West Coast Vend LLC Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 We have all been reading the newspapers and listening to the radio and television. It's everywhere you turn. Talk about the recession that we are in right now. Everyone is seating tight waiting to see what is going to happen after the big ball drops on new years eve. It's like someone is going to turn on a special light switch and we will all clearly see what direction we are going. How many more banks will close, how many car dealers with lock their doors, how many of our location accounts will tell us that they just can't make it. These things may or may not happen. One thing is for sure though, we will continue to work hard trying to come up with unique ways to keep making money in our vending machines. We have invested our hard earned money in this business and we are not giving up. I underlined the word unique for a reason. Unique people with unique ideas is what it will take to survive a recession. You can't just seat there with those same machines, with the same products and the same service levels as you have in the past. You have to "stand out". The bigger companies, as they lose their huge accounts are going to start looking for smaller ones in local towns. They will put in oversize equipment and offer oversize commissions just to get in those accounts. Being unique and standing out, is what you need to start doing NOW. Relationships with account owners, managers, and salespeople will make those little accounts think twice before saying yes to the big guys with their big deals. I thought it would be a good idea to start a new topic that we can all be a part of moving forward. Lets start thinking about and listing ways to be unique & stand out during a recession. "We can't stop a recession but we can ride it for all it's worth" Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Maybe put a last serviced sticker on the top of each machine. Just print up one and fill in the blank when you were there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Gary, very well said. Hope everybody has a prosperous new year! Zeke P.s. Nice pic in Vending Times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Coast Vend LLC Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 Here are a few things I am doing to stand out and be unique. 1. Communicate the state of my business with my accounts. I don't mean cry the blues every time I collect, but help them realize that we are in this together and we can help one another with commission, satisfying waiting customers with snacks, reduce late returns to work with snack and beverage machines on the premise, etc. 2. Make sure my accounts know that my machines are the cleanest best working machines in the area. That my products are always fresh and I will back that with a money-back-guarantee. 3. I am a family operated business just like they are, (if they are). It will help to relate to my concerns. 4. Let them know that all products that I sell are the hottest items around and they have been tested against hazardous materials like lead & phalates. And that I have laboratory test results copies for all products that I sell. I will send them copies on request. Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeke Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 How about "Clean your equipment". It should be done after each servicing. Take a little extra time and make sure it's done. I have seen great locations with equipment that looks like a bomb went off next to them. It drives me crazy to see dirty equipment in good spots. Customers will use your machines more if they see that your machines are well maintained and clean. It doesn't matter if you do bulk, full line, or amusements it should be standard practice at each stop. Just a thought... Zeke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmuseStar Vending Co Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Exactly Zeke, I have a guy around me who has some of the best china buffets around. They are huge, and always packed. Every time I see one, half of the heads are empty and dirty, or half of the heads are full, non working and dirty. One of his racks has a huge chunk of the plastic panel out of the A&A 2001 2"cap vendor. He has never bothered to replace the piece. He just put packing tape over the hole. His cranes are old uniteds that you can barley see into because of the greasy had prints and a layer of dirt. He hand carves the machine ID numbers right on the front of the machines. His machines look like pure trash (He operates over 9,000 heads) I have tried so many times to take the locations, but the Chinese just will not get rid of them. Clean equipment is one of the KEYS to a successful route. People use what looks nice, and clean. Kyle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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