How to Switch Vending Companies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Workplaces

Switching providers

Changing vending companies in four steps

Switching vending companies comes down to four steps: read what your current agreement says about notice, pick a date for the old machines to come out, have the new provider look at your space before that date, and tell your staff what’s changing. Most of the work falls on the two vending companies. The part that’s yours is the timing.

We’ve been placing and servicing machines in Mississauga-area workplaces since 1971. If you already have a vending company and you’re thinking about replacing it, this guide is for you.

Signs it’s time to switch

Nobody changes vending companies over one empty slot. It’s usually a pattern. These are the ones worth acting on:

• The machines are empty more often than they’re full. A full-service program includes regular restocking and product rotation. If your staff are the ones telling the vendor what’s missing, the vendor isn’t watching inventory.
• A broken machine stays broken. Repairs should be part of the service.
• It only takes coins. Plenty of people at work don’t carry cash. Many modern machines accept debit cards, credit cards and mobile wallets.
• The selection hasn’t changed in months. Your people asked for healthier options or fresh food, and nothing happened.
• Nobody answers when someone loses money. If a machine eats a toonie and there’s no number to call, the complaint ends up on your desk.

If two or more of these sound familiar, it’s worth a conversation with another operator.

Step 1: Read your current agreement

Before you call anyone, find the paperwork from your current provider and look for three things.

A notice period. Some agreements ask for written notice a set time before you end them. Know that date before you plan anything else.

An automatic renewal clause. If the agreement renews on its own, make sure your notice arrives before the renewal date.

Who owns the machines. If your business never paid for the equipment, it belongs to your current operator. That means they’re the ones who come and take it out, and you’ll want a date from them.

At Regional Vending we don’t offer contracts at all. We’d rather keep a location year after year because the service is good than because a clause says so. Every client is covered by our Full-Service Guarantee©.

Step 2: Know your numbers before you call

A new vending company will ask you a few questions. Having the answers ready makes the first call short.

How many people work at or visit the location. As a guide, we look for at least 80 employees or regular customers to support a vending program. Every location is different, so if you’re close to that number, mention it anyway.

What kind of workplace it is. A distribution centre, a manufacturing plant, a car dealership and a condominium building all use vending differently. A dealership has customers waiting in the showroom. A warehouse has people on breaks at odd hours.

What your people actually buy. Snacks and cold drinks are the basics. If your team works long shifts, ask about refrigerated machines with sandwiches, wraps, salads and yogurt. Write down what people have complained is missing. That list is the most useful thing you can bring to the first call.

If you want to see the numbers side by side, put your headcount into the calculator on our vending machine rental page. (We don’t rent machines, but that’s what most people search for.)

Step 3: Have the new provider see the space before the old machines leave

This is where most of the downtime comes from. If you wait until the old machines are gone to call the next company, your breakroom sits empty while the new provider visits, plans and installs.

Do it the other way around. Have the new operator evaluate your space first. Check where the machines will go, whether there’s an outlet, and which mix of machines fits your headcount. Then set the removal date with your current provider and give it to the new one, so you can talk about timing with both dates in front of you.

Two practical things to check during that visit:

• Electrical outlets. If a machine needs an outlet where there isn’t one, ask who pays to install it. At Regional Vending, we install it at our own expense.
• Access. Delivery, installation and setup need a clear path to the breakroom, a loading dock or a side door. Tell the new provider about any restrictions at your site, like security check-in or hours when trucks can’t come in.

Step 4: Tell your staff what’s changing

Switching providers is a small change for you and a visible one for everyone who uses the machines. A short note on the breakroom board or in the staff newsletter saves you a week of questions. Cover three things:

1. When the machines change. Give the date the old machines come out and the date the new ones go in.
2. How to pay. If the new machines take cards and mobile wallets, say so, especially to the people who gave up on the old ones because they don’t carry cash.
3. Who to call. Every one of our machines carries a service sticker with a phone number. Anyone who loses money or finds a machine not working can call or text that number.

While you’re at it, ask people what they want stocked and pass the list to the new provider.

What to ask a vending company before you switch

You’re switching because the last provider let you down, so ask the questions that would have caught the problem early. Our guide to choosing a vending machine company goes deeper, but these are the ones that matter most when you’re moving away from someone:

• Who restocks the machines, and how do they know when? A good operator monitors inventory and machine performance. If the answer is “call us when it’s empty,” keep looking.
• What happens when a machine breaks? The answer should be that they repair it or replace it, and that maintenance is part of the service.
• Is there a contract, and what does it say? If there is one, read it the way you just read your current one: notice period, renewal, ownership.
• Can the selection change? Ask how they adjust products based on feedback from your people.
• Which machines take cards? Many, not all, is an honest answer. Ask which ones.
• What does it cost your business? With Regional Vending, nothing. We provide the machines, installation, restocking and service at no cost to your business.

What switching to Regional Vending looks like

Regional Vending is a family business. Chris Allenby, our owner and operator, is the third generation of his family in vending, and we’ve been at it in Mississauga for more than 40 years. Chris restocks and services the machines himself with a small team, so the person you talk to is the person looking after your breakroom.

Our best accounts are factories and distribution centres with a few hundred people or more: a grocery distribution centre in Etobicoke with about 1,000 people, a box manufacturing plant in Mississauga with about 250 and a candle manufacturing plant in Mississauga with about 400.

When you call, we’ll ask how many people work at or visit your location, what kind of workplace it is and which machines you have in mind. We’ll evaluate your space, recommend the right mix and handle delivery, installation and setup. If you already have machines and want to replace or upgrade them, tell us when you call.

Most of our business is in Mississauga and Etobicoke, and we also serve Oakville, Milton and Burlington.

Quick answers

Can we switch vending companies in the middle of an agreement? Check your agreement first. The notice period and renewal date decide when you can end it without a dispute. With Regional Vending there’s no agreement to get out of later.

Who removes the old machines? If your business didn’t buy them, they belong to your current operator and they remove them. Ask them for a date in writing.

Will we be without machines while we switch? Not for long, if you plan it. Have the new provider evaluate your space before the old machines leave, and give them the removal date so you can plan installation around it.

Is our location big enough for Regional Vending? As a guide, at least 80 employees or regular customers. If you’re close to that, call anyway. Every location is different and we’re happy to evaluate your space.