EVA Meeting In Brussels Focused On Strategy

Seven Messages To Shape Vending In Europe

1. Operators must fast forward their pace in innovation. Change is not happening quickly enough. Manufacturers must prove the business case for adopting the new technology and the industry has to increase the barrier to entry in order to increase professionalism in the industry.

Half-way to Vending 2020 by Arnaud van Amerongen, Managing Director, Aequator 2. The EVA is doing a pretty good job at lobbying the EU, but it has to do an even better job at positioning itself proactively. The Coin Design Handbook was a good example of positioning, and the EVA should consider a similar approach in its other areas of representation. It should also define a strategy for e-communication and social media use. Telling the good story of vending to stakeholders, Gillian White, Director & CMO, 24Vend

3. The industry must position itself better to create a perception of quality, and desire from the consumer. To this end, it must know the consumer better and engage with him/her. The EVA and NA’s had a wealth of effective tools available, and could maximize and optimize their use. EVA’s and NA’s role in promoting the image of vending by Catherine Piana, Director General, EVA

4. EVA’s and NA’s should emphasize their importance to the operators to show them that it is useful to turn up at Association events and make use of the information on tap. They are not only there in times of crisis! EVA’s and NA’s role in helping SME’s become more strategic and forward thinking, by Michael Maurer, Owner & Manager, Automaten Service Maurer GmbH, Essen and General Manager, CA Vending Group GmbH, Hamburg

5. The EVA is quick and efficient in lobbying, and crisis management, and could be even more successful if NA’s would report regularly to the EVA, maximizing on their

synergies. Your Association will only achieve what you want it to, by Brian Tustain, Executive Director, AVA

6. Associations have grown in importance, and whilst they have to keep the focus on lobbying, they also need to increase their support to businesses. The areas in which this should take place are: networking, training, best practice and the development of quality. It was also important to provide value for money and so encourage SME’s to participate.

The role of Vending Associations in growing the business nationally and internationally, by Lucio Pinetti, President of CONFIDA

7. Operators need to get more and better information from other industries, such as retail, logistics or automotive, in order to understand what kind of changes they should be implementing. In short, the Associations should help the vending industry by building a case for change. Great learnings were available for inspiration, and an “Operator Observatory” should be set up in order to keep a close watch on industry trends and to become proactive.

Out of the box, into the (vending) box by David Kirby, Assistant Director, Strategy, PriceWaterhouseCoopers In his closing remarks, Arnaud van Amerongen, the EVA President, warmly thanked and congratulated all Workshop Chairpersons and participants for a very inspirational workshop. He welcomed the fact that the National Vending Associations and the EVA had become more important, that CONFIDA’s dynamism was inspirational. All present should feel galvanized by the positive energy, which could only spell further growth and progress for the associations and industry alike.

All valuable input from the EVA members at the event will be taken on board in the EVA’s Business & Communication plan that will be issued next spring. Presentations will be available to all participants as of 20 December 2012.