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31
magazine
VENDING MACHINES
Vending machines have come a long way in the last decade.
Here, we highlight five trends that are transforming catering
& vending from a ‘tick box’ exercise to an effective means
of engaging with employees and encouraging greater staff
productivity and wellbeing
1
Cashless payment
To meet growing demand for
convenient payment methods, new
vending machines typically integrate
some form of cashless payment,
including card-based (PIN and
contactless) and app-based payment
methods.
Payment options can be ‘open’, using
a debit card, or ‘closed’, using a pre-paid
card provided by an employer. Some
payment systems, like those provided by
VMC, support both ‘open’ and ‘closed’
systems.
According to the AVA’s latest industry
census, the number of ‘open’ cashless
transactions per month doubled in
2016, with contactless card and mobile
payments accounting for just under half
of these, up from 35-40% in 2015.
Biometric payment, via fingerprint
or facial recognition, is another option
that enables people to make payments
via pre-registered bankcards or company
accounts. Identity management
company BioStore can retrofit biometric
readers to vending machines already
installed in the workplace.
2
Digital displays
Many modern machines
feature attention-grabbing digital
displays and touchscreens. These
offer a familiar, intuitive user
experience, easy product selection
and digital signage applications.
They can be used to show nutrition
and allergy information, to display
and share important messages with
employees and even to generate
additional revenue through
advertising.
Broderick’s Media Vend machine,
for example, sports a 42-inch LED
HD touchscreen display and has been
designed with interactive advertising
in mind. Major snack and drinks brands,
such as Cadbury and Coco Cola, can use
the space to advertise their products and
run competitions, influencing customer
choice at the point of purchase.
Managing director John Broderick
said: “SMEs who have introduced our
unique, on-screen, point-of-purchase
advertising channel, Broderick’s Media
Vend, are reporting increased employee
engagement and a higher monthly spend
per head.
“Frequent Media Vend product
promotional activity is proving a big
draw and a talking point within the
workplace, with a fabulous array of
prizes. Unsurprisingly, repeat custom has
soared, with SMEs benefiting from the
revenue generated. Our smart Media
Vend machines have also enabled us
to launch the UK vending sector’s first
Loyalty App, which is boosting customer
engagement and return visits.”
He added: “Many of our SME
customers are successfully utilising the
Media Vend screens to benefit their own
internal communications – especially
those with split sites where internal
Appetite for change
comms can be more challenging. The
Broderick’s Media Vend screen provides
the ideal forum to promote key company
messages and company intranet content.”
3
Micro markets
The micro market is a new
alternative to traditional vending
solutions. Utilising both cashless
payment and digital displays, a micro
market is an unmanned, self-service
store set up within a workplace
breakroom where employees can buy
lunches, snacks and drinks.
Micro markets offer a wider selection
of products than vending machines,
including hot, cold and fresh foods, and
being available 24/7 are a good option
for businesses that employ shift workers
or want to stop employees from leaving
the office during working hours.
As an early adopter of new vending
technologies and solutions, Broderick’s
has developed a scalable, customisable
micro market, the brodshop, which it
offers as an alternative to a staff canteen
or as a satellite unit to complement an
existing catering facility. As part of its
full support service, Broderick’s restocks
brodshops using a fleet of refrigerated
vehicles.
Broderick said: “We came up with
the brodshop approach as a perfect
solution for SMEs that need to offer
their staff a more comprehensive
refreshment solution than a bank of
vending machines, but who aren’t yet
ready to introduce their own full-blown
restaurant, with the overheads, logistics
and workplace space considerations that
this entails.”
He points out that employees
increasingly view premium on-the-go
refreshment options as part of their
Continued....
John Broderick,
Managing Director,
Broderick’s
Many of our SME
customers are
successfully
utilising the
Media Vend
screens to
benefit their
own internal
communications
