TL;DR
Charlie from VendGuys is a Vending Village preferred partner who helps operators select the right machines and get fully up and running operationally.
Charlie from VendGuys on what actually matters when you’re getting started
I chatted with Charlie from VendGuys (a preferred partner of Vending Village) about questions I see vending operators getting stuck on, and how he helps his clients make sure they get the steps right.
If you’re newer, a lot of vending advice online is either too specific to one topic or too specific to someone else’s route. Charlie oversees the full process, ensures the correct machine for the vending location, delivery goes smoothly, and the details from payment processing to product placement are already thought through.
Q&A
A) From a vending machine operator perspective, what are key things a vending operator should have in their pocket to move ahead and begin vending?
The most critical piece, of course, is the location. A great vending location is a great start. Like Absolute Power corrupts Absolutely, A Great Location is a Great Vending Company (or the start of one).
B) Why is it so important to have a vending machine reseller who sells and keeps stock of many machine types and brands?
Different locations have different needs. A warehouse can and will do great with an old style AP7600 and Dixie 501/Royal 660 and that's all they need. Our attitude is to provide the location with the assets they need, not the assets they want. So you place the best value (read- lowest cost in) machines you can get; as long as you're dealing with a reliable reseller that will stand by their machines. Aside from the machine brand/manufacturer, many operators today are offering non-standard vending machines. Like, for example, wall mount snack machines, wall mount drinks, tabletops, Vape/Zyn machines, AI machines, etc. We provide custom and creative machines that can be designed and wrapped to vend any item at all.
C) How important is Product merchandising and Planogramming, and how can that impact sales at a vending location?
Understanding this is something that all Pro operators spend time learning and practicing. We offer ongoing machine planogramming suggestions (Tailored to location type) and are happy to get on calls as check ins with suggestions. We also offer an in depth, 1 on 1 boot camp covering the 5 essential starter components of vending- of which this is one.
D) What's your involvement on vending machine delivery day, how do you ensure the client is set up for success. Delivery and installation is where deals can go sideways. What’s your pre-install checklist for a smooth delivery. Site readiness, measurements, doors/stairs/elevators, placement, power, leveling. So there are no surprises on install day?
Delivery days are ALWAYS tough and stressful. When we ship a conventional snacks machine, we ship it using a custom designed pallet that let's operators simply deconstruct the pallet around the machine without needing to lift it with a forklift etc. We also use a dedicated logistics team that works with the operator pre-delivery to make sure it is as stress free as possible.
E) When a vending operator works with you, what should they expect in terms of support to get them to a fully operational, self-sufficient place, where they can “fly on their own” and only touch base as needed?
As mentioned we offer a more in depth boot camp designed for operators still pre-100 machines. Aside from that, we offer personalized video calls/conferences that customers can book with us via a dedicated booking link whenever needed.
Want to talk with Charlie directly? He’s always open to chat - Please feel free to book an appointment with Charlie here.