Running a vending operation today means juggling dozens of moving parts—routes, stock, service, sales, and support. Every vending operator does these things slightly differently, but all share a common goal: to serve customers better and run more efficiently.
A powerful vending management system (VMS) helps tie it all together. Here are ten key features your VMS should deliver to help you save time, increase accuracy, and grow more profitably.
Route Management That Actually Makes Life Easier
Managing routes shouldn’t be a chore. Your VMS should make it simple to plan visits, shift tasks between routes, and optimise routes by distance or drive time. If a site shuts temporarily, your system should pause that stop automatically—and resume when it’s back online. Planned changes should be easy to schedule in advance, and operators should be able to see updates in real time.
Smarter Servicing and Engineering Tools
Your service function needs more than a spreadsheet. Look for a VMS that lets you handle inbound calls, auto-assign tasks, and track progress through a dashboard. Routine jobs like filter changes should be auto-scheduled based on vend count or time intervals. Engineers should be able to order parts, complete jobs on-site, capture signatures, and trigger invoicing—all from their phone.
Seamless, Error-Free Invoicing
Your invoicing process should work with you—not against you. The right VMS will flag stock, cash, or meter anomalies as they happen, so issues don’t snowball. It should handle multiple pricing models and give you the flexibility to group or split invoices to suit different customers. The goal? Speed, simplicity, and fewer headaches at the end of the month.
End-to-End Wholesale Management
From order to invoice, wholesale should be just as smooth. A good VMS will let your team build orders from inbound calls, pull up previous purchases, and construct outbound calling lists with ease. Whether you’re using in-house drivers or third parties, your system should manage deliveries, calculate weights, and support flexible pricing per customer. Customers should be able to sign and receive invoices instantly or consolidate them for monthly billing.
Dashboards That Surface What Matters
Your VMS should give each user their own dashboard—configured with colour-coded alerts and at-a-glance data. Team leaders should see what matters most to them without digging. A good dashboard lets you catch issues early, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and get a clear picture of the business without clicking 10 times to get there.
Reporting That Works for You
Reports aren’t just for the boardroom—they’re tools to help your team perform better. Your VMS should offer customisable reports that are easy to build and update. Profitability reports by machine, site, customer, or route are essential. So are best-seller/slow-seller reports that help you fine-tune your product mix. The right reports help you sell more, serve better, and waste less time.
Tight, Transparent Stock Control
Accurate stock control is non-negotiable. Your system should track product flow from delivery to warehouse, machine fills, stock removals, and transfers between depots. That control should give you clear stock valuations and up-to-date inventory snapshots—without chasing down operators or digging through paper.
Built for Integration
The vending industry is evolving fast—your VMS should keep up. Look for systems that connect easily to accounting tools, cashless payment providers, micro market platforms, telemetry systems, and e-commerce APIs. As new trends emerge, your VMS should be ready to plug in without a massive overhaul.
Paperless Questionnaires
If your team is still filling out paper forms, there’s a better way. Mobile-friendly questionnaires can streamline van checks, customer surveys, or site audits. They should feed directly into your system and be reportable in real time. This not only saves time—it ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
Custom Fields for What Makes You Unique
No two vending businesses are exactly alike. Whether it’s machine colour, special client preferences, or niche product tracking, your system should let you add and report on custom fields. These fields help you manage your exceptions—and give you a complete picture of your business that’s tailored to how you work.
You Need a VMS That Works for You
The right vending management system isn’t just about features — it’s about delivering better control, clearer insight, and smoother operations across your business. When your VMS works for you, your team works smarter, your customers stay happier, and your profits grow stronger.
Fast Facts:
- A good VMS simplifies routes, servicing, stock, and invoicing.
- Customisable dashboards and reports surface the data that matters.
- Seamless integrations future-proof your operations as the industry evolves.
- Built-in tools like questionnaires and custom fields help tailor the system to your business.
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Since its inception in 1990, Revive Vending has established itself as a leader in the UK vending industry, continuously seeking innovation to differentiate itself from competitors. Under the leadership of Tim Varney, the company has embraced emerging technologies and new business models to ensure efficiency, quality service, and sustained profitability.