Automatic Merchandiser

MAY 2013

Automatic Merchandiser serves the business management, marketing, technology and product information needs of its readers including vending operators, coffee service operators, product brokers, and product and equipment distributors in print.

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Streamware vending management software to help run their commissions and inventory and help them track their products. By adopting Streamware they were also able to provide route drivers with handhelds, which allowed their drivers to more effciently provide refunds and keep track of revenue after routes were run. In 2006, Yuppa and DiNardo made the decision to hire someone to head up their march toward technological innovation. They hired Doug Longworth, a 35 year industry veteran, to be director of technology. He became responsible for operating CVV's software systems and deciphering the data received from Streamware. It didn't take long for him to make his presence heard. In the spring of 2010, Longworth suggested that CVV begin pre-kitting on a few routes based on the forecast information they got from Streamware. According to Longworth, Streamware had built-in algorithms that would "forecast" the amount of product needed in a given machine. They did this for a few months and noticed a positive trend and wanted greater effciencies, so in fall of 2010 they integrated LightSpeed into the Streamware VMS software. According to DiNardo, Longworth was instrumental in the implementation of LightSpeed. Raising Performance to New Levels Full line of liftgate models, plus special applications Railgates, Stowaways, Conventionals,Side Loaders, & Pickup/ Service Body Models Sales and Service Available from a Nationwide Distributor Network Quality Liftgates for Every Application 600 East Wayne Street Celina, Ohio 45822 info@thiemantailgates.com www.thiemantailgates.com 28 800.524.5210 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com May 2013 Miguel Filian, maintenance manager at Culinary Ventures Vending, uses the Crane Currenza Navigator to gather data from machines. "We originally went to pre-kitting because it was part of our VMS software," Longworth said. "We quickly made the decision to use LightSpeed for packing orders because we had heard positive feedback across the industry." DiNardo noticed a difference in the way his business was run after beginning pre-kitting. It not only saved CVV money, but allowed the company to run more effciently. "Pre-kitting has saved us a lot of money," DiNardo said. "It gives us a better idea of how much product needs to go out so we don't always have to fuel up big trucks and we can use vans instead." Modern technology In July of 2011, CVV began installing Crane Currenza Navigator boxes to its machines. The telemetry boxes allowed CVV to condense its routes while maintaining the same amount of business. "Before telemetry, a good route was between $8,000 and $10,000," said Manoukian, who once ran his own vending company before selling it to CVV. "Now we wouldn't bother with a route that size. Our routes range between $17,000 and $20,000 because of technology." CVV is able to run 23 more proftable routes, as opposed to the 28 it had to run before telemetry. "Telemetry has allowed operators to take back their operations," Manoukian said. "For a long time vending operations were run through route drivers. All of the information about the machines came from drivers and operators were helpless. Now the operator can be more hands-on than ever before." The added responsiveness that telemetry offers, according to Manoukian, is very valuable. He recalls an instance when not having technology hurt his business. "One of my more popular machines, which collected about $200 a week, had gotten jammed early in the week," Manoukian said. "Because it was our responsibility, nobody called to let me know the machine wasn't working and I lost all the proft I was expecting for that location." Manoukian explains that this situation is now completely avoided by having telemetry boxes. The boxes have alert systems that

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