Thursday, August 28, 2008

Revealing Secrets That Make Vending Operators Successful

It’s not enough to think that vending is the right business for you. What’s more important is the ability to make it work for you. This requires adequate research and understanding of the different elements of this business.

For a newcomer, the best vending machines will be the small candy, gumball or toy vending machines hat can be bought for very less amount and located easily. Also, these are easy to maintain and repair. If you are willing to make a larger investment, there is an option in good quality snack or soda vending machines like Planet Antares vending machines. A variety of snack vending machines are also available in different sizes, shapes and styles. While some of them need very little floor space, others can be placed on the wall. You can also buy mechanical vending machines or go for electronic vending machines.

After choosing the right vending machines for your vending business, the next step will be to pick the products to be dispensed. Evaluate the customer requirements in your region to find the best product to be sold. Keep the best selling products in your Planet Antares vending machines to make more money.

Avoid getting into a vendor franchise offering a single item. Customers will prefer using vending machines that offers product variety. There are other things that must be considered for setting up and running a vending business. Some of them are:

Business cards
Go for low cost business cards to start your vending business with low investment marketing. There is no need to spend excessive money on your business advertising because your vending machines will do it themselves.

Postcards advertising
A good idea will be to mail postcards to local businesses that you want to target as potential locations for your vending machines. This will help to convince them about the advantages of keeping your equipment in their premises.

Other than these factors, you must enquire about the license and permit regulations applicable to your business and keep track of the vending routes on sale in your area of operations.

Monday, August 25, 2008

About Planet Antares Soda Vending Machines

Apparently, the soda vending machines have become an important part of our daily lives. Wherever you go, you can find one or more of such equipment. These are fantastic sources of income for people in the vending business.

Have you ever thought why these vending machines are so popular?
As compared to bulk vending machines, soda vending machines are difficult to manage but possess several benefits. Their capacity ranges from 200 to 500 cans and are usually found in offices and convenience stores. These machines have branded logos or simple designs according to the products stocked by them.

The major advantages of these Planet Antares vending machines include:

Location
As soda vending machines are popular among all customer segments, business owners are willing to keep them in their premises. So, it becomes easy for Planet Antares vendors to get vending machines installed in good locations.

Capacity
Soda vending machines have much more capacity as compared to bulk vending machines and do not require refilling frequently. This also means that you can earn more per refill session, which is beneficial for your business.

Better business relations
for good relations with premises owners, you must keep your vending machines in top condition. In size, a soda vending machine is much bigger than the candy or toy vending machines and thus, needs the services of a mover to be installed in a particular location. This will also save your time and effort in shifting the heavy machines.

Machine servicing
Planet Antares soda vending machines have vend counters which allow you to keep a record of the number of vends from a machine. Thus, it becomes easier for you to account for product sales and avoid misuse of the machine by employees or customers.

Multiple options
You can choose from a wide range of machines and routes for your Planet Antares vending business. A good way to start a soda vending machine business is to purchase already located machines. This alternative may not be available frequently but if it is, you must go for it as it enables saving of time and money without any need for finding new locations for your machines. If you are planning to buy a new vending machine, compare the features offered by different vending machine suppliers and the price charged. Also, there are many good companies like Planet Antares Inc which help you to locate and service your vending machine.

All these factors make soda vending business a lucrative opportunity for establishing a successful and financially rewarding business.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Ultimate Control With Planet Antares Vending

A great way to start your own business is to start with a Planet Antares vending opportunity. To begin as a vending operator, you won’t need any specific qualification or experience. It is simple to begin with one small vending machine and learn the basics as you go along. Don’t get discouraged by any mistakes or hurdles and take them as part of the learning curve. The best vending opportunity will be a chance to buy an existing vending route.

Remember to make time for evaluation of the business before jumping into it. Many people make this mistake, only to regret it later. So, make sure you understand the working of this business before doing anything. Vending is not a shortcut to success and more money and you will certainly need to make an initial investment. Just placing the equipment at any available place will not mean they will make money for you.

While certain machines can be placed at every kind of location, there are others that need specific matching with the location, products and customer needs. For example, candy vending machines will not be as popular as a coffee vending machine in an office building.

For places like a bowling alley, Planet Antares soda and candy vending machines are the best. Eventually, you will gain experience in different aspects of this business and determine whether it is for you or not. Thus, it is best to get started small and then grow into a larger business later on.

A good idea will be to go on a vending route with a business person. It will help you in learning the basics of the vending business. Another way to get information about the vending machines, routes or products is to contact a vending machine distributor. These people are the first to know about the possibility of an opportunity to buy a vending business as they have so many contacts in the industry.

You can also begin with a Planet Antares vending business opportunity by acquiring the services of a locator. This person will find the best locations for your equipment and carry out all the necessary research needed for the same. Verify if the vending program is legitimate and not a scam.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Enhancing The Planet Antares Vending Experience

A lot has been achieved by the vending industry so far. This includes offering the best possible service to customers. However, there is still scope for improvement, especially in the marketing strategies of vending operators. There was a time when convenience stores had to overcome a stereotype as an overpriced outlet to one that offers excellent convenience. Such complete service is offered by Planet Antares Inc.

Finally, customers have realized that c-stores are selling a convenience. The vending industry can change the consumer perception as well. Many Planet Antares vending operators need to commit an entire division for marketing of their business.

One of the best ways to promote your vending business will be to educate customers about the vending services. When the public becomes aware of the vending industry, they will be more willing to pay for it. If the price based competition among vending operators continues, the vending industry will not be able to move ahead.

Thus, it is your responsibility as a Planet Antares vending operator to keep looking for effective ways to move your vending business ahead of the competition.

A system that can help in simplifying the selection at route and warehouse levels is category management. It also enables the vending operator to control the machine menu. However, you must be able to track individual product sales accurately to do this. A good idea will be investing in handheld computers for greater efficiency.

The common factor between vending and c-stores is that both are retail outlets with limited selling space. It consists of a product being sold as well as convenience. This is another similarity between vending and c-stores. The vending industry has restricted space and it needs all vending operators to treat this space wisely.

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Currency Machine Upgrades For Planet Antares Vending Machines

It has been expensive and stressful for Planet Antares vending operators to bring changes in vending machines to accept new currency designs. Mainly, the bill changer needs to be retrofitted to accept new currency designs. There are modernized bill changers like those incorporated in Planet Antares vending machines that accept the new 5s, 10s and 20s.

Another issue of concern is the one dollar coin which is in circulation within the machines. The four and five dollar tube changers were launched to stimulate the flow of dollar coins throughout the vending machines. They have been a great boon, particularly for stand alone changers.
The main issues being faced by Planet Antares vending operators are:

• Dollar coin and its acceptance
• Ability to pay out the dollar coin as change
• Redesign of currency

Many of the vending operators would like to see the paper dollar bill eliminated. This is a logical thing to debate and lobby for, because it will facilitate conversions of bill changers to take the new currency designs.

Among operators, conversion kits have become very popular. It is quite expensive to buy a new bill changer and this reason has put it out of reach for many vending operators.

It is also getting expensive to keep the bill validators updated in vending machines. The old validators are mostly 1s. to update them implies upgrading them to accept 5s, 10s and 20s. The new Planet Antares vending machines have been updated to accept the new currencies from the beginning.

New coin mechanisms are being introduced in the vending industry that has an extra tube on them for the dollar coin. These are ordered from the bank, but the operators don’t usually get them back, because people hoard them. For your new Planet Antares vending machines, you must adapt to the new demand for currency acceptance.

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Understanding The Vending Marketplace

There is no doubt about the fact that vending operators need to understand the changes in vending industry. However, many of them misinterpret clues and arrive at wrong conclusions frequently. Even after all the talk about the need for organizational agility, a large number of businesses remain inadequate when it comes to implementing new strategies. If you don’t make some quick changes, the competition is bound to overtake you.

In comparison to any other market, the vending m marketplace is experiencing changes at a faster pace. Today’s economic conditions and fierce competition have led to an environment that is very different from that prevailing in the past decades.

You need to ensure that your Planet Antares vending business needs are aligned with the changes in the vending industry. This requires effective strategies to be in place. For your survival, you will have to make money at smaller accounts, achieve higher per capita sales, open new markets, introduce new products, utilize technology, sell new locations and most importantly, maintain the efficiency of your existing business.

While planning for improvement of efficiency of your Planet Antares vending business, you can look at cost cutting. Remember that when the revenue falls, another round of cost cutting is implemented and the process is repeated until your organization is crippled one day. In theory, cost cutting is not necessary if you practice good expense management in your vending business on a regular basis.

In absence of strong controls and preventive measures, your Planet Antares vending business will not do well. Smaller businesses are more sensitive to market changes as they lack the secondary controls and procedures involved in handling them.

Software is a tool that has given vending operators, including Planet Antares vending operators, the opportunity for more control over route warehouse inventory than ever before. This can be lost when collection procedures are not followed and cash meters are records inconsistently.

Thus, a culture of excellence needs to be inculcated by all vending companies that want to implement cost controls and encourage high standards of employee performance. This is required to adapt to the changing vending industry. As the business has changes so will the vending operators and their strategies.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Rise In Cost Of Planet Antares Vending Operations

In some product categories, Planet Antares vending operators have raised their prices but the price increases are not enough to offset the losses in pre-location sales or machine placements. Usually, the price gains are only a few cents on an average. This indicates selective increases on an account basis as opposed to “across the board” increases.

Apart from this, operating costs have risen in other sectors as well. There has been a rise in product pricing, but at the same time there has also been an increase in fuel. This trend of rising prices has given Planet Antares vending operators a double whammy, because besides raising their own operating costs, these increases also result in lower disposable income for customers, leading them to spend less on refreshments.

The currency upgrades can also add to cost of operations. In 2003, the government introduced a new design for the 20 dollar bill. Upgrades of bill changers and validators continued at certain percentage points.

Higher denomination was viewed by Planet Antares vending operators as a way to support higher product prices. Higher denomination bill acceptance also made it essential to have dollar coin payout, which required more 4 and 5 tube coin changers.

Rising operating costs have always driven market share to both the extra-large and small operators. The larger operators have the financial resources to meet increasing costs and offer a wider range of products and services at the same time. The small operators enjoy the advantage of low overhead.

The ability of Planet Antares vending operators to invest in new technologies that offer customer benefits can also be limited by suppressed revenues. Convenience stores and other sectors have already introduced cashless payment options and broadband wireless internet connectivity to attract more customers.

Vending operators fall behind in this race to offer customers new technology. There has been hardly any improvement in the percentage of operators that use DEX handheld computers which allow for more accurate cash counting and the ability to match selections to account preferences based on line item sales.