In the world of vending, no two businesses look exactly alike. But some manage to turn that complexity into a competitive edge. NVCS, based in Norfolk, England is one of them.
Spanning vending, catering, and their own in-house roastery—Green Farm Coffee Co. — they serve a wide territory across East Anglia. With over 60 staff and a long-standing reputation for quality, NVCS is known for keeping things personal, efficient, and local.
Since adopting Vendmanager from SB Software in 2020, they’ve taken that reputation to a new level—transforming how data flows across the business and how teams work together. Today, NVCS is more agile, more accountable, and more aligned than ever.
From data sceptics to data champions
Chris Skipper, Technical & Operations Director, led the shift. When NVCS began exploring Vendmanager, they weren’t starting from scratch — but they also weren’t getting the most out of their previous systems. Too much was still manual, and decisions were sometimes based on instinct rather than evidence.
“Vendmanager was a big upgrade for us. I am not interested in speculation, I want our decisions to be fact-based. So, today, data is key. High quality, comprehensive data. Fast and accurate. That’s why for us, your Datakey is the new norm.”
Chris’s approach was clear: if you want better decisions, you need better inputs. The team embraced it. What began as a systems upgrade became a mindset shift — and every part of the organisation got involved.
Planograms with purpose
Operations Manager Andy Skipper had spent nearly 40 years serving NVCS customers. He knew their habits well, and at first, he was sceptical about applying standardised planograms.
“I was against planograms at first—we’re not London or Manchester. Each machine, each site, is different.”
But Vendmanager helped NVCS make the concept work on their terms. By using sales data and field feedback, they developed flexible planograms tailored to local preferences — rather than imposing a rigid format.
“Then we worked out the right way to make planograms and Vendmanager work for us. Now we recognise changes earlier and respond better.”
That data-led approach lets Andy and his team identify slow sellers, rotate stock more efficiently, and meet customer expectations more precisely — especially as those tastes continue to evolve.
Making every van visit count
For early-morning operators like Kim Woodhouse and Jason Galleymore, the system is all about speed and simplicity. Jason starts at 2am to stay ahead of traffic. Kim — who came to NVCS without ever having used a smartphone — was trained from the ground up.
“Before Datakey, I just wrote things down on bits of paper,” Kim says. “So it is a big improvement.”
Jason adds: “I like Datakey especially because I just go in and plug in — I don’t have to pull every shelf out.”
They’re both fans of the SBS support team, too: “The support line opens at 6am —and that suits me,” Jason says with a smile. For field teams, that responsiveness matters. When issues arise, they get help fast—without slowing down their day.
The operators’ experience proves a core Vendmanager value: when tech is simple, it gets used. And when it gets used, the whole system works better.
Running a smarter office
Laura Cahill, Office Manager, sees the data from a different angle. She oversees everything from site records to pricing and purchasing. For her, the value of Vendmanager lies in the clarity it provides.
“Numbers don’t lie. I like to listen to people. Then I check the verbal information against the actual data.”
That blend of human context and system insight helps her catch problems early, make better calls, and challenge assumptions productively.
“Set things up correctly. And rigorously,” she advises. “Make sure it’s a real team effort. Quality decisions can only be based on quality input/output.”
Laura runs trials, analyses site performance, and monitors trends to support smarter buying and service planning. Whether it’s testing a new snack line or refining a pricing model, she trusts the system to tell the truth.
Smarter service, better scheduling
As Service Controller, Dave Boden manages a large team of engineers across a wide and complex region. Vendmanager helps him maintain service standards while juggling a steady stream of requests, breakdowns, and routine calls.
“With Vendmanager, our service has improved, our invoicing is more accurate and we are scheduling things (filter changes for example) so they are better and faster.”
He also points to small interface details that make a big difference — like Vendmanager’s colour-coded status displays.
“The colour coding on the Vendmanager displays is another good example: yellow, white or green, showing each person what the status is in a no-nonsense way. Easy.”
And stock control? That’s been transformed too.
“Accuracy is now paramount. Inputting data that is correct and complete — that will always require attention to detail from us. But you can see the payback in terms of cost effectiveness.”
By combining automation with human oversight, the team has tightened operations and reduced waste — without adding complexity.
Innovation from the inside out
David Hurn has seen more than most. As a technical advisor and former full-timer, he brings decades of experience to NVCS. But he’s not content to sit back and reminisce.
One of David’s key contributions was helping design and build a Datakey cable testing box. This in-house solution has now been used to assemble and check over 700 cables — cutting costs, improving quality, and reducing downtime.
His philosophy is hands-on, practical, and collaborative. And his respect for SBS is clear:
“The best thing about SB Software? You don’t treat us like children. Others have tried that. We didn’t like it, and your way is better.”
One team, one system
If NVCS had a motto, it could be this: work together, improve together. That ethos is reflected in how they use Vendmanager — not just as a tool, but as a shared language for the business.
They insisted on a full 8-hour rolling demo before choosing the system. Why? Because they wanted to see how it would perform in the real world, with real people, under real pressure. It passed the test.
Since then, every department has found ways to make the system their own. Whether it’s tailoring reports, adapting planograms, or fine-tuning service KPIs, the result is the same: better outcomes, faster decisions, and stronger alignment.
At NVCS, the power isn’t just in the group—it’s in how that group uses the data.
Fast facts:
- NVCS adopted Vendmanager in 2020, building real-time data into every part of the business.
- Planograms were customised to local tastes using field sales data.
- Operators use Datakey to reduce manual work and speed up fills.
- In-house innovation, like Datakey cable testing, keeps NVCS lean and agile.
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