NAMA Show 2023: The Future of Refreshment Services
Taylor Hicks / May 24, 2023
The NAMA show, hosted by the National Automatic Merchandising Association in Atlanta, brought together leaders, innovators, and enthusiasts in the refreshment services industry. The VendCentral team had the privilege of exploring the trade show floor, attending panels, and networking with key players in the industry. From exciting innovations found at “Imagination Way” to the launch of new products, the show left a lasting impression.
Interested in learning more about the world of possibilities for the industry’s future? Keep reading to discover a few of the show’s highlights, latest product trends, and more!
Coffee, Coffee, & More Coffee!
Office coffee took center stage at the NAMA Show, capturing the attention of attendees at every turn. The Emblem bean-to-cup coffee brewer was ever-present with its exceptional on-demand brewing capabilities. Definitely, a staple to include on your office coffee equipment roster. National brands and local coffee roasters, including Segafredo, Seattle’s Best, Starbucks, Ellis Coffee Company, Bodecker Brewed, and more kept everyone fueled throughout the 3-day show.
Additionally, the popularity of on-the-go coffee options, including nitro brew, cold brew, and canned coffee is undeniable. Brands such as RISE, La Colombe, Wandering Bear, and Costa Coffee made a significant impact, offering unique coffee drinking experiences for attendees.
Bubbling with Excitement: NAMA Beverage Takeaways
The NAMA Show showcased the latest trends in the beverage industry. It came as no surprise that energy drinks continued to dominate. Well-established brands like Red Bull, Celsius, Monster, and C4 Energy drew substantial attention. However, the show also provided a platform for up-and-coming brands such as Alani Nu, PHOCUS, UpTime, and Sparkling Ice Energy Drinks to make their mark.
Better-for-you beverages were another highlight of the event. Healthy soda alternatives like Poppi, Zevia, and Good Mood made their debut, captivating attendees with their healthier and more flavorful options for the refreshment services market.
New-Age Vending Equipment & Technology
In the realm of vending equipment, the NAMA show revealed groundbreaking innovations. For example, Just Baked’s hot food kiosk was a must-see. Offering a wide range of delicious meal and dessert options, you can select, pay, and be eating in minutes. The convenience and quality of these hot and fresh treats left a delightful and memorable impression on everyone’s taste buds.
Supply Wizards Supply Wizards wowed the crowd with their revolutionized online ordering process. Their user-friendly software seamlessly integrates with operators’ Vending Management Systems (VMS), making invoicing and tracking inventory a simple task! On average, operators have seen an increase in order sizes by 24% when using Supply Wizards for their online ordering. Therefore, this product is ideal for operators looking to grow their office coffee and pantry services!
ZippyAssist ZippyAssist emerged as a game-changer, enabling vending operators to provide immediate support to customers. With simple-to-use features like instant refunds and maintenance requests, they’ve streamlined customer service. This text-based platform accessed from a customer’s mobile phone is helping operators across the globe enhance their unattended retail experience.
Embracing the NAMA Show Momentum
Overall, the NAMA show was a resounding success leaving operators inspired by new ideas and technology for the refreshment service industry. From the aroma of freshly brewed coffee to the introduction of cutting-edge vending equipment, this event set the stage for a future of innovation and growth. The VendCentral team looks forward to implementing the lessons learned and supporting the members of our industry through comprehensive marketing services.
VendCentral is solely focused on the refreshment services industry. Contact us to learn how our marketing programs can help your business GROW!
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Online Ordering: Boosting Profits for Breakroom Operators
Christine / February 9, 2022
Gone are the days when placing an online order was considered a luxury. It is now an expectation for customers, including those in the refreshment services industry. But, online ordering not only makes it easy for OCS customers to order products where and when it’s convenient for them. It’s a legitimate way for breakroom operators to increase sales and cut operational costs.
That is why VendCentral recently teamed with Supply Wizards to help our clients add and promote online ordering capabilities. Supply Wizards specializes in the refreshment services industry. Their online ordering system is fast and easy to implement. Plus, it can function independently or seamlessly integrate with your existing vending management system.
Are you a breakroom operator interested in upgrading from taking orders via phone, email, and fax? Want to explore a streamlined, more reliable process? If so, read more to learn the many benefits Supply Wizards can provide.
A personalized experience for your customers
Supply Wizards allows you to customize your online store by individual customer account. Do you have a variety of pricing, payment terms, or product offerings in your contracts? No problem. Each customer has their own login to the online ordering platform and a unique experience based on their contract. You can even provide budget tracking in the system for customers who request it.
Increased order sizes
Online ordering not only increases customer satisfaction and loyalty. It can also boost sales by encouraging customers to order more. Supply Wizards builds an intuitive product recommendation feature into their platform. And the power of suggestive selling is real. Customers often add on recommended items or additional products available to them through the browse feature. Studies have shown that 52% of customers on the Supply Wizards ordering platform use these features. This means a bigger average order size for you. In fact, breakroom operators report an average order increase of 14% after implementing Supply Wizards for their OCS customers.
Influence over what’s purchased
In addition to the recommended products feature, the Supply Wizards platform includes dedicated space for promotional ads. VendCentral can work with you to design promotions that move slow sellers, introduce new products, or reward customers for buying more. For clients on select marketing programs, VendCentral can further promote these specials through exclusive website features, social media, or email campaigns.
Streamlined operations
Staffing shortages have become a significant pain point for breakroom operators. Keeping up with customer orders across various methods can be time-consuming, create bottlenecks in the system, and cause inaccuracies that lead to dissatisfied OCS customers. Supply Wizards streamlines order management for more efficient back-end operations. Orders can now be processed by your team with little to no manual effort. Breakroom operators using Supply Wizards report significant decreases in operational expenses – enough savings that the Supply Wizards system actually pays for itself.
Better inventory management
One of the biggest challenges for breakroom operators is efficiently managing their inventory. Supply Wizards seamlessly integrates into your existing vending management system. Once items are set as out of stock, they are automatically hidden from the customer’s view on the Supply Wizards ordering platform. They will not reappear on the ordering platform until they are acknowledged as back in your inventory.
An online ordering system can be a powerful addition to your website – loved by your existing customers and impressive to new prospects. With Supply Wizards, adding online ordering to your website is easy and completed in only a few short weeks. In the end, the only thing breakroom operators wish is that they had done it sooner. If you are ready to see the Supply Wizards ordering platform in action, VendCentral can help. We will arrange a quick demo and show you how we can help launch and promote your new online ordering capabilities. Contact us and our team will help you get started!