What Makes Employees Use One Vending Machine More Than Another?
When you’re locked into a project at work that requires consistent focus and attention, you can’t step out of the zone for a run to the cafeteria when hunger strikes. At the same time, when you’re hungry, your blood sugar drops and your brain releases hormones that prioritize finding food over high-level concentration, diverting your mental energy and then hello brain fog.
What’s the solution? A dash to the vending machine! But here’s where things can go one of two ways. You’ll either encounter a relic of decades past stocked with pretzels, cheese and cracker packs, chips, and chocolate bars, or you’ll be treated to a modern, interactive smart vending machine stocked with fresh sandwiches, salads, heat-and-go options as well as all the traditional treat favorites. Which would you choose?
At InReach, our modern smart vending solutions bring fresh meals, better-for-you snacks, refreshing beverages, and familiar favorites together in machines designed to make finding and purchasing what you want simple. And because the right vending program starts with understanding the people who will use it, we tailor product selections to your workplace and employees, then use real-time sales and inventory data to keep popular items available. The result is convenient, 24/7 access to food employees want.
What Is the Psychology Behind Vending Machines?
Researchers studying consumer neuroscience have found that much of what happens in front of a vending machine occurs subconsciously. For example, visual presentation can influence what catches our attention and what we ultimately choose. One study found that visually contrasting products can attract attention and increase preference, but that advantage can disappear when the surrounding display becomes disorganized.
Even where a product sits inside the machine can influence what people choose. A study of more than 13,000 real vending-machine purchases found that healthier options were more likely to be selected when they appeared on higher rows and on the right-hand side of the machine.
No one is consciously analyzing product placement before buying lunch. But a well-designed snack vending machine makes appealing choices visible and easy to find, reducing the friction between “I'm hungry” and “that's what I want” so employees can choose quickly and get back to what they were doing.
What Separates the Vending Machines People Use
Employees want more than items that qualify as food. They want choices that look fresh and appealing. They’re also more likely to return to a vending machine that offers variety rather than the same selection day after day. Fresh wraps, sandwiches, salads, better-for-you snacks, beverages, and familiar treats give both the health-conscious employee and the one craving a candy bar a reason to opt for the vending machine at work instead of the cafe down the street.
Vending machines that earn repeat visits are also thoughtfully stocked. At InReach, our tech-enabled machines track purchasing patterns and provide real-time data that helps guide stocking decisions. Remote inventory monitoring also helps keep popular products replenished, while enough variety ensures there’s something for different tastes, dietary preferences, and cravings.
Our smart vending machines feature interactive displays that make browsing fast and easy, while a full range of cashless payment options removes another point of friction. Instead of a vending machine that causes frustration or disappointment, we ensure employees appreciate your company vending machines and look forward to using them.
Where Should Workplace Vending Be Located?
Even the best vending machine won’t get much attention if employees have to take the elevator down to the lobby to access them. If you’re implementing an employee-focused smart vending program, placement matters. The right location depends on how people move through your workplace throughout the day.
High-traffic areas such as break rooms, common spaces, production floors, and areas near employee entrances can make employee vending machines a natural part of the workday. For larger facilities or workplaces operating around the clock, multiple machines positioned near different departments can also give employees convenient access without requiring an off-property trip.
When you put food and beverages where employees already are, they respond in kind.
What Keeps Employees Coming Back to Vending?
The vending machines used most are the ones that get the fundamentals right: convenient placement, an assortment guided by employee preferences, easy-to-use technology, and a clean, well-stocked presentation.
That’s where InReach brings all the pieces together. We work with employers to understand their workforce and facility, determine the right vending solution and placement, tailor the assortment, and use technology and real-time insights to continually improve the program.
Ready to put smart vending in reach? Get in touch with our experts at InReach to see how the right office food program can boost employee morale and keep productivity at its best.