really deters wasted time and keeps
fuel costs down.
"Our original problem was how to
stop drivers from going out of the area
they are supposed to be or 'hanging
out' to waste time," said Mark. "That
behavior stopped once the drivers
knew GPS was installed. And it really
keeps the fuel effciency in line."
Mark can see the trucks on the
computer in real-time, which allows
him to fnd a vehicle close to a loca-
tion that may be having a machine
issue. The system also texts and
emails Mark, and the other manag-
ers, if a vehicle is idling for more than
15 minutes. Mark can then have a
conversation with the driver, who
might have been stuck in traffc or
might need to understand how idling
can affect fuel costs. The GPS also
alerts the company about speeding
violations, which can be reviewed
by managers. Higher speeds are less
fuel effcient.
Untapped OCS lines
In the 1990s, Mark's father decided
to look at OCS to broaden the compa-
ny's offerings. "We've always offered
OCS, but we never focused on it,"
said Mark. "We changed our focus…
dedicated some revenue towards it
and it has grown signifcantly."
OCS now makes up 6 percent of
Lathrop Vending's annual revenue.
For the past 8 years that segment has
seen double digit growth.
Mark doesn't credit the increase
to any one type of coffee item or
added service. It is a combination
of all the items including offering
single-cup options.
"You can't knock single-cup.
Everybody seems to be going
towards that," Mark said. Although
he offers multiple types of coffee
equipment, both bulk brewers and
single-cup, single-cup has driven
the majority of Lathrop Vending's
OCS growth as the brand gained
popularity. "The Northeast is a
strictly Green Mountain area,"
Mark joked. He makes sure those
16 Automatic Merchandiser VendingMarketWatch.com May 2015
C O V E R S T O R Y
Eric Babcock, micro market coordinator, focuses on minimizing fresh food waste,
a constant job since it is a top seller in micro markets.
Single-cup has been a strong growth segment for Lathrop Vending in recent years.