The University of Vermont in Burlington, Vt. will allow its 10-year contract with Coca-Cola to end on July 1, opening up the campus to other vendors, banning the sale of bottled water, and mandating the offering of “healthy options” in vending machines, according to The Burlington Free Press in Burlington, Vt. For the full story, click here.
Editor’s Insight: “People power” is in vogue and it is changing many things about today’s business world. Who would have believed a university would give up $482,000 in pouring rights to meet student demands to remove bottled water and offer “healthier” options?
In place of bottled water, the university will install bottle filling stations in its drinking fountains.
It’s easy to dismiss this piece of news as response to the whims of highly idealistic college students. But today’s college students are tomorrow’s consumers and business decision makers.
It’s important for service providers to understand what motivates their customers. It’s all part of customer service. 02-01-12 By Elliot Maras
