Dennis
I agree that the quality and variety of vended products has vastly improved since the 60’s. Too bad the industry lost most of the ideal venues for the application for vended food and beverage services. Ironic isn’t it?
While my Dear Friends in the traditional full line vending business are agonizing over how to sell candy bars, potato chips and soft drinks profitably, something is going on in the background.
The self Service Revolution:
* 97% of consumers would use self-service to handle a transaction or service.
* 86% of consumers say they are more likely to do business with a company
that offers the flexibility to interact using self-service.
*66% of consumers say the availability of self-service technologies
creates a more positive perception of the brand.
*56% say their likelihood to use self-service has increased over the last
12 months.
Speed, convenience and ease of use are identified most frequently by respondents when asked why they would choose self-service over personal assistance in each of four industry sectors:
* financial (faster-70 percent, more convenient-67 percent, easier-52 percent);
* retail (faster-68 percent, more convenient-64 percent, easier-52percent);
* travel (faster-63 percent, more convenient-61 percent, easier-60percent); and
* healthcare (faster-53 percent, more convenient-50 percent, easier-47percent).
Our industry was once the leader and innovator in the “unattended sale” concept. Are we to be left behind in this major shift in retailing?
*Sources of statistical data:Time Magazine, March 2008NCR Self Service Consumer Survey, 2008
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Biography of Tom Britten:
Analyst, Intermediary, Professional Consultant. A full service resource to large and small operators "Helping Vending, OCS and Food Service Operators to Grow and Profit" 813.469.5437 tombritten@msn.com
Featured Speaker: Business Meetings, Trade Associations, Fraternal Groups, and Government Agencies
Topics: Security, Loss Prevention, Acquisitions/Divestitures, 25 Things That Don’t Change, Time Management, Effective Sales Prospecting
Consultant: Establish strength in the market place, significantly improve profitability.
Areas of Interest: Systematic Sales Prospecting/Booking New Business, Account Retention, Expense Management, Acquisitions and Divestitures/Exit Strategy, Increased Productivity, Right Sizing, Loss Prevention, Improved Internal Controls, Security Analysis, Executive Recruiting
Career Synopsis & Credentials: Tom Britten has broad-based operations and marketing experience in food service, vending and distribution. The client base he has served and sold extends to business / industrial, education, government, health care, and corrections facilities. He has worked in key positions both domestically and internationally and was instrumental in the introduction of Canteen’s full line services in Japan and reorganization of operations in Spain.
He successively progressed through executive positions at Macke, Service America, and Canteen where he became Vice President. He also served for eight years as Vice President of Sales and Operations for the Haddonfield Group, Management Consultants. In this assignment, he designed and implemented profit improvement programs for clients in retail and service businesses. In 2003, Britten formed Britten Management Services LLC, a profit improvement firm.
Professional Associations: Mr. Britten was a member of the Board of Directors of the state vending councils in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Washington. He is a former recipient of the NAMA chairman’s award for legislative action and has been widely published in a number of trade journals. He published the popular “25 Things That Don’t Change” which has been adopted as essential reading by many food and vending companies. He now serves on the editorial advisory board of Automatic Merchandiser magazine and holds a certificate of appointment as a Federal Contracting Officer for the Veterans Administration, where he is an appointed representative of the American Federation of Government Employees. Britten is also a past Chairman of the Human Relations Board of Hillsborough County.
He can be reached at tombritten@msn.com
Leave a Reply
May 28th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Tom,
Read your most recent post just Today as I have been traveling. Your Self service remarks could not be more on point. This past week I chose to go to a gas station for my morning brew 4 times, rather then waiting in line for the same brand name product at this donut chains traditional outlet. Why? It was self service,”consistent quality and speed of service” simply put. In the end I still purchased the product,ie. coffee, but on my terms. Your closing remark caused me some concern for the industry however. Our industry was once the leader and innovator in the “unattended sale” concept. Are we to be left behind in this major shift in retailing? Unless we reach ahead now to define just what the vending industry will look like in 2020 we will continue to loose market share. Here are a few of my thoughts. Egocentric menus: listen, listen, and listen to what your partners (customers) are looking for, how to meet their real needs? Brand your System: through innovation, look, and customer experience. (review your points of contact) Branchising: Non-traditional sales outlets: Self Service Kiosks 400sq’ or less at sports complexes (big opportunity here), No one not Chartwell, Compass, Canteen, ARA are positioned to take advantage here. Lastly, give me what I remember, familiar brands, I get the warm fuzzy feeling and you get my cash. May the chain never be unbroken!
Regards,
Dennis Medeiros