Whether you are responsible for a single site, or multiple locations, having happy customers is the ultimate goal for any FM. Not only does it make for a quieter life, but it also gives reassurance that supplier services are delivering effectively.
Ensuring that the basic needs of employees and customers are met is a core part of that – providing a comfortable environment which includes a wide range of quality drinks and snacks to help keep people satisfied, on-track and motivated.
A research study has shown that 43% of employees say hot beverages specifically have a positive impact on their productivity, with 39% saying hot beverages help them to concentrate.
But it’s not as easy as just saying “let’s get a new coffee machine” and the perfect solution lands at your door. Further research has shown that 76% of decision makers believe there is a positive impact on morale based on the choice of an individual coffee system. Identifying the right solution to meet the needs of your organisation is essential, but can be a daunting task. It takes time, effort and budget – not always the simplest thing to achieve in a busy working day.
Even if a simple coffee machine is required, there are a variety of options available ranging from Bean 2 Cup where the beans are ground just before brewing, through to Pod solutions that provide a neat packaged solution. But a solution that satisfies more than just a drinks requirement can address a number of concerns all in one go.
Vending machines can be an effective option. Offering a readily available source of snacks and drinks, they can be introduced with the benefit of relatively low overheads. It also means out of hours areas are always catered for, which is beneficial where shift work is common or large sites require multiple machines.
If you feel in need of support when it comes to researching the best office vending machines to suit your customer needs, as well as for the installation and ongoing maintenance, it’s worth looking for companies that offer a fully managed service.
This service provides a one-stop-shop approach, as well as an additional level of consultancy. This ensures you get the vending requirements and support you need to deliver and maintain the best vending solution available for your environment.
So how do you know which suppliers will offer the best service? The key areas to look for are:
Reliability – effective account management and ongoing support
Efficiency – energy efficient machines saves money and supports sustainability goals of organisations
Service levels – having specific objectives in place that can be measured ensures all parties are clear about their roles and what success looks like.
It’s important to look for companies that are open about their products and services and are willing to commit to targets and availability in terms of customer service.
Selecting a vending machines provider that works with well-known and trusted brands also means you can be sure your customers will be able to enjoy consistently good quality drinks and snacks whenever they want them, leaving you to focus on your day job.
With thanks to thebluedoor and Mars Drinks for this guest blog.
Mars Drinks (marsdrinks.com) is a segment of Mars, Incorporated, a private, family-owned company founded in 1911 and employing 70,000 associates in 67 countries worldwide. The Mars Drinks brand of KLIX vending machines offers a fully managed service offering a single point of contact for all your drinks and snacks requirements working in conjunction with Mars Chocolate and Coca-Cola Enterprises.
To find out more about us, contact Liz Kentish, The FM Coach on Tel: 01778 561326 / 07717 870777 or email: coach@lizkentishcoaching.co.uk