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IRREGULAR HOURS CREATE SPECIAL NEEDS
The Sun Sentinel, a newspaper in Orlando, Fla., relies on vending for off hours feeding for its 1,300-plus employees, said Christine Palermo, a senior buyer for
the company.
In the past few years, there have been complaints about the rising prices in the machines. However, Palermo said the company recognizes that costs are rising and she believes the vending operator is doing his best to maintain fair prices. As long as the operator gives advance notice of the need for an increase, she is willing to allow it. “The convenience of being in the office and having something there; there’s a value to that,” she said.
Other important factors to Palermo are the professionalism of the drivers and responsiveness to product requests.
Some accounts place a lot of value on knowing their constituents are happy with the product offerings. American Intercontinental University in Weston, Fla. surveys students every three months to gauge their satisfaction with the vending, noted Scott Scheaffer, vice president of operations.
Scheaffer said he asks the vending operator to provide regular sales reports.
The operator also provides a commission to support student activities.
