comes to answering to the wife we are all *****'s!

[AZVendor]

My wife insists on Neosporin for every cut I get.

I feel your pain too, Broncho. I learned the hard way not to wear jewelry when I got my wedding ring caught on a metal-framed bulletin board as I was moving a new snack into a Target store. Damn near ripped my finger off before I could stop the rolling machine. The only worse thing I did was when I unloaded a machine off the truck and thought it was set far enough away to take the second machine off. Nope, I was wrong. I rolled the second soda off the liftgate (way too fast) and my right elbow ran into the first machine behind me, jamming my entire forearm between the machines. My elbow swelled up the size of a baseball and I thought I broke it. Luckily the elbow still worked and the swelling went down in a couple of days. I'm much more careful nowadays.

As far as losing 2 drivers at once, I had a horrible year in 1995 after the recession ended and went through 21 drivers that year trying to keep 3 routes running. I worked lots of 20 hour days filling in for everyone. After the first day ends at 8 am, then the second starts at 1pm, the end times just keep getting later and later. That was the year vending became too much of a job and not much fun. I now swear that I will never have another employee again.

[Broncho]

Those are some CRAZY hours you have been putting in!!

I think you definitely deserve a holiday but you should forget about the Oneshow & come Down Under for a break.

I could take you to the place that my father's from at the top of the North Island of NZ. It is like paradise there & you could sit back & relax with a fishing rod in one hand & a cold beer in the other!

Might have to take you up on that some day. Going to the oneshow was going to be just a 3 day thing. Its hard for me to be gone more then a couple of days at a time. I liked the show better when it was on Friday and Saturday.

It's funny how we all claim to be tough guy's that can handle abit of blood & a few scars but when it comes to answering to the wife we are all *****'s!

Im only worried when Im putting in these kinds of hours, because I already know Im on thin Ice. Ive been trying to go in at around 2 or 3 in the morning so that I could be home by 6 most days. Who needs sleep anyway? After a while you kinda get use to 3 or 4 hours a sleep each night.

[Broncho]

My wife insists on Neosporin for every cut I get.

I feel your pain too, Broncho. I learned the hard way not to wear jewelry when I got my wedding ring caught on a metal-framed bulletin board as I was moving a new snack into a Target store. Damn near ripped my finger off before I could stop the rolling machine. The only worse thing I did was when I unloaded a machine off the truck and thought it was set far enough away to take the second machine off. Nope, I was wrong. I rolled the second soda off the liftgate (way too fast) and my right elbow ran into the first machine behind me, jamming my entire forearm between the machines. My elbow swelled up the size of a baseball and I thought I broke it. Luckily the elbow still worked and the swelling went down in a couple of days. I'm much more careful nowadays.

As far as losing 2 drivers at once, I had a horrible year in 1995 after the recession ended and went through 21 drivers that year trying to keep 3 routes running. I worked lots of 20 hour days filling in for everyone. After the first day ends at 8 am, then the second starts at 1pm, the end times just keep getting later and later. That was the year vending became too much of a job and not much fun. I now swear that I will never have another employee again.

Well the 2 drivers I mentioned were here a long time and were very good. Since they left I have ran through 6 and the only one that lasted more then 2 weeks, he decided to take my truck joy riding and pickup a friend for lunch 20 miles off route. Do these people not realize what a GPS is? On top of that he was driving a very big truck with a refrigeration unit on it, so it gets about 8mpg.

Most of them couldnt fill machines right, even when they are labeled inside. I also had one that took all day to fill 8 machines and wouldnt answer his phone when I was calling him.

[AZVendor]

Well the 2 drivers I mentioned were here a long time and were very good. Since they left I have ran through 6 and the only one that lasted more then 2 weeks, he decided to take my truck joy riding and pickup a friend for lunch 20 miles off route. Do these people not realize what a GPS is? On top of that he was driving a very big truck with a refrigeration unit on it, so it gets about 8mpg.

Most of them couldnt fill machines right, even when they are labeled inside. I also had one that took all day to fill 8 machines and wouldnt answer his phone when I was calling him.

That is exactly what happened with me. It was the long-time drivers that left first, not the ones you suspect of stealing. I have to point out what I learned from all of that; I wasn't paying a competitive wage. Do you think that's happening in Texas, or did you loose them to the oil companies?

I had to spend 2 weeks training new drivers myself, if they even lasted that long, and then the ones who finished the training usually didn't stay more than a week longer because when on their own they realized how much work it truly was. I usually never got any answer as to why they left, they just never bothered to show up and I was left with another idle truck. I had a guy who collected all the money one day and faked the route tickets as to product put in the machines I started getting calls the next day asking when we would be there to fill the machines. I looked up the records and found that we had counted the money and there weren't any shortages compared to the meter readings, he just didn't fill them. I actually lost one account from that episode and the driver's answer as I fired him was "I didn't have time to fill them." I also had one, and this was the only one luckily, who left his keys on the truck bumper and lost the entire ring. That guy got fired, too.

The worst firing was a long time driver (we're talking years) who had figured out to fake the product adds and ending inventories on non-metered machines, as we could only balance the product to cash with no meter. He had a gambling problem and the theft was only discovered when he injured his back (off the clock thankfully) and I had to fill in for him. I suddenly was running out of product because some of his unmetered machines were almost empty. By the time I got done that first day I had figured out what he had been doing. Just from that week's collections I was short $700. Needless to say, he was invited to take a permanent leave. This doesn't even count the driver who regularly visited a porn shop, a driver who relieved himself into empty milk cartons inside the truck? , the driver who didn't set his parking brake and let the truck roll into a Corvette, the driver who would leave the truck running for the refrigeration but not lock the cab or install the steering wheel lock and the drivers who just never seemed to get all the work done on any given day for no apparent reason.

I feel for you, man.

[Broncho]

That is exactly what happened with me. It was the long-time drivers that left first, not the ones you suspect of stealing. I have to point out what I learned from all of that; I wasn't paying a competitive wage. Do you think that's happening in Texas, or did you loose them to the oil companies?

I had to spend 2 weeks training new drivers myself, if they even lasted that long, and then the ones who finished the training usually didn't stay more than a week longer because when on their own they realized how much work it truly was. I usually never got any answer as to why they left, they just never bothered to show up and I was left with another idle truck. I had a guy who collected all the money one day and faked the route tickets as to product put in the machines I started getting calls the next day asking when we would be there to fill the machines. I looked up the records and found that we had counted the money and there weren't any shortages compared to the meter readings, he just didn't fill them. I actually lost one account from that episode and the driver's answer as I fired him was "I didn't have time to fill them." I also had one, and this was the only one luckily, who left his keys on the truck bumper and lost the entire ring. That guy got fired, too.

The worst firing was a long time driver (we're talking years) who had figured out to fake the product adds and ending inventories on non-metered machines, as we could only balance the product to cash with no meter. He had a gambling problem and the theft was only discovered when he injured his back (off the clock thankfully) and I had to fill in for him. I suddenly was running out of product because some of his unmetered machines were almost empty. By the time I got done that first day I had figured out what he had been doing. Just from that week's collections I was short $700. Needless to say, he was invited to take a permanent leave. This doesn't even count the driver who regularly visited a porn shop, a driver who relieved himself into empty milk cartons inside the truck? , the driver who didn't set his parking brake and let the truck roll into a Corvette, the driver who would leave the truck running for the refrigeration but not lock the cab or install the steering wheel lock and the drivers who just never seemed to get all the work done on any given day for no apparent reason.

I feel for you, man.

I had much of the same issues. I also had one guy that destroyed a locking mechanism by slamming the machine shut while locked for over 30 minutes. The only reason I know this is because the machine is in a showroom and I got a call from the manager asking me about the "retarded" driver I sent. We are pretty competitive against our competitors for pay, but we do not do commission. One company we compete with encourages their drivers to write false invoices on coffee and drink sales so that they can "bump up their checks". I have caught it in a few accounts and gained some major business because of this, but it makes it hard to complete with their pay when they use this tactic to pay more. One account I saved slightly over $30,000/year with matched pricing on their coffee, but the sickening part is their tickets only totaled $40,000/year with us.

The oilfield is hurting us the most. I have been offered jobs by accounts, not realizing my position, for $25+/hr pay. The worst part is they dont know much about me other then I am a body. Thats all thats required right now to get a high paying job in our area, since all they want is bodies. One of the head facilities guys at one of my accounts was a bartender less then 6 months ago and his boss worked at Starbucks before she got the job she has now. Seeing as they are both making near 6 figures, its hard to compete.

Almost forgot, one driver left because he couldn't find anywhere to live. The cheapest he could find was $1500/month for a one bedroom apartment with no A/C(it gets hot here). He moved to a different area because the cost of living is becoming unbearable.