Servicing My New Route ( 36 stops ) For The First Time

[T BIRD]

Well.........I am off to begin finding and servicing the route I purchased 3-4 weeks ago.  There will be more driving involved ( 150-175 miles per day ).  They are all Vendstars. I will want to change out some of them as I move along.  My van is packed with machines and parts and candy etc.   I just gotta remember that I can not do everything that I want to do with this new route in 2-3 days.  It will take a while to shape it the way I want.

There are a few spots where I may be able to place a Shootin' Hoops machine which is good.  To be continued................

[G-man422]

Good luck Johnny!  Like you said, just take it slow and realise that it will take time to get the route how you like.  I will stay tuned 

[nepavend]

Knock em dead Johnny, hopefully you will come back with stories of spots to upgrade!

[nam]

Johnny,

Nice thing with the Vendstar is they are easy to service and easy to carry in and out. No dolly needed with those babies.

nam

[Raredory]

I'm jealous. I want more machines. lol

[T BIRD]

Thanks for the comments folks.  Yesterday was very interesting.  It was a little uncomfortable walking into locations and folks not knowing you.  I went into a Sam's Club location and was walking down a narrow corridor to get to it.  There was a very big management meeting going on and a couple of the management team members checked me out REAL good as I walked back and forth.  I was thrown out of one location because of a district manager.  Oh well.  I did well with collections for the six locations I serviced. ( I had a very late start yesterday )  I think I averaged around $32.00 per.  But these are the better ones.  There are some I have to make a decision about whether to keep or not.  I also changed out a Seaga double that had one head out of order.  I put a NW 60 double in its place. One thing good about the Vendstars is they are pretty easy to service.  So that's good.  And they weigh next to nothing compared to a NW60 double on a cast iron stand!!

My day ended with picking up dinner for my wife and me and then stopping to pick up ices for dessert.  We have a place called Ralph's Ices.  It's a chain of stores.  Not sure what parts of the country they are in though.  Anyway........last year I was given a no when I asked to place a machine there.  I asked again but this time I asked to place a small four machine rack.  He said yes and we agreed on a 25% commission. This place is absolutely mobbed from May until the end of September.  The lines outside are usually long.  The rack with be outside.  The customers get served thru windows outside.  I have a spot all picked out.  I promised him the rack will be on rollers to make it easy for him.  I guess I will put toys and one gumball in it.  Can gumballs take the heat outside?  I think they can but I am not positive.

[T BIRD]

I could not continue servicing the new route on Tuesday because someone got ahold of my credit card and was having a party charging stuff.  I was on the phone with Chase for an hour.  Then the driver's side window electric thing broke.  It was stuck half open so I had to get that fixed.  Anyway the day was shot.

I went out today and hit 7 more locations.  Its not easy the first time around, finding the locations, trying to fit in with the managers and staff, etc.  Anyway the numbers were very good for these seven.  I collected about $220 from them.  I am back out tomorrow to do more of them.

[T BIRD]

You're too funny Kelly. What a character U R........

[T BIRD]

Well.......I am getting there slowly but surely.  I am having a tough time finding a few of the locations.  I am about half way through the route.  I also placed a new machine in a bar restaurant in the late afternoon.