I’m very sure that there are some of your locations that are having the same dilemma as me.
I have a location located on the east side of Vancouver and I placed a very nice glass front vending machine with the state-of-the-art bells and whistles.
Normally the vending machine works really simple. Insert a coin and then the product drops on the delivery bin.
I was very patient with this location and giving them good commissions. Sometimes my commissions are not justified because the maintenance on this machine is more than what I’m supposed to earn.?
Every week there is a problem like delivery bin out of alignment or cans stuck at the bottom which is caused by the customers.
I have a similar glass front vending machine that is producing extremely well in a very busy warehouse in Richmond where most of the users understand how to use a vending machine.
This location is doing extremely well when I secured this location three years ago with regular vending machines. But the regular soda pop machines are coming to age and have a constant problem.
When I upgraded to the glass from vending machine everything was good. But this location constantly has problems like bottles stuck at the bottom, the delivery bin was pulled thereby spending unnecessary expenses. The cost of fixing it is at least $285 with the delivery bin and labor.
How many pop cans can you sell just to recover this expense?
My solution was to sell this good nice glass front vending machine and downgrade for regular soda pop vending machines which are simple and easy to use.
But I’ll give this location another chance and observe.
Sometimes the solution will be just to replace the glass front vending machine to two regular soda pop vending machines which are simple to use nothing fancy like the picture below and produces sales that are expected week after week.
If it was you running an extremely good location but the problem is the customers, not the machine, what will you do?
Problem is it takes a lot of energy and effort the switch machines and moving charges alone makes a big hole in your wallet. $120 move out and another $120 move in, the cost of one machine.
It was the first time in my life that someone inserted a loonie inside a bill validator. So this pop machine was out of order for a week and no sales. I guess everyone is different. Some likes to play a prank and most of them are normal users.
I got out of the area and just having thoughts about why people like to play pranks on vending machines all the time. I sometimes wish they could run the business for a day.
The parking meters in downtown are always rigged by thieves.
They install a miniature magnet and fish out all the coins at the end of the day. I actually saw it myself on late afternoons. But of course I frequent the locations and dared not to take a photo or else vandalism will the result for me on my next visit.
When will the gasoline prices get stable here in Vancouver, BC? It is a question always asked by the people living here. Everything is sky high. Insurance, Gasoline, Food and everything is way higher. It is the weather here? I just do not get it.
I wish I can also increase the prices of my vending machines.
Some peoples are inconsiderate. It is a good thing that I naturally calm minded person. If you are in a hurry to get all the vending locations done and someone is blocking your way then what to do?
I always see people in downtown trying to fight their way out in situations. But I do not want my small business to be short-lived by arguing, so I guess you notice that your way blocked then just simply quickly drive the opposite way, of course in the commercial lanes too.
There are so many thieves here in Vancouver, BC generally in the lower mainland. I just do not get it why peoples are not alert and aware of what is happening around being vigilant all the time especially when you are outside.
Alas, I was on the way to get home from vending and just have to get one more place done. But soon when I arrived, there was a note on the vending machine that it is Out Of Order.
I suspect that it is just some coin jams that’s all.
So I found out there is a coin that resulted in the other coins that got stuck along with it.
You know that in the Philippines the default religion is Roman Catholic even if you are not religious.
Even if you are not a devout Catholic or just tag along with the rest it’s better to do what the Romans do when you are in Rome saying scenario.
You see the people in the Philippines are homogeneous, I think you get my point.
I vividly remember that thou shalt not use the name of the lord in vain as some hardcore religious person will put it that way.
I thought I need to take a quick micro-vacation.
When I was still living in the Philippines, Jollibee beats the heck out of McDonald. Why is this bee beating all the hamburger joints in the Philippines? McDonald, A&W, Burger King, Cali Burger, etc.
I guess a little visit to this Jollibee branch in Southcenter Mall in Tukwila, Washington is good enough for me to enjoy a micro-vacation for the moment.
A vending machine service operator cannot depart when summer arrives.
The sales of pop and beverages cannot be ignored.
Sometimes I wish I was in California or the southern part of the US since the weather there is always hot and a lot more patrons drink loads of soda pop as compared here in the Northern West Coast.
