Green Vending in Atlanta and Chattanooga!

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OK, so it’s not quite St. Patrick’s Day.  But it’s close…which made me think of Green….which made me think of the things we as a company do to make for a cleaner and better environment.  OK, so the St. Patrick’s Day is a stretch; just trying to be cute and clever.  🙂

We believe in using the most energy efficient coolers, freezers, and machines to store and dispense food. Most of our equipment is Energy Star rated. This is not only responsible but saves money on energy costs as well—it is the same reason that we use new fuel efficient Sprinter Vans to deliver the products found in each VendEdge machine.  Additionally, we use remote monitoring throughout the company to tell us when machines need product, as well as telling us when the machine is out of order.  This helps eliminate unnecessary trips, but also lets us know “just in time” to service equipment.  This is the best of both worlds!   We have an ongoing commitment to give our customers the best service possible while being the best citizens we can possibly be. We actively attempt to reduce our fuel use, recycle, and incorporate new vending technologies to best service our customers and our environment.

And, by the way, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

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Tired of the same ol’ same ol’ in your vending break room?

So, you go to the vending machine in your breakroom, starving to death.  You look at each row, each item, and find absolutely nothing that is really what you want.  The weather outside is nasty…you only have 15 minutes for lunch…it’s late, and you are tired…whatever the reason, you just can’t go to that great little restaurant down the street.  Honestly, so often, vending is the “food of last resort.”  So, here you find yourself in front of a black box that holds 30 or so different items, and you pick one…only to find that the machine won’t accept your dollar.  Grrrrrr.

There is a better option! The newest and most exciting thing to come to the vending industry in decades is a concept called Micro Markets. Basically, it is a small market right in your building.  The payment system is by way of a self checkout kiosk.  The food is displayed in coolers and racks, so there are no hung up spirals and no malfunctioning bill acceptor.  There are 100s of items available, including a wider variety of healthy items.

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Check out our market @ www.freshments.com.  Call or email us for more information about how we can bring this new offering to your place of employment!  We offer these markets to companies in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Nashville.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLOUdVUW1rQ

sthornton@vendedge.net

 

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Vending Industry Punished For Offering Convenience

Vending operators and the entire vending industry are working hard to give customers the best possible service in a challenging environment. Interesting perspective from someone new to this industry.

http://www.vendingmarketwatch.com/blog/10875619/vending-industry-punished-for-offering-convenience

 

 

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3 Easy Tips on How to Stay in Shape at Work

From our friends at under30careers.com….

Februray 4, 2013
|  January 30, 2013 | 0 Comments

Healthy at WorkToday in America our jobs involve little physical exertion—we sit at a desk to analyze graphs, write reports, and schedule meetings.  And what starts to develop after only a few years is another chin, a tire around our waste, and an extra 30 pounds that we get to show off daily.  What can we do to help us fight to keep fit while still sitting sedentary most of the day? We’ve set out to help answer that question with these three work related health tips to keep the weight off during the workday.

1)    Eat small snacks throughout the day, and when you do snack healthy

In addition to eating three large meals per day, you should be eating several snacks between those three core meals.  Small snacks will prevent you from pigging out at lunch and dinner (thereby reducing your portion size during those meals), and over time, your metabolism will speed up, meaning you will be more effective at processing the food you eat.    Before you leave the house in the morning, pack some snacks high in protein and fiber—they tend to be the most filling.  Oatmeal, apples, whole-grain bread, and hard boiled eggs are some of our favorite.  Don’t feel like waking up early to fill up some zip-lock bags with healthy food?  Sandy Thornton of VendEdge, an Atlanta based vending operator, says not to worry.  “Wellness in the workplace is of growing interest to human resource directors and management.  The vending industry has addressed this in a variety of ways by offering new and better tasting healthy products and portion size options,” she says.  “Some companies are even putting micro-markets in their buildings, which gives employees an opportunity to choose from even more healthy items.”  So next time you get those 2 PM hunger cramps, reach for the healthier food option available at your workplace, not the Cheetos.

Read the rest here…

http://bit.ly/WpF5WH

 

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Five Tips for Getting More from your Vending Machines

Ok, let’s face it, buying from a vending machine sometimes has its challenges.  A machine occasionally will take your money, or there is simply nothing in the machine you wish to buy.  If these are inherent problems, however, there are things you can and should do to improve your buying experience in the workplace.vending

1.  Talk to the driver who services your account.  Explain the ongoing issues and ask if there is anything he can do to improve the situation.  It may be an issue that is beyond his decision making abilities, but talking with the driver is a good place to start.

2.  If the driver is unable to help, call your contact at the vending company.  If you don’t know who that is, call the main number and ask for Customer Service.  Most vending operators are hard workers and sincerely want to please the customer.  Ask for a meeting and then work together for a solution….one that works for both of you.

3.  Ask if the company has new technology it can bring to your account, such as remote monitoring and credit and debit card readers.  Remote monitoring allows a company to “see” if a machine is out of order or needs product.  Oftentimes, a company who offers remote monitoring may know these things even before the customer does!  Credit and debit card readers allow for a much better experience, as often consumers do not have the correct change.

4.  If your company fits the correct parameters, including type of account and size of account, a micro-market may be a good solution (www.freshments.com).  Micro markets bring all the newest technology including remote monitoring and credit and debit card acceptors and also allow a much wider variety of products.  Typically a micro market will offer four times the number of items available in a typical bank of vending machines.  Markets are not restricted by the size and number of spirals in a machine.  Therefore the size and number of products can be much different than a typical offering, including a bigger selection of healthy items!

5.  Finally, if all else has failed, and you simply cannot work out an acceptable solution with your current vending company, you may have to consider other options, such as finding and choosing another vending company.  How do you find a good company?  Ask people in similar businesses as yours who they use.  Use a search engine.  And of course, we would love to be considered!  Our clients agree.  We rarely lose a client, as we work very hard to give the best in customer service.  We provide vending and markets in Macon, Atlanta (I-75 from Atlanta to the GA/TN state line), Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville.  We would love to speak with you about your needs.   www.vendedge.net

 

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Areas of Service – Knoxville and Gatlinburg areas

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We entered this market in 1999, with our first customer, Tanger Outlets located in Sevierville. We have proudly and with much appreciation serviced Tanger for these many years!

We service schools, public arenas, and businesses from this branch….with both vending and Freshments markets.  All of this is serviced by a hard working and dedicated staff in our Sevierville, TN branch.

Thanks to our clients in this market for allowing us the opportunity to provide you with drink, snack, and ice cream products!

 

 

 

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Freshments Goes Social!! Why????

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How much sense does it make for a vending company to jump into the social media arena?  We think there is a very good reason.  That reason is YOU – our customer.

Top on our list of priorities is Customer Service.  Our goal is to provide you with nutritious, delicious and healthy snacks.  Are we achieving that goal?  We need you to tell us.  We’d love to hear from customers in any of our vending and market locations—from Atlanta to Chattanooga.

Tweet us — Follow us —-”Like” us –ask any questions, and most important of all, give us your feedback.  We need to hear the questions and feedback directly from you!

So, please take a minute and give us your thoughts, suggestions, and comments.  We will greatly appreciate it.  Thank you.

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NBC’s ‘Parenthood’ Casts School Vending In Positive Light

With the recent focus on obesity and the  way we are all oftentimes used as pawns for political purposes, it is refreshing to see this topic treated with fairness and reason.  Vending in schools can be a positive for all concerned.  There are numerous reasons why vending in schools is good.  Here are a few.  With funding cutbacks, schools are desperate  for revenues.  Vending commissions are a much needed and welcomed source.  Students sometimes need a little something to “tide them over” until lunch or until school has dismissed…they are still growing and very active at this age.  Vending may keep students on school grounds, instead of them leaving to go to the nearest McDonald’s or convenience store.

Since the biggest concern is keeping students healthy, instead of just saying “no vending”, why not use a more reasonable approach?  Add additional healthy items to the machines.  Use wellness programs such as National Automatic Merchandising Association’s Fit Pick.  Make this a win for students and schools.  It can be!  NBC’s Parenthood apparently sees the value in vending for students and schools and made that story part of a recent episode!

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“We applaud the creators and writers of Parenthood and NBC-TV for featuring a real-life view of vending,” said Roni Moore, National Automatic Merchandising Association vice-president of marketing and communications. “As an industry, we are committed to offering the right snack and beverage choices in our vending machines, especially those placed in schools. Our members understand the important role we have working with students, and take that role very seriously.”  http://bit.ly/WdgoMk

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Psyche Yourself Out!

psychedelicWe all know the advice for keeping our weight under control – small portions and everything in moderation.  But there are those foods that seem to beckon you to indulge, and before you know it, you have gained a few pounds.  At VendEdge we work with HR directors and company executives to offer vending and micro-market services (through our brand Freshments) to align with wellness objectives.

We would like to help by offering three tips to help you avoid over-snacking.

  •  Schedule a time to indulge.   You are only human, and no one can stay on a strict diet all the time.  So rather than give into the urge and binge, schedule a time to relax  the rules, and enjoy a special treat.
  • Avoid those small temptations.  Even healthy snacks can lead to over consuming calories.  Keep a list of all the food you “pick up” and you will be surprised how quickly it “adds up!”
  • Break down your snacks into smaller portions.  If you divide them and package them into smaller servings as soon as you buy them, it will be easier to maintain portion control.

These easy tips may help to set yourself up to succeed!  You won’t sabotage the progress you have made, and you will look and feel better.  That’s a win-win in our book!

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How Do You Snack?

Some weight loss plans provide for small snacks every couple of hours or so.  With work and a busy schedule, this can be a challenge.healthy_6_med

We make every effort to make healthy and flavorful snacks easily available at our vending locations.  Be sure to check out options that will fit within your diet goals.

We invite you to share your snacking strategy with us– we really want to know.  And your suggestions may benefit someone else who is struggling with the same situation.

We look forward to receiving your comments.

Thanks so much.

 

 

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