Are Vending Machines High Maintenance?

When thinking of an easy and profitable side business, a lot of people immediately think of vending machines. After all, once you set it up and stock it with snacks, drinks, or other products, you’re set to go. It will basically run on its own. All you have to do is collect the profits and do some regular maintenance on the machines, right? Well, it’s not always as simple as it sounds.

For starters, many newcomers to the vending business might not necessarily have a complete grasp of what vending maintenance entails. There’s a lot more to it than just collecting the money and replenishing the stocks.

Crucial Steps in Regular Vending Machine Maintenance

To ensure smooth and continuous operation of automats, you need to monitor them constantly. You can do this either remotely or occasionally, in person. You should also perform maintenance regularly, as well as attend to emergency situations as quickly as possible.

Prepare adequately for the maintenance.

Before you go to your machines, make sure you bring everything you will need. This includes the key to open the machine and a notebook for inventory if you are doing it manually. You would also need a collection bag for money, stocks for refilling, and all the tools needed for cleaning and repairs.

Inspect the technical elements of the machine.

Frequent use can damage a vending machine so you need to check for signs of wear before they get problematic. Tighten any loose screws, fix broken wheels, or simply reposition a machine that has been nudged out of place. For bigger repairs, you must contact a professional technician immediately.

Conduct a thorough cleaning.

A vending machine will attract more customers if it is clean and shiny. Oftentimes, a simple wipe-down of the entire surface is more than enough. Make sure you get rid of all stains and dirt, especially on the touchscreen. Internal parts do not need much cleaning since they are sealed and protected.

Collect payments and replenish merchandise.

Finally, a regular maintenance session ends with getting the coins and bills from the machine, and the replenishment of stocks that have been sold. Make sure there are no suspicious individuals around before doing this. For safety, schedule your collection intermittently so that crooks won’t know beforehand.

Cost of Maintaining a Vending Machine

As you can see, vending machine maintenance can be a rather meticulous process. You need to expend a considerable amount of time and effort. Granted that you would only be doing this maybe once a week or so, but what if you have several machines? If you have other things to do, the practical move would be to hire someone else to do the maintenance for you. This would come at a considerable additional cost.

In a way, vending machines can become high maintenance over time, and costly at the same time. But if you want to maintain a healthy profit from your machines and make sure they are properly maintained without spending much effort or burning a hole in your pocket, the best route is to avail a fully managed vending service.

Here at Vending-Machines.ie, our fully managed service will ensure that you have a thriving vending machine business without having to lift a finger. If you are interested in finding out more, send us an email or give us a call, and we will be with you for a free consultation!