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Planet Antares Inc - A blog to discuss the vending solutions provided by Planet Antares.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Deal with the competition in vending

Is competition your biggest fear? The best way to deal with competition is to identify it through market research and industry knowledge. A vending company should position itself in the market relative to its competition. By focusing on brand differentiation and product recognition, you can very well establish your company’s name separate from the competitors. In order to deal with competition you should always be aware of the competitor’s strategies and need to implement some strategies in your own vending business.

Vending machine: Beating the competition becomes an easy job with matchless machines. Planet Antares guarantees your success with the most innovative machines in the industry. The stylish and attractive designs of the machines make them easily noticeable and desirable. Your business will generate high sales by persuading the impulse buyers. The state of the art machines speak volumes about your company’s authenticity. The glass front Planet Antares vending machines can be easily singled out in the crowd. Consumers are enticed to buy the products which they can see and have knowledge about. Install these machines at the locations which have never been explored before.

Technology: Incorporating high tech products is an easy way of pulling value customers. Technology ensures efficient and effective vending. Consumers want convenience in whatever they do. Planet Antares business owners need not worry as all the machines are latest in technology and features such as DEX, automatic temperature control units, telemetry and windows vending software have established a positive image in consumer’s mind. Using Planet Antares vending machines will keep you up to date with the technology changes and moreover you will always stay ahead of competition.

Products: Steer away the competitors by offering high quality products to your customers. Create a niche for your vending business by meeting specific requirements of a particular location. Vending top nationally known products builds a strong image in the market. Application of category management will allow you to offer wide variety of products through your vending machines. Get the best deal from the supplier so that you can sell your products at lower rates than other operators. A little bit of looking around will help you get best products at reasonable prices. Products should be fresh and safe.

Customer services: Besides all these, customer service also plays a significant role. A customer will always like to associate with a company which is helpful and believes in healthy customer relationship. Planet Antares staff is always ready to help the customers in all possible ways.

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Friday, July 24, 2009

Costs of Running a Vending Business

Cost effective nature of the vending industry is a prime reason behind its success. It is an opportunity to start a business with limited funds and still incur high revenues. Vending business owners invest in quality vending machines from a reputed company like Planet Antares. They begin by installing one or two vending machines at one of the prospective locations and eventually gain expertise in the field. Once equipped with all the essential knowledge of the industry, they grow their business by buying more Planet Antares machines and establishing a vending route.

Every business has to meet few essential costs of running it. Vending business is no exception. Though it is true that the initial costs in vending business are low but they increase with the growth of the business. Vendors must understand these basic running costs of vending business.

Cost of machines: You have to buy machines while you start or expand vending business. Initially you need sufficient funds to purchase one or two vending machines. Later on you can buy more machines from the profits earned and grow your business. Funds are also required to keep the machines in a good working condition which ensures steady flow of income.

Cost of products: Obviously you need products in order to stock the machines. Consumers purchase branded products. High sales and revenue can be achieved through vending high demand products. Vendors have to meet the cost of stocking the machines with branded products. A little bit of shopping around will help you make some great deals and reduce your cost of products.

Cost of personnel: A vending business owner may require hiring personnel to manage the expanded business efficiently. They will check the working of machines, see if the machines are to be refilled and clean them.

All the above costs are part and parcel of running a successful vending business. Such costs are not a financial burden but help in improving the services. It is obvious that quality services will help you earn high profits thus adding to your income. Trust Planet Antares while you buy vending equipment. The machines are durable, state of the art and cost effective.

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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Tracking Sales & Inventory In Vending Business.

Do you know the profitability levels of your vending business? Have you ever measured the success of your vending business? Are your competitors ahead of you? Which products can increase / decrease your sales? Answers to all the above questions are imperative for the growth of a business in the competitive environment. Mere installation of the vending machines should not be the ultimate goal of a vending operator. Until and unless, an operator doesn’t have sales, product performance and customer trends data, it is tough for him to plan the vending operations effectively. So it is very important to track sales, inventory and cash in a vending business on regular basis.

With inputs from data and comparison of past sales trend, an operator can find out what products are doing well and which ones needs to be replaced. Performance comparison of machines placed at different locations can also help you plan the necessary changes required in operations. Data showing high sales on particular days can give you sign of refilling machines to maximum for those days. For example, on Saturdays, you can witness high sales in shopping areas, while low sales in schools and offices, with sales and inventory data by your side, you can plan to stock your shopping mall vending machines to maximum capacity on Saturdays.

With one or two machine, data collection and analysis is quite easy. But as the number of machines increases, keeping a track of the vending operation becomes difficult and an inevitable part of the job. With large number of machines, manual data collection is quite tough and a time consuming affair. To tackle that, you need to have some kind of electronic data collection and management system to effectively and effortlessly track sales and inventory data.

Now days, vending manufacturing companies readily incorporate electronic data collection solutions like DEX and MDB in vending machine systems. These systems automatically collect data pertaining to sales made by a vending machine, product inventory and cash collection done by a vending machine. The data can be easily transferred to handhelds, which can be analyzed on office computer. Various accounting / sales softwares can help you track the sales / profits over the period of time. A little analysis can let you know which products to stock in and which one to be replaced. You can use Planet Antares Vending Software for accurate tracking and analysis.

Inventory Management and sales tracking in vending business can be a bit tough, but with remarkable vending machines by Planet Antares, you don’t have to worry about it at all. With high-tech Planet Antares vending machines, you can track your vending operations automatically. Moreover tech support and coaches are always there to guide you to make your vending business a sure hit.

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

Tips for Keeping Your Vending Machine Safe

Safety of vending machines has been a major concern for vending business owners. Operators have to ensure proper safety measures to avoid any accidents or theft. Such incidents could not only affect the sales but could have an effect on the relationship between the vending operator and a location.

While installing equipment, an operator should properly inspect the location and make sure that the equipment can stands solidly and is placed at in the right manner. As a vending business operator, you need to know the correct way to provide a safe environment around your equipment.

Guidelines by companies like Planet Antares will help you with this. Respond immediately if anything should be reported to you by a location. Do a thorough investigation. If possible, keep the area around the machine uncluttered and well lit. It is very important that the huge vending machines are tested for stability and securely anchored to prevent any possible tipping by an aggressive employee.

It is a good idea to put a decal on the vending machine in order to warn people not to shake or try to tip the equipment. To prevent theft, it is very important to buy equipment from a trustworthy company such as Planet Antares, who manufactures theft-proof and reliable vending equipment. Service your equipment at regular intervals to avoid unnecessary issues.

Safety must be paid attention to in order to keep a reputable business. Anything can take happen in any business, but the important thing is to be aware of the possibilities and safeguard your business and your location against them. Planet Antares equipment is built using the best quality material under strict manufacturing guidelines. The reliable nature and strong design of Planet Antares vending machines reduces the chances of any unfortunate events at your locations. This goes a long way in maintaining a respected and successful vending business.

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