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All You Need to Know About Routine Vending Machine Maintenance

All You Need to Know About Routine Vending Machine Maintenance

Published: 30th October 2024

Vending machines are now an important feature of many different businesses. Whether they are for use by your staff or your customers, they can be incredibly profitable and so it is important that you have a proper maintenance routine and schedule to keep them in good working order and ensure that there is no costly downtime.

Here we take a look at some of the essential maintenance that your vending machine will need to keep it running smoothly and ensure it is a success.

Keeping it clean

One of the most important maintenance tasks for your vending machine is to ensure that it is regularly cleaned. This not only means that it looks appealing to anyone who might want to use it, but that it also prevents any contamination of the products within it. This is particularly important if you are retailing any kind of fresh food that is not pre-packaged or if you have coffee machines which might have pipes that can become contaminated by the ingredients.

Make sure that you clean exterior surfaces with a non-abrasive cleaner and pay close attention to any high touch areas like buttons and slots. On the inside of the vending machine, you should look for any products that might have been spilt or any debris that could interfere with the functioning of the mechanism.

You will need to ensure there is daily cleaning for things such as drip trays and milk pipes, whilst more thorough cleaning might be needed on a weekly basis for any descaling and to ensure that the exterior is clean and hygienic.

Machine testing

Sometimes you will only know that a part of your vending machine is not working properly if you test it. That is why you should have a regular testing schedule where you can check the product dispensing mechanism and the payment system for any defects.

This will involve checking that the machine can accurately count and accept payment, and that it is dispensing the correct products safely. This allows you to identify and fix any problems before they become bigger and therefore helps you to avoid downtime and customer dissatisfaction. By testing your payment systems, you can also ensure that all payments are being taken correctly and you are not missing out on any valuable sales.

You should also be checking for any obvious signs of wear and tear on mechanical parts like motors and belts so that you can replace any damaged components before they break.

Inventory checks

Your vending machine is most likely to be a success if you were stocking the right products in it. This means you should regularly assess the product levels within it and adjust your product selections as needed. Popular items will disappear much more quickly, so you will need to restock these at a greater rate than some other products.

You should also pay close attention to any items which have a shorter shelf life so that you can remove anything that might have expired and consider rotating your products according to the seasons to make sure you always have something fresh and exciting to offer.

It is important to keep thorough records of everything relating to your vending machine. This includes your ordering and cleaning schedule. This will make it much easier for you to spot any patterns when it comes to the products that you need to order and will also ensure you know exactly when the machine was cleaned and when it is due to be done again to ensure that you are upholding all necessary hygiene standards in the workplace.

Get in touch

At Cema Vending, we offer both fully managed and vending machine maintenance solutions to help you ensure that you’re snacking remains uninterrupted. Contact our team today on 01157 845 845 or email sales@cemavending.co.uk to find out more.

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