She encourages salespeople to become active in business groups and community organizations. The goal is to become a familiar face in the territory before walking into a business as a salesperson.

“You have to understand your territory and be very, very connected at all levels within the community,” she said.

Salespeople also need to study their products, services, customers and competitors. Because every prospect is different, they should be prepared to adjust their approach instead of relying on the same pitch for every account.

Where does cause marketing fit?

Every operator should identify a cause that fits the company and its values, Stokes said. She pointed to Five Star’s Feeding the Future program, which started small and expanded into the communities the company serves. A cause-marketing program says something about the company, but only if the commitment is genuine.

“You have to preach and act what you preach,” she said.

The effort does not have to begin as a large companywide program. An operator can start by looking at the charities its customers and prospects support and finding opportunities to work alongside them.

“Go alongside your partners and be a part of their communities if you haven’t started to build your own,” Stokes said.

What are workplace decision-makers looking for in their breakrooms?

Customers want to know how their breakrooms compare with those offered by other employers, Stokes said. A program consisting of airpot coffee, tea bags and little else may be the bare minimum today. If another employer offers cold brew, refreshers or snacks, employees can see the difference.

“They’re looking to us to advise them on where they stand within their breakroom benefits,” Stokes said.

That puts the operator in an advisory role. Salespeople who understand what other workplaces are offering can show customers where their programs may be falling short and recommend improvements.

Are operators overlooking opportunities in their existing accounts?

Stokes believes they are.

Daily operating demands can consume an operator’s attention. The team stays focused on keeping equipment clean, working and filled but may stop looking for ways to improve the account. That leaves the door open for a competitor.

Stokes recently heard from an operator concerned about losing a customer. The problem was straightforward: A competing salesperson had walked in, offered something new and showed the customer what its breakroom could have.

“We have to make a strong focus to stay in front of our clients,” she said. “We have to show them different things when we walk through the door every time.”

Operators without enough people to make frequent personal visits can use newsletters, surveys, ordering-system messages and product promotions to maintain contact. Stokes advised moving carefully with automation, however, so the communication continues to reflect the company’s identity.

How can a small operator compete without a large sales or client-service team?

Pick one or two new ideas and commit to them, Stokes said. A small operator does not have the people or time to chase every product, format or technology. It should choose a few innovations it can manage, find the equipment needed to support them and work with manufacturers on the sales message.

“Choose a couple that you can manage,” she said.

The operator should promote those solutions consistently and refresh the message at least every six months if quarterly changes are impractical.

“Choose my two new best things that I’m going to offer this year and go relentlessly at it,” Stokes said.

What should operators consider as smart markets attract more attention?

Stokes is seeing smaller operators use smart markets and nano markets to compete for locations. That puts pressure on larger operators, including companies with conventional equipment already sitting on the shelf.

Operators do not have to replace existing formats immediately, but they need to study the technology and prepare a response before a competitor introduces it to one of their customers.

“Someone’s going to come along and show that technology, and you have to be ready to go and have an answer,” she said.

Otherwise, the incumbent operator risks becoming the company reacting to an idea instead of the one bringing it to the customer.

Stokes recalled a large Five Star customer that pushed the company beyond its comfort zone with requests involving equipment, data and technology. Five Star’s leadership agreed to work through those requests with the customer, despite the challenges.

The experience helped the company learn and deepen the customer relationship, she said. It also illustrates the balance operators must strike when evaluating a new request.

“You absolutely have to be willing to take those risks and then work yourself through them,” Stokes said. “But you also have to know when the risk is too much, and it puts your brand on the line.”