Automatic Age

12
T h e A u t o m a t ic A ge
INVEST LOTS OF SERVICE W ITH TH E $5,000
B y L O U IS L A N D A U , JR.
Contact Manager, Modern Merchandising Company, St. Louis
I f I had $5,000 to invest in the vending
machine business, here is what I would
do to enter this, the coming automatic age.
First, I would secure an option on a
store easy to operate, one that the receiv­
ing and shipping o f merchandise is handy
fo r service men with their cars to load and
unload, a store that could be divided into
three sections— a show room , office and
service room.
I would also see that said
store had several good display windows in
order that the public, passing on fo o t,
street cars or autos, would see and know
what I am vending.
I would make the
place attractive and have plenty o f signs.
M y next step would be to secure two or
three A - l service men with a smile. I then
would secure only one advertised and na­
tionally known candy; then get a machine
that is attractive, and put more power on
that one thing only.
I would select m y
locations and service said locations on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, wheth­
er said machines needed attention or not.
T h e service man would be there if only to
talk to the party in charge o f the location.
It would be m y aim to see that machine
and merchandise is neat looking— glass, if
any, clean; nickel, if any, bright; and wood­
work or steel with no dust on th em ; and
that merchandise is all one could ask.
I
would see that when service man arrives,
the first party he sees or asks fo r is the
owner o f the location, and if he is ready
to service the machine and make collec­
tions, be sure that said owner o f location
is right there when machine is being re­
filled and cash counted; and right then and
there give him the commission due, and if
any complaints, then and there fix them , it
being m y desire at all times to see that the
owner o f location and the public are satis­
fied, fo r if they are, it means more in the
cash box o f m y vender. In fa ct, it would
be m y aim to see that others are satisfied
first; then I come. Arrangm ents would be
made with location owner to refund to cus­
tomer amount inserted in machine without
any question, if some complaint is made
that this or that happened, or no merchan­
dise received.
I would also request loca­
tion owner to phone our office if any trou­
© International Arcade Museum
ble o f any nature, and refund fo r any calls
on the phone. In this w ay one keeps in
constant touch and has owner o f the loca­
tion feeling he is part o f the business.
I f slugs are placed in machines in any
locations, the party in charge would see
them, and while the service man would not
deduct any commission, I would have them
so trained to tell the party in charge that
i f this happens to our machines, the same
thing could happen to his business, and if
they steal from us they are, and will, from
him. Right away they sit up and fake no­
tice and become more interested, and then
and there they resolve to trap the slug
user— and it has worked wonders. I f, how­
ever, the location owner doesn't seem to
care and is indifferent and the practice
continues, we remove machine.
In many
cases when this came up we were told to
let same remain and they would be respon­
sible at all times.
I would run the vending machine busi­
ness the same as any commercial business;
would see that each and every machine is
insured fo r fire, tornado, th eft and liability;
see that each machine bears firm’s name
giving phone and address, and also a card
stating that if the* merchandise doesn’t
please, the party in charge will refund the
amount deposited, and i f the machine is
out o f order, to notify party in charge.
This w ay it also makes the customer feel
he is interested.
A t the bottom o f said
card I would say som ething about " I n do>
ing us these few favors you are taking an
interest in this, your machine. W e thank
y o u !” This, we find, is a wonderful asset
to us.
M y next move would be to secure a good
office system so at a m om ent’s glance one
could tell what each machine is doing and
what each machine contains. I would have
a full detail o f each location— phone num ­
ber, how m any people employed, etc.; if
a barber shop, how m any chairs; if garage,
how many cars; if restaurant, how many
tables; and I would have a check-up on
each business as though it were m y
ow n ; in fact I would feel that said loca­
tion is part o f m y business.
http://www.arcade-museum.com/