Foundation for success: customer relations

P&Js Vending in Hopkington, Mass. recently launched a blog on its Website, noted Laura Kelly, customer relations manager. The company is promoting the NAMA Vend.Love.Win Facebook contest, inviting people to submit photos and videos to win $200. “It gave us a way to be relevant through social media,” Kelly said.

CNC Vending LLC in Houston, Texas also recently began promoting the Vend.Love.Win Facebook contest, noted Chuck Olson, company owner. He has used vending machine stickers and banners provided by NAMA’s marketing company, Healy & Schulte in Chicago, to promote the Facebook contest.

Paul Tims, owner of Imperial Vending Co. based in Tulsa, Okla., said he relies mainly on sales people to educate customers about new technologies such as automated warehouse management and the Sprout prepaid card.

Sid Greenspan, president of Vendrite Vending Corp. in Whitestone, N.Y., agreed that personal interaction remains his main education method. He said Websites are not the main tool for customers seeking new services. As for social media, he said it is useful for reaching younger decision makers.

John Mitchell, president of Treat America Food Services based in Merriam, Kan., said solutions such as the Sprout prepaid card and self checkout markets allow companies to build same location sales, and fortunately, today’s management software allows him to measure sales growth more effectively.

Aldar Vending, a Hackensack, N.J.-based company that has invested in various technologies, was advised by a consultant that search engine optimization and social media are not the best investments for a vending operation, noted Mike Ehrentreau, owner.

Refreshment services has always been about customer service. Operators will find that fine tuning their customer relations activities will deliver more satisfied customer and ultimately better business results.

For more information, contact:

CWS, 888-426-7793, www.cws.net

Healy & Schulte, 312-765-8770, www.healyandschulte.com

Integrity Recruiting & Consulting Inc., 847-669-6723, www.sales-recruiting.net

Vend Central Inc., 866-699-8363, www.vendcentral.com

Vend.Love.Win, www.facebook.com/VendLoveWin