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MAR K E T I N G also uses technology as added value. RMM allows him to know what customers want before he gets to the location as well as lets him merchandise based on what customers are eating. "It's added value because customers get the product mix they (really) want," he said. He also appreci- ates being able to prove a product is a great seller to a location with the help of technology. Addition- ally, RMM has allowed him to be proactive with his service calls. It alerts him to a problem before the customer even knows about it, such as a dropping temperature or a machine that hasn't taken a bill/ coin in over an hour. All his service vehicles have GPS, and Meskin considers that added value when it comes to ser- vice calls. Calls were, historically, handled in the order in which they came in, but now the Black Tie Service dispatcher can see the loca- tion of each technician in relation to the location needing service. "Software is helping us route those service technicians to the right location," said Meskin."We now handle most service calls within an hour." SCMMs meet environmental concerns His other big added value option, SCMMs, offer customers not just more variety of products and pay- ment options, but Meskin believes they are more "green" than a tra- ditional vending bank. He admits he hasn't done the math, but the size of the compressors, almost half compared to a vending machine, leads Meskin to believe they have a smaller carbon footprint. Plus, he doesn't get asked about price as much with SCMMs. He's put in 10 so far, and not one customer has asked him how much he's going to charge for candy. "They feel it's such an added value, they don't care what you're charging," he said. He fi nds that's not the case when he's prospecting a vending account. Adding value is a win-win. It provides the location with service it can't get elsewhere, whether it's effi cient payment options, variety in products on site, occasional free coffee or more reliable equipment. It provides the operator with the ability to charge more, leverage the contract for his/her benefi t or sim- ply win or keep an account. Even small, outside the norm options can help an operator take advan- tage of this sales tool. You can try, but there's just no replacing SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener. When consumers are loyal to a brand they love, nothing else will do. Kind of like SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener. Tey love it, they demand it, and they seek it out wherever they go. So, while other sweetener packets may be yellow, they're not SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener. To see what SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener can offer your business, visit www.splendafoodservice.com or call Diamond Crystal Brands, Inc. at 1-800-654-5115. Visit our NAMA booth (#1137) for more information and samples of our recipes. © McNeil Nutritionals,rition nalls, Ls LC 22012 SPLEND ® LLC 2012. SPLENDADA is a re itregistered t demark oofM Neil Nu ritionals, d trad f McNe Nuttri 012. SP ENDA is a registered trademark of McNeil Nutritionals, LLC.s, LLL LC. May 2012 VendingMarketWatch.com Automatic Merchandiser 45