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 I am curious how people here handle vandalism. Since starting this business I've had the Glass Broken on two snack machines and some product stollen. Money was safe. I did a police report for both incidences.

 

My biggest question is, should I have asked my accounts pay for the damage? Both incidences happen by employees, but we never found out who.

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I think it's difficult to give a straight answer to this.  The big question is... is the account responsible for what an employee does in every instance?  Even if the answer is yes, the nect question is.. is it worth the trouble?  Is it worth losing the account?  A lot of accounts will want to part ways with you over such an instance, even if you are the victim.  They might even side with the employee if they had problems.  It all sounds unfair but my rule of thumb is to make vending incognito.  No news is good news.  If an employee broke your machine amd you ask the conpany for compensation, they may just ask you to remove your machines while they look for someone else.  Personally, i wouldn't bother.  If the account isn't that great, I'll just remove the machines.  If it is good, I will replace the snack machine or the glass.

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1 hour ago, AngryChris said:

I think it's difficult to give a straight answer to this.  The big question is... is the account responsible for what an employee does in every instance?  Even if the answer is yes, the nect question is.. is it worth the trouble?  Is it worth losing the account?  A lot of accounts will want to part ways with you over such an instance, even if you are the victim.  They might even side with the employee if they had problems.  It all sounds unfair but my rule of thumb is to make vending incognito.  No news is good news.  If an employee broke your machine amd you ask the conpany for compensation, they may just ask you to remove your machines while they look for someone else.  Personally, i wouldn't bother.  If the account isn't that great, I'll just remove the machines.  If it is good, I will replace the snack machine or the glass.

I agree.  I've pulled a few due to vandalism.  They weren't all that great to begin with.

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The only drink machine I had in a public spot was finally vandalized after four years. I just shrugged my  shoulders and pulled it!

Paid  a whole fifty dollars for that Vendo 601, but made a bunch of money off it!

I will miss that location!

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6 hours ago, AngryChris said:

I think it's difficult to give a straight answer to this.  The big question is... is the account responsible for what an employee does in every instance?  Even if the answer is yes, the nect question is.. is it worth the trouble?  Is it worth losing the account?  A lot of accounts will want to part ways with you over such an instance, even if you are the victim.  They might even side with the employee if they had problems.  It all sounds unfair but my rule of thumb is to make vending incognito.  No news is good news.  If an employee broke your machine amd you ask the conpany for compensation, they may just ask you to remove your machines while they look for someone else.  Personally, i wouldn't bother.  If the account isn't that great, I'll just remove the machines.  If it is good, I will replace the snack machine or the glass.

This recent vandlism is a good account so I don't want any beef. I just bought new glass that cost me about $80 bucks... Now I just need to find time to install it. I will chalk it up to the cost of doing business.

Good advice... thx.

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40 minutes ago, MidStateVending said:

This recent vandlism is a good account so I don't want any beef. I just bought new glass that cost me about $80 bucks... Now I just need to find time to install it. I will chalk it up to the cost of doing business.

Good advice... thx.

If it happened once at the account it will happen again. Really evaluate whether it's a stop that's worth keeping. You have to sell a lot of chips and soda to make that $80 profit + time spent back every time it occurs.

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I wouldn't hesitate to raise most (if not all) prices by 5 cents or so to cover such costs being that the account is now a risk.  If you pay for the damage, the customer SHOULD understand why you raise prices.  If they don't want prices to go up, they need to make sure it doesn't happen again.

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I personally have every account signed to a contract, and in my standard contract there is a clause stating the company is responsible for covering the costs of vandalism. Only one customer has taken issue with that clause, and instead offered 24 hour lunch room surveillance. Pretty good deal if you ask me.

In reality I would only pursue compensation in the most severe of cases. For minor damage I'd rather suck it up than make a big stink and risk souring the relationship.

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12 hours ago, MidStateVending said:

This recent vandlism is a good account so I don't want any beef. I just bought new glass that cost me about $80 bucks... Now I just need to find time to install it. I will chalk it up to the cost of doing business.

Good advice... thx.

We had an account that broke the glass a couple times, once was due to horseplay and once due to a third shift theft.  The second time, I replaced the glass with Plexi-glass and never had a problem again.  Best thing I could have done, since this account has GROWN to become our best account.  Sometimes a little patience and some creative thinking can save the day.  If it happens again, try replacing with Plexi-glass.

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if it is a good account you can invest a couple hundred bucks to have a metal cage built for the front of the machine... they cannot break it out to steal your product and if you have more machines like it you can transfer the cage to a different one of it dies....i have about 5 of them out there and had no problems as soon as cage is installed

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5 hours ago, flintflash said:

We had an account that broke the glass a couple times, once was due to horseplay and once due to a third shift theft.  The second time, I replaced the glass with Plexi-glass and never had a problem again.  Best thing I could have done, since this account has GROWN to become our best account.  Sometimes a little patience and some creative thinking can save the day.  If it happens again, try replacing with Plexi-glass.

I have seriously considered plexi-glass, but someone told me it scuffs up easily and difficult to keep clean and crystal clear.

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37 minutes ago, MidStateVending said:

I have seriously considered plexi-glass, but someone told me it scuffs up easily and difficult to keep clean and crystal clear.

It does get scuffed up but it is better than broken glass.

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I actually tell my prospective accounts that they will not be responsible for "third party damage".  If the location owners smash my machine that's one thing; but part of selling the service for me is selling the location on it being problem and risk free for them.  I have pulled machines over vandalism but not always.  And I like plexiglass just fine!  Cages will work where the machine is not unattended too long, but I had two machines demolished right thru the validator opening without touching the cage - they had all night to work on it.  $3,000 in repairs and they stole $100 between both machines.  My bigger losses have been theft using keys before I switched over to all medeco locks.  Nice that I only have to carry one key also...

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3 hours ago, Southeast Treats said:

switched over to all medeco locks.  Nice that I only have to carry one key also...

I've been thinking about making that switch are they good locks 🔐 

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7 hours ago, Joe101us said:

I've been thinking about making that switch are they good locks

I like them, they can be a bit pricey compared to generic locks, but the key you get is yours and yours alone.  When you buy them the company you use originally will be the company you always use, as no other distributor will be allowed access to your key codes.  I deal with Locking Systems in Orlando (part of Vendors Repair); if you order be sure to get at least one extra key in case you need it, you can reorder keys but it takes time and you don't want to be locked out of your own machines.  Also, ask if they have any used lock cylinders available, it's cheaper to have them rekey used cylinders than buy the new ones (that are about $20 each).  They also have padlocks and puck locks that can be set up on your key as well...

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On 8/19/2017 at 10:58 AM, Mr Ed said:

for about 50% more than plexi you can get lexan.....MUCH stronger than plexi and cannot be broken without less than a sledgehammer

 

Yes, Lexan is a GREAT alternative.  That is actually what we use now and it holds up even better than Plexi-glass.  But we have had no problems with accounts that break the glass after we switch them to Plexiglass/Lexan.   

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Lexan is great too.  Most of my vendors always put in plexi or lexan if the machines are in a public area such as hotels or motels.  It prevents the fear of suits from kids getting cut from broken glass.  Oddly I don't hear too much about V&MM.  Maybe the high security keys, all of the camera's and lexan/plexi fronts are helping.

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