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n a world of doing more with less, exemplary attention to custom- ers stands out. That dedication to service was the aim of Dominic Macerola when he started Houston, TX-based Rome Refreshment Ser- vices in 1979. Growing from a single man operating out of his garage to a second generation, 15 employee busi- ness, Rome Refreshments boasts of being one of the top three largest vending operations in the Houston area. The company continues to grow, in part, due to the conviction that technology is a game changer, especially for the widespread ser- vice area that Rome Refreshments serves. With approximately 500 machines in its footprint, Rome Refreshments regularly operates fve routes that encompass an area that stretches from near Galveston in the South Bay, all the way up to the Woodlands north of Houston. Mac- erola has found that adding technol- ogy to more effciently service this area has been a great way to move the company forward without losing the ideals he began it with. Italian roots Macerola was born in Rome, Italy, near the Apennine Mountains. Growing up, he spent his days at his uncle's coffee shop where he learned about great coffee and how to provide great service. After living in Canada, Macerola saw potential in the Houston area and decided to move there to start a family in 1979. He opened Rome Refreshments out of his garage as a way to use his ser- vice background and earn a living. It is a family company that has been in business more than 35 years largely because it was always about more than just business. "Dominic really wanted to cre- ate an environment of old world values when he started Rome," said Gianpaolo Macerola, vice president of Rome Refreshments and Macer- ola's son. With many vending com- petitors in the 1980s, the distinction in service wasn't as apparent, but with the changes to the industry and retail in the last 10 to 15 years, Rome's commitment to service has kept customers and brought previous customers back. "Our prices are higher, but we're still getting business," explained Gianpaolo, who goes by G.P. The dedi- cation to service might involve mak- ing another trip to a location when an order is missed, responding to emails immediately, giving personal Christmas gifts or operating under the motto 'the customer is always right'. "We treat customers like they are part of our family," explained G.P. The company has not strayed from its roots; in fact, Macerola and most of his children oversee the day-to-day operations to ensure that the ideals and objectives that Macerola set when he opened Rome Refreshments are regularly exceeded. Gianpaolo Macerola is head of sales & marketing, Piccola Macerola is head of purchasing and Saverio Macerola is head of operations. "We work in a commoditized, highly competitive environment where good products and responsive customer service set us apart from other providers," said G.P. "Our cus- tomers rely on us to make sure our machines are stocked, in good work- ing order and deliver the experiences that consumers expect. This is our livelihood. Our customers won't settle for anything less, and neither can we." Technology helps fnd the time Personal service takes time. Last year Rome Refreshments made a change that would increase the time its staff could dedicate to customer attention — technology. In June of 2014, the company started looking at telemetry systems to maximize personnel and resources across the territory the company services. I '' Dominic really wanted to create an environment of old world values when he started Rome. '' Biggest challenge facing vending is staff Gianpaolo Macerola, vice president of Rome Refresh- ment Services is optimistic about the future of vending as long as operators are willing to accept change and invest in technology. The biggest issue facing the industry will be the work ethic of employees enter- ing the work force. "You need to fnd ways to motivate your employees," he said. It will be a critical issue to success in the next 5 years. Telemetry technology lowered operating expenses 25 percent for Houston, TX-based Rome Refreshments, and allowed the operation to grow while continuing to provide the personal service of a different era. April 2015 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 15 O P E R A T I O N P R O F I L E