Smart vending machines are easy to operate and are actually easier to manage than traditional vending machines because you can monitor the inventory remotely and plan your driver delivery routes based on anticipating a verified stock not reacting to one.
SMRT1 POD is an upgrade to traditional vending machine technologies which allows vending operators to prevent the most common vending machine issues. For the past several decades, very little has changed with the hardware beyond new and wonderful payment options.
Customers require support to address any issues with the software and hardware that might creep up. Along with our many operational partners across North America that deal with installation, technical repairs, or onsite service is within the existing vending machine services offered around the globe. Connecting the business need to the operational requirements is the first step in providing a solid smart vending model.
Most Common Vending Machine Issues ( Solved!)
Out of Stock
Vending machine operators set up routes to maintain a large number of machines. Filling the delivery truck with every conceivable item is both wasteful and needlessly tedious. Smart vending operators know the exact stock level in their machines in real-time. Adjusting delivery schedules and being prepared with the most needful items keeps revenue consistently flowing when your customer is finding the products they want to purchase instantly.
Cash and Coin
Stuck money is the bain of every traditional snack vending machine operator. No wonder millions of vending machines have been upgraded to digital payment options. Most operators are bypassing this payment method as cash is slowly phased out by modern replacements.
Stuck Products
Each brand has its own delivery detection system capable of knowing if a product was successfully delivered. Should your product get stuck, most brands default to refund your purchase instantly with any technical hangups. Feedback to the smart vending operator is seamlessly integrated to provide alerts or detect patterns in machine behavior. Remotely disabling an item may disappoint potential clients if it’s made unavailable… but this option is not allowing for customers to enter a negative purchase experience, and instead opt for another choice or another coil.
Dropped Products
Cracked eggs? Not if you add a soft delivery elevator that gently guides you to non-scrambled grocery items. Those crumbs at the bottom of the bag are sure tasty, but not if your entire bag has met this crushing defeat. Smart vending machines provide safe and secure instant delivery with the best handling money can buy.
No Feedback
Zero stars! Or an elated buyer? You’ll never know unless you ask… and a smart vending machine is the perfect opportunity for surveys, A-B testing, or direct access to your customer’s preferences. Simple responses can be captures on interactive touchscreens or send to an in-depth feedback session for loyal customers that want to connect to your brand website or social media pages.
They Don’t Stand Out
Do they really need a “participation ribbon” just for showing up? Most vending machines are not meant to provide effective marketing beyond the careful coordination of the initial product planogram. Want to highlight a product close to expiry, on sale, or as an upsell? Smart vending machines provide direct access to impulsive purchases and coordinated omnichannel marketing plans.
Only Snacks and Soda
The traditional vending machines are narrow-field-of-view marketing channels. Candy bars, chips, noodles and sugary drinks are an important structure of consumer behaviour purchases. Having the option and foresight to place strategic purchases in your consumer path’s has measurable feedback on effectiveness for this new medium. Go ahead, hot sauce vending machines and hot pizza vending machines should go hand-in-hand.
