When a customer has an issue with the machine, who can they turn to for complaint? For their money back? For the product that got stuck in the machine? They sometimes turn their frustration towards the machine and cause damage not only to the machine but to the area around the machine, like scratching the floor or damaging walls. This frustration can mount to a decrease in vending machine sales.
Therefore, it is important to Keep Machine Working. If customers are experiencing repeat problems, such as the bill validator will not take their dollar bills, then fixing the problem is essential to keep those customers coming back to your vending machine and achieving great vending machine sales. The more problems people have with vending machines, the less likely they are going to be buying product from vending machines.
Although keeping machines operating properly and clean takes time, it is time well spent in order to attract people to come to the machine and make purchases. Even if it takes replacing a vending machine altogether (as long as it is cost effective to do so), giving customers that convenience experience goes a long way in increasing happiness and increasing vending machine sales.
Also, respond to complaints quickly. The best way is to have at least some contact information on the machines at all times. Phone number, email address, even a Twitter handle could offer customers a chance to contact vendors and report any issue. During off hours, vendors can also use call centers to handle complaints. The faster vendors deal with complaints, the better customers feel, and better numbers of vending machine sales. They feel validated in that their input is important and that their business is appreciated. Happy customers means repeat customers; therefore, responding quickly to their complaints is essential to give them a great customer experience.
Keep Good Relations with the Point of Contact (POC). For office buildings, apartments, hospitals, etc, there will always be a POC for vendors and route drivers. This person will receive complaints from customers, take down names for people needing refunds, and take notes of problems people have had with the machines. They are essentially working for the vendor for free.
Keeping a good relation with this person will make their experience with a vendor’s company much better. If one day, a vendor sees that the person is upset because they have spent too much time receiving complaints about a machine, vendors should try giving them a soda or snack as a means of saying thank you. A little gratitude can go a long way, and vendors will want their POCs on their side because they can be great references for larger accounts in the future and increase revenue from vending machine sales.