From: stephen@sprunk.org

On 30-Apr-14 15:13, hancock4@bbs.cpcn.com wrote:
> On Tuesday, April 29, 2014 10:33:26 PM UTC-4, Stephen Sprunk wrote:
>> Once that was in place, the machines started getting sophisticated
>> inventory and cash tracking systems.  They send regular reports on
>> what items are bought, how much cash is in the box, how much change
>> they have, etc.  You know exactly when to service each machine
>> instead of using a fixed schedule that is too often for some and
>> not often enough for others.  You know in advance if you need to
>> shift the mix of products.  You can vary the prices remotely by
>> time of day or to get rid of stock that isn't moving.  You can
>> produce detailed _daily_ reports on how much each machine is making
>> vs the rent you have to pay for the space, how much inventory you
>> have out there, etc.
>
> All of that of is very nice, but it presumes that there is some
> person who can understand that whealth of information and make good
> use of it.  Often times with this kind of thing that is not the case.
> Too often these routes (like certain food delivery routes, too) are
> run by guys who do stuff when they feel like it, despite that fact
> that their income is dependent on good service and efficiency.
> They're either incapable to understand that it or don't give it a
> damn.

Sure, if they're run by some monkey with a few machines, they won't have
much use for such information, but they typically buy obsolete machines
from big vending companies in the first place, so they don't have it.
And it's likely that the only reason such poorly-run operations turn a
"profit" is that, as self-employed individuals, they don't consider the
cost of their own labor.

The big vending companies will have _thousands_ of vending machines with
a fleet of trucks to service them, and they _will_ use such data to
maximize their revenue and minimize their expenses, i.e. maximize real
profits.

> When I visited my college recently, I was surprised that the vending
> machines--a big part of a college campus--were removed and replaced
> by humans and food carts.  Humans winning out over machines.

Food carts can prepare a wide variety of hot foods, whereas a vending
machine is limited to a few cold foods; that's apples and oranges, and
it's not surprising that in high-volume locations that can justify the
labor expense, humans can win.  That's not the general case, though, and
I don't see that it has any applicability to the ticket agent vs TVM issue.

>> Sounds like you need to look inside a modern food/drink machine;
>> they're just as complex inside.
>
> Not the ones I've seen.

From your posts on a variety of topics, it sounds like you haven't left
your home in 30+ years, so it's not surprising that you haven't seen the
innards (or even outside) of a modern vending machine.

S

--
Stephen Sprunk         "God does not play dice."  --Albert Einstein
CCIE #3723         "God is an inveterate gambler, and He throws the
K5SSS        dice at every possible opportunity." --Stephen Hawking

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