Soda vending machines have come a long way since their inception nearly 100 years ago. The technology used in them has changed with the times, from dollar bill mechanisms to high-tech computers that alert vending operators when a product selection is low.
Some vending machines now look like theyÛªre a result of a NASA side project with touch screen technology and other enhanced capabilities, like this dancing Coke machine in Korea.
Just like any other industry, vending machines must adapt the environment in which theyÛªre used to keep up with the modern day consumer. Here are three ways that vending machines have evolvedÛÓand will continue to evolveÛÓin the foreseeable future.
1. Smart Vending Machines
Smart technology doesnÛªt stop at your cell phone. Vending machine manufacturers are doing their best to provide customers with a unique vending experience. Digital content is among the first thing you will see on these machines. Much like a billboard, the content portrayed on the equipment allows vending operators to make immediate connections with customers.
2. Mobile Payment Options
Intelligent vending solutions also provide customers with the ability to make mobile payments. Many soda machines are already equipped mobile payment options. Coke stated last year that 100,000 machines will accept Apple Pay by the end of the year. Smart payment options create more ways of generating revenue while enhancing the user experience.
3. Green Machines
As environmental concerns increase, the vending industry has adapted well. Most vending machines these days feature energy-saving technology. For example, vend misers are used to help regulate the amount of energy a machine uses. They detect when a machine is not being used for a long period of time and will turn off the lights and cooling compressors when not needed.
With many vending suppliers realizing the need to engage their customers in ways that are not only unique, but generate more revenue, theyÛªve come to embrace the technological advances that allow them to do so.
