Tech Corner: 9 Great Points For Managing Your Coin Mechs

These nine points will probably be obsolete within a few years as more locations transition to entirely cashless. Those vending machine operators that have embraced technology, have discovered that their revenue from cashless is increasing exponentially.

An anecdotal estimate would be that the average vending company is finding that their cashless revenue has increased from around 10% a few years ago to over 50% currently and increasing.

This is an awesome trend as I am quite convinced that over 90% of all vending machine malfunctions are caused by coin mechs and/or bill changers. By following a few steps and sticking to a few tried and tested action steps one can reduce the amount of “out of order” calls we get. Let’s jump right in.

1. When you first get a coin mech – take a moment and write the date on it. Update this record/ date every time it is flashed/updated. This is the best way of keeping track of the status of your mechs.
2. Test, clean and lubricate all moving parts. Focus on the areas that interact with the coin, especially the slide areas closest to the coin slot. Pay special attention to those areas, that spot probably accounts for most of the issues.  
3. Ensure that the coin mech and validator are securely anchored at installation. This includes any wiring and the fit to the machine door. There should be no movement in the mechanism. Use all the mounting screws and make sure that you use the right size.
4. Check all cables and connections pre installation. Replace anything that looks suspect. It easier to do this in the warehouse than onsite. Worn or damaged cables and connectors will eventually fail. Test that it can be removed and re-hung without risk of anything getting trapped.
5. Make sure that no cables run any risk of getting pinched or caught up in any part of the door. Think in terms of the door being opened and closed repeatedly over several years by a wide variety of route staff.
6. Clean and tidy – keeping machines looking good reduces the risk of anyone abusing the mechanisms. Make sure that the vending machine is located in an area with good light. Dark areas are invitations for people to try and mess with the coin mech.
7. If the coin slot or bill validator (anything customer facing is broken) replace it. A small damage very soon becomes a big damage.
8. Many operators ensure that all of their route drivers have a spare coin mech in the truck with them. Often its simply easier to replace than to attempt an onsite repair. A small tool kit in the route driver’s truck is indispensable.  
9. Any coin mechs that are returned to the warehouse should be immediately marked. A piece of green tape with its location, date of return and most importantly – what is wrong with it.  There is nothing worse than looking at a bench full of returned coin mechs with no idea what’s going on.

Finally, and this is more of an overall business approach, than an actual specific action point. Empower your route drivers to make decisions on site. If you are getting a lot of complaints from a location about a machine believe the customers. It’s easy to brush some kid off that says he has lost a buck – the reality is a bunch of complaints will point to a machine issue 100% of the time. When the driver gets there, and they suggest a new coin mech – just do it.