Published: 28th February 2023
If you are adding a vending machine to your business, then you need to give some careful thought about where you are going to locate it. You need to make sure that it is both visible and accessible without causing a hazard in order to maximise its profitability. The sector where you’re putting your vending machine will make a difference on where it should be located. Here, we put together our list of the best places for your vending machine for your sector.
Lets take a look at what you need to think about first in order to narrow down what vending machine is right for you.
The first thing that you need to think about is what you need the machine to do. Will it just be for employees, or will you be offering food and drink to your guests or customers too?
You will also need to identify what you want the machine to provide. Are you looking for hot beverages, snacks or cold drinks? You may also be thinking about incorporating a water cooler.
In addition to this, you need to think about how you will look after the machine. For example, if your machine includes fresh milk, it is a good idea to think about how this will be stored, as well as who will be responsible for filling and cleaning the machine.
If you are looking for a snack vending machine, then one large consideration is what you want to stock it with. Fresh food will need a smart fridge.
If you intend to fill and clean it yourself, then we can recommend models which are better suited to this.
Alternatively, we can fully manage your machine for you where we regularly visit site to replenish, clean and carry out routine maintenance on your machine, opening lots more options.
We can also offer a supply only service that provides you with maintenance for the machine, whilst you fill and restock it yourself.
Your budget will always be an important deciding factor, but the good news is that there are plenty of budget vending machines available, as well as refurbished ones. You can also take advantage of options to rent or lease a vending machine as well buying it outright.
You need to make sure that you have permission to use the spot that you have picked for your vending machine. If it is in a shared space such as an entrance or reception area, then it will need written permission from the property owner before you can install it. You should also make sure that there are no restrictions when it comes to the items that you want to include within the vending machine.
It is important to think about the type of people that your vending machine will attract when you install it. A vending machine selling alcohol shouldn’t be put near a school or youth club, and machines stocking salty or sugary snacks might not be popular at a gym location. Instead, make sure your machine meets the needs of the people who are closest to it and they will be much more likely to make use of it.
It is a sad reality that vending machines can be a target for theft and vandalism, so you need to think about how secure it will be. Try to pick an area that is brightly lit, and ideally covered by CCTV cameras. Keeping it indoors means that it is easier to keep an eye on it and allows you to lock it away when your business is closed.
You need to make sure that your vending machine is easily accessible for everyone. Avoid hiding it away or making it something that only certain people can reach. You also need to make sure that it does not cause an obstruction and that it is close enough to a power source to ensure there are no trailing cables.
Choosing a good spot for your vending machine is vital if you want to make sure that people keep using it. Finding busy areas can help you to make sure that as many people as possible are using it and make it a successful investment for your business.
Think of the footfall of your machine. In order to be successful, a vending machine needs people, so the best location is somewhere that gets a lot of passing traffic. A purchase from a vending machine is often an impulse buy and so you need to put it somewhere that as many people as possible will see it. Hallways, entrances and exits all tend to be busy, so for sectors such as offices, schools, or hospitals, these areas can be great locations.
Break rooms are probably one of the best places to put a vending machine within any workplace, whether they offer food or hot drinks, they are likely to be used by everyone who is taking a break from work.
Once you have considered all of the above, it’s now time to take a look at your business sector. Certain types of vending machines are better suited to different types of sectors. Here’s what we recommend out of our vending machine range:
A vending machine is a great addition to any warehouse or factory as they tend to be out of the way of towns with shops, it can give employees an alternative to bringing in their own food without having to leave the premises.
Whether you have a small office or span across multiple floors, it’s likely an office will have a designated area for breaks and lunches. Investing in a good quality coffee machine or snack machine could help improve employee morale and even productivity.
Whether it’s late check ins, guests who have been out exploring all day or even a midnight snack after being out partying in a new city, by having a vending machine in your hotel lobby it means guests can grab something quickly and easily before heading to their room.
By adding a vending machine onsite at your gym you can provide members with easy access to protein snacks, energy drinks and even hot drinks from a coffee machine, allowing members to fuel up before a workout or grab a pick me up on the way out.
At schools we find that the demand for healthier food is high and with break times only being around 15 minutes and lunches only half an hour, plus the high volumes and queues, sometimes a vending machine in a communal area can be beneficial. And for the staff, having access to good quality coffee from a machine in the staff room gives them that boost to see them through the rest of their lessons in seconds.
Vending machines in hospitals can help to fuel staff throughout the duration of their shift and also allow patients and visitors who may have long waiting times or be located far away from the hospital canteen with a variety of food options. A hot drinks machine also allows staff, patients and visitors to get their daily hit of caffeine. Whether in an A&E department, on a ward or a waiting area, we have vending machines that will compliment any location.
When it comes to vending machines, there is a lot of choices available, and it is important to remember that you need to pick one that is right for your business and its needs.
If you’re looking to install a vending machine today, we offer vending machines for food, snacks, hot drinks, cold drinks & even refurbished vending machines for smaller budgets. Now you know the most suitable locations for vending machines, get yours today by contacting our team via email sales@cemavending.co.uk or give us a call on 01157 845 845.
