My experience with "All Vending Machine Locators"

[vendcobros]

First off - I didn't expect to get so many responses to my last thread - (http://vendiscuss.ne...r-soda-machine/)

Thank you everybody! I figured I will be going through at least one or two more locations before I decide on the one I want. So... why not share my experience with everybody on the board?

Here they are -- All Vending Machine Locators - http://www.allvendin...nelocators.com/

If this kind of information is useful (I think it is) please let me know by replying to this thread that it's worth the time to make the posts!

I chose them because they were prompt to call me and they seemed like they wanted my business. The price was fair and I got a good vibe from them on the phone. I'm having them place one soda machine and one snack machine. The total cost will be $650 with $325 down payment. I prefer not to use paypal so I made payment by wire. The wire was sent on 7/27/11. My locator was assigned on 7/29/11 and he had my first location lead on 8/1/11.

7/29/11 - Here's what I sent him by e-mail as my requirements:

I'm available during day during the following hours: 6:00AM - 10:00AM PDT 12:00PM - 8:00PM PDT The location should have 100-150 employees or high volume of customers in waiting rooms. Our ideal cities for locations in order of preference: 1) Everett 2) Marysville 3) Mukilteo 4) Mill Creek 5) Mountlake Terrace Some acceptable location types in order of preference: ** Indoor locations only // Not limited to suggestions below ** 1) Car dealership 2) Tire Centers 3) Oil Change Centers 3) Tattoo Shops 4) Employee Break / Lunch Room (100-150 employees minimum)

8/1/11 - I got an e-mail and phone call from my locator, here is his email:

Hello Jeff,

Bellow please find the location. Manager: Jim. ( Assistant Manager: Calvin ). Jim said to stop by tomorrow afternoon and no need to call !!

EDITED Retirement Residence

Everett, WA

I went to visit the location to find that they already had a soda machine and were expecting me to place a triple head quarter machine. They had a total of 13 employees, ~10 guests per day and 102 units. I took the chance to test the waters and suggested that we may be able to pay a percentage if we could put a full sized snack and soda machine in. They were interested in this, but I told him we would need to look over the numbers and would let him know if we could do it. I will be calling tomorrow to let him know can't put a machine because the amount of traffic is below our minimum.

8/2/11 - I called my locator back but never got a return call so I e-mailed him this:

Hello XXXX, I never got a return call from you today. As mentioned in the voice mail I am declining this location because upon arrival I found that they already have a soda machine and they told us they were expecting a triple head snack machine to be placed. In addition, this is a retirement home which is not in the list of requested locations. This location has only 13 employees total and approximately 10 guests per day. XXXXXX simply does not follow any of my requested guidelines. Please make sure to get more accurate information so I can be more prepared on arrival at the next location. I appreciate the fact that you're already producing leads and actively working on our account. I look forward to getting another lead from and hope you will understand my reason for decline. Please note, I understand that this is a small order - please keep in mind if we can find locations as specified below we intend to purchase XXXX machine placements per month.

In summary: I have yet to get a reply back but I'm confident that they are working on more leads. So far they have been very fast to get me a lead, however it was clearly not within my requested guidelines and there was some misinformation given.

Quick edit: I actually got an e-mail back from the locator at 11:58PM on 8/2/11!

I am working on another location right now ... Nothing yet. I am contacting businesses with over 100 employees, most of them have vending machines ... still working !

[dogcow]

I am working on another location right now ... Nothing yet. I am contacting businesses with over 100 employees, most of them have vending machines ... still working !

yeah no kidding....

odds are they are not going to find you anything in this manner. your best bet is going

to be to work these leads where they already have vending. These guys may be good

for fronting (appointment setting) but they are not going to get you an account

like this over the phone. as rjt often points out you could get lucky but most any location where there is money to be made, theres already a vending machine.

additionally i would NOT pay $650.00 commission to place a soda/snack machine at a tire/oil change place or a tattoo shop (in fact i would not do the tattoo shop at all). You would not make enough to warrant that and you can easily get these locations yourself by calling through the phone book with a basic script.

[RJT]

This is pretty typical of what you are going to get from 99.9% of "locators" doing full line locating. You are NOT and I repeat NOT going to get a good account with a locator. You might get an appointment at best but a locator is NOT going to get "yes, we hate our vending company how soon can you deliver your machines" response by calling on the phone. They might get "we would look at what you have to offer if you want to send us something or have someone stop by", type response. Then you are going to have to the actual "selling" so whats the point.

Good accounts are competitive and you have to work on the to get them. Its going to take more than a phone call.

If I were you I would demand a refund if they send you on another goose chase with another dog account. Their is no excuse for them to send you an account that was thinking you were placing a bulk machine when you wanted to place a drink snack.

If I were you I would stop wasting time with these folks and put your Sunday go to meeting clothes on and start knocking on some doors yourself. However, before you do that you better make sure you are in the vending business and know how to answer questions and be a fast thinker.

Answer these questions and if you can answer yes then start knocking. If not then do some more homework before you knock on to many doors.

Do you have business cards?

Website?

Do you have access to fresh prepared packaged cold food like salads, breakfast plates, subs, etc? Can you provide samples?

Do you know what area treatment is?

Do you know what a card reader is?

Do you know what OCS means?

Do you know what LSS means?

Do you have healthy options? If so what are they?

Can you write a full proposal?

What do you say to them if they ask “what are your prices?”

Can you name 3 vending companies in your area?

This is just a sample of what could be asked by the better accounts. Not all better accounts but some. Even in a good drink/snack account you may be asked these type questions. If you cant answer these type questions then they will not call you back for a proposal. The reason is because the better accounts get called on all the time by vending companies and they learn the lingo because they have heard it before.

They may have had another sales person say;

We could do you a nice area treatment with your logo at no charge to you.

Or we stock both large single serve (LSS) and standard bag chips in our machines.

Or we offer a great variety of cold food including fresh fruit, salads, and dinner platters. Would you like me to bring you some free samples to try?

Now, don’t think it’s the end of your vending career just yet. My point is to land the better accounts you will need some basic knowledge and know how. You might can land some of the lower volume accounts with little or no knowledge of what I have mentioned but they are going to be lower volume accounts.

[mission vending]

First off - I didn't expect to get so many responses to my last thread - (http://vendiscuss.ne...r-soda-machine/)

Thank you everybody! I figured I will be going through at least one or two more locations before I decide on the one I want. So... why not share my experience with everybody on the board?

If this kind of information is useful (I think it is) please let me know by replying to this thread that it's worth the time to make the posts!

Even if you don't get a lot of responses to this thread I encourage you to continue updating us with your experiences. That is the purpose of this board, to share information and experiences. Good or bad the record you leave will be helpful and informative to those that will follow.

Like RJT says, (there we go, another occurrence of concurrence ;D ) you will have a hard time getting "good" locations from a locator unless they will come to your town and do it in person for you and that will get very expensive very quickly. You might have some success in the smaller type accounts with a locator.

Not trying to discourage you, just being straight with you. You are your businesses best asset, you've got to learn how to get locations yourself. To me its the hardest part of this business but it is necessary and vital to achieve long term success. A locator can only give you a jumpstart, if you happen to find one of the few that have any idea what they are doing.

[vendcobros]

Thanks for the replies so far.

8/3/11 - Got an e-mail for a location I think could be promising. This location is only about .5 miles from my house. It is a tire center that I know is always very busy. I get my cars serviced there and there is always a line. According to the locator he's already talked to the owner and I should stop in Monday to show him pictures of the machines we'd like to place.

Hello Jeff,

Below please find the 2nd location. Owner: Paul. He said to stop by on Monday and no need to call !!

Tire Center

Address Edited

[RJT]

Thanks for the replies so far.

8/3/11 - Got an e-mail for a location I think could be promising. This location is only about .5 miles from my house. It is a tire center that I know is always very busy. I get my cars serviced there and there is always a line. According to the locator he's already talked to the owner and I should stop in Monday to show him pictures of the machines we'd like to place.

Tire center from a locator, does not surprise me. These are the types of accounts they are going to get for you. Also expect this location to want a comission.

What are you wanting to place? Drink? Snack? Both?

Here is the thing, this tire center unless it is the most busy in the entire world with 100's of people a day, only expect at best around $40/$60 (gross) tops from both drink and snack a week. My point is dont expect much out of it.

I dont even call on these except for an OCS aacount. Then if vending is mentioned I look and consider that portion but these can be great OCS accounts if they supply coffee to those customers waiting.

[spdydre]

I would find an in person locator. I just got one here and he has been doing it for 20 years. I pay $250 per location to $300 and it took him one day to land me a good account. He has his own agreement/contract forms and has the location sign them and agree then shows me the account and introduces me to the owners/mangers that I am their new vendor. Best locator I have ever met or used lol

[mission vending]

The only you've got watch out for is once he has gotten a few accounts for you that he might come looking for an advance cause he's got something big working and needs to pay some bills or whatever and then he vaporizes.

Can you tell the been there. Done that part?

The best experiences I've had in terms of results

vs. $ paid have been guys that did it in person.

[dogcow]

Thanks for the replies so far.

8/3/11 - Got an e-mail for a location I think could be promising. This location is only about .5 miles from my house. It is a tire center that I know is always very busy. I get my cars serviced there and there is always a line. According to the locator he's already talked to the owner and I should stop in Monday to show him pictures of the machines we'd like to place.

do not pay a $650 sales commission to get a lube/tire shop account. Assuming its a good tire account it will probably cost you your entire first year's net to pay back the investment of equipment and sales commission. This is a location you can get yourself free simply by making a few phone calls.

If you go ahead with this location you might think about just starting with a drink machine and see how it goes. That way you dont get tied up in problems with too much equipment and product expense. If it does real well put in a snack machine. A drink machine can be serviced infrequently and its much easier to give them a new piece of

equipment than take one away. BElieve me i am involved with low volume snack accounts they are nothing but a headache and a losing proposition.

I would find an in person locator. I just got one here and he has been doing it for 20 years. I pay $250 per location to $300 and it took him one day to land me a good account. He has his own agreement/contract forms and has the location sign them and agree then shows me the account and introduces me to the owners/mangers that I am their new vendor. Best locator I have ever met or used lol

What kind of account did he find you?

[spdydre]

It was a large door manufacturing company with multiple locations.

[vendcobros]

Just a quick update, I've been in contact with the manager at the tire shop. They're removing their current vending machine, I'm waiting for the company to come pick it up.

The place is very busy and I think it will do well. There isn't room for a snack machine, so the locator is still looking for a location that needs just a snack.

I'll keep updating as things progress.

[Poplady1]

It was a large door manufacturing company with multiple locations.

Sounds good. Looks like you found someone that might be a good match. It happens...

Poplady1

Just a quick update, I've been in contact with the manager at the tire shop. They're removing their current vending machine, I'm waiting for the company to come pick it up.

The place is very busy and I think it will do well. There isn't room for a snack machine, so the locator is still looking for a location that needs just a snack.

I'll keep updating as things progress.

These guys are pretty rough on tire centers. I have set up a lot of them, put in a bottler machine and collected my monthly commission. I do very well with some of them. You have to learn the business so these are a good place to start, just watch how much you spend on them.

Poplady

[dogcow]

These guys are pretty rough on tire centers. I have set up a lot of them, put in a bottler machine and collected my monthly commission. I do very well with some of them. You have to learn the business so these are a good place to start, just watch how much you spend on them.

Poplady

when you say commission i assume u mean setting them up with fullservice 3rd party?

[vendcobros]

Another quick update for you guys, the current soda machine at the tire center was removed today. I'll be placing mine tomorrow with ..

Barq's Root Beer

Coca Cola

Diet Dr. Pepper

Dr. Pepper

Mt Dew

Pepsi

Fanta Orange

Monster Original

Monster Java Loca Moca

Rockstar

I took an employee poll and these are what they wanted. Once the machine has been there for a week I'll let you guys know what it does gross!

[dogcow]

Another quick update for you guys, the current soda machine at the tire center was removed today. I'll be placing mine tomorrow with ..

Barq's Root Beer

Coca Cola

Diet Dr. Pepper

Dr. Pepper

Mt Dew

Pepsi

Fanta Orange

Monster Original

Monster Java Loca Moca

Rockstar

I took an employee poll and these are what they wanted. Once the machine has been there for a week I'll let you guys know what it does gross!

my prediction the diet dr pepper will end up going bad more than selling

also why not change one of those energy drinks to a water or fruit punch

not sure where ur at but i sell more fruit punch than anything except dew. if i had multiprice machines id throw 20oz water in there for a buck

[mission vending]

I agree. Good suggestion. Need a non carbonated drink.

[vendcobros]

When we set up our soda machines we place them at 50 cents for the first week so they get extra usage and we'll immediately pull the bottom 2 items next week.

These were requested by the employees - I do intend to put water in next week.

As for the soda going bad, we would never let that happen, we keep excel stats that show what products aren't selling and rotate them out then put the product in a faster moving machine.

We did a 24 hour count and added some more product at the same time, so far the stats are...

Barq's Root Beer - 3

Coca Cola - 3

Diet Dr. Pepper - 0

Dr. Pepper - 3

Mt Dew - 1

Pepsi - 1

Fanta Orange - 1

Monster Original - 0

Monster Java Loca Moca - 0

Rockstar -1

[Poplady1]

when you say commission i assume u mean setting them up with fullservice 3rd party?

Yes, commission only. I set up a lot of 3rd party drink machines and just collect the commission via a check to us each quarter. My parnter keeps track of the set ups because our system is National. Same rules all across the country. Its so simple I should be embarrassed. We get a clear state by state report of each machine on location and how much the sales were for the period. We look for tire stores, collision centers, small mfg shops, day care and apartments/hotels. We get google Earth photos of the place, fax over a installation agreement and send it off to Pepsi or 7-Up. We are done. The bottlers handle the account, we check back in 30 days to confirm its done, drop off our American Express Be My Guest thank you card and the bottler sends us commission as long as the equipment stays on site.

It works for us.

Poplady

[dogcow]

Yes, commission only. I set up a lot of 3rd party drink machines and just collect the commission via a check to us each quarter. My parnter keeps track of the set ups because our system is National. Same rules all across the country. Its so simple I should be embarrassed. We get a clear state by state report of each machine on location and how much the sales were for the period. We look for tire stores, collision centers, small mfg shops, day care and apartments/hotels. We get google Earth photos of the place, fax over a installation agreement and send it off to Pepsi or 7-Up. We are done. The bottlers handle the account, we check back in 30 days to confirm its done, drop off our American Express Be My Guest thank you card and the bottler sends us commission as long as the equipment stays on site.

It works for us.

Poplady

if you dont mind me asking what kind of employee counts and min. sales do you

look for in these type locations?

i have some tire shops that are between $30-50/wk with can drinks at 65-75c. I have been thinking for a long time of trying to get full service drinks for these locations and pulling the machines out to simplify my business. however i am a little concerned these volumes may be too low for the bottlers and they either wont place the equipment or

get pissed and pull it.

[Poplady1]

if you dont mind me asking what kind of employee counts and min. sales do you

look for in these type locations?

i have some tire shops that are between $30-50/wk with can drinks at 65-75c. I have been thinking for a long time of trying to get full service drinks for these locations and pulling the machines out to simplify my business. however i am a little concerned these volumes may be too low for the bottlers and they either wont place the equipment or

get pissed and pull it.

My bottlers would put in machines. Not sure what to say at your end. Normally they are happy with $50 a week being the low end. Just ask them. Believe they will let you know what works at their end.

Bev

[vendcobros]

The tire shop is doing an average of 10 sales per day. I'm happy with the spot that the locator found for this soda machine.

Still waiting on him to find a spot for my snack machine.

[spdydre]

I am working on another location right now ... Nothing yet. I am contacting businesses with over 100 employees, most of them have vending machines ... still working !

yeah no kidding....

odds are they are not going to find you anything in this manner. your best bet is going

to be to work these leads where they already have vending. These guys may be good

for fronting (appointment setting) but they are not going to get you an account

like this over the phone. as rjt often points out you could get lucky but most any location where there is money to be made, theres already a vending machine.

additionally i would NOT pay $650.00 commission to place a soda/snack machine at a tire/oil change place or a tattoo shop (in fact i would not do the tattoo shop at all). You would not make enough to warrant that and you can easily get these locations yourself by calling through the phone book with a basic script.

What is a good script to use when calling? Thanks