How do you know what is considered a great vending company in Orlando?  Will they deliver what they promise?  What types of questions should I ask a company who provides vending and office coffee service before making a decision?  What are some key points that I should be aware of when looking for a full service vending company?  If you have asked these questions, then you are not alone.  Most companies look for a vending service that will meet the needs and desires of their employees but just do not know what questions to ask when searching for the right vending provider.  Well, here is a list of some of the most important questions when searching for the right vending and office coffee provider for your business.  You may even consider them “valuable tips” that could potentially relieve you from a disastrous outcome.

First and for most you need to make sure that the vending company is fully licensed and insured.  If one of your employees happens to get sick from eating a product out of a fresh food vending machine, you want to make sure that the vending company has liability insurance for potential law suits.  Along this line you may want to consider asking if the vending company offers workers compensation for its route drivers.  If one of their employees gets hurt in your state of business, you don’t want to be liable or responsible for injury compensation.

Another important question you should ask when interviewing a vending company is how long they have been in business. Is their business a one-person operation working part time or is their vending business a full-time company dependent on its customer base?  Do you really want a vending company servicing your office with a variety of snacks and beverages who works out of his or her garage at their state of residence? This actually leads to a third question to ask.  How is the product being handled and how long is the product stored before it is delivered to their customers?  Is it a garage, a truck or a clean warehouse and are you able to visit the vending company’s facility?

Service is always a great topic for asking questions.  How long will a machine be out of service if there is a problem…hours, days or weeks and does the vending company have their own vending machine mechanic? Having a vending provider who establishes servicing standards for their route drivers and acquires well-trained technicians is crucial if a problem ever arises with your vending machine.  I’m sure you will have disgruntle employees if they are not able to get their mid morning snack like a granola bar or yogurt or they may have to run to the nearest Starbucks because the coffee vending machine is out of service for days at a time.

Another important question that is often missed when interviewing a vending company is what technologies do they have in-place for improving customer service?  Do their vending machines accept credit cards and are their vending machines equipped with new Guaranteed Product Delivery Systems that guarantee the product or your money back? If you are not aware of what Guaranteed Product Delivery Systems is, it is an infrared technology which detects any unsuccessful vend cycle, guaranteeing that your employees either receives their product, or gets their money back. This new technology greatly reduces the chance that your employees will lose their money or not get the item they have selected.  This will definitely eliminate frustrated employees and management having to worry about reimbursing employees for lost money.

Also, vending companies that have a tracking system in place to keep account of slower moving products and potentially out dated items is very cost effective and an efficient way of doing business. Asking how often their route drivers rotate product selections is a great question and can eliminate internal stress between the management team of the office and the employees.

Safety is also an over looked factor when searching for the right vending and office coffee provider.  Have criminal background checks been cleared on the route drivers and technicians entering your facility? Are the employees required to wear photo identification and professional uniforms?  You don’t want to be liable for inappropriate actions at your place of business when precautionary steps could have been taken to avoid such actions. And last but not least when choosing the right vending company for your line of business, make sure to request for at least five business references that they are currently using as their customers.  Hopefully by asking these questions when interviewing a potential vending service it will eliminate any confusion and frustration when trying to find the very best vending and office coffee provider for your business in Orlando.