If your property has any damaged vending machines, you should consider investing in vending machine repair rather than going straight to purchasing a new machine. There are professionals that specialize in refurbishing vending machines and restoring them to high-quality usable condition—an option that is much more affordable and less of an inconvenience than getting an entirely new machine.
Here’s a quick guide of what you should know about how to fix a broken vending machine and when you should call in a specialist for vending machine repairs:
Restoring your vending machine’s condition
The processes used in restoring a vending machine can vary depending on the specific problem you face but usually will involve pulling out the parts of the machine, replacing the damaged ones, repainting everything and adding new finishes to the exterior.
What exactly can go wrong with a vending machine? Here’s a look at some of the possibilities:
- Coin and mechanism problems: After a long period of regular usage, a vending machine’s inner mechanisms may stop accepting money. You can try to prevent this issue by regularly cleaning the dollar and coin paths; however, with a long enough period of operation this is likely to occur even with well-maintained vending machines. When this finally happens to you, you may need to invest in some repairs or refurbishment of the machine.
- Changer issues: You might run into problems with the vending machine not giving correct change or any change at all. One of the methods repair specialists are using to combat this issue is to upgrade vending machines to the latest MDB (Multi-Drop Bus) standards, which involves upgrading the changer and validator.
- Delivery issues: Perhaps the most commonly thought of vending machine issue is when a customer pays for an item, but then the machine does not give that item. No matter how much the customer shakes or smacks the machine, the item simply will not drop. Upgrades to MDB standards typically involve ensuring guaranteed delivery in the machine. This includes the use of a forcefield that tells the vending machine the customer received his or her product in the delivery bin. If the product does not drop through the guaranteed delivery forcefield, the machine will then prompt the customer to once again send a request through the system.
- Electronic issues: At some point, you may begin having issues with the electronic functions on a vending machine, which can make it difficult or impossible for customers to select the items they want. Vending machine repairs often involve fixing electronic and computing problems to ensure customers still have control over the system.
- Display issues: Whether your displays are outdated or no longer working, it can be a good idea to have a vending machine repair specialist enhance your product display. This will do more to entice buyers and increase your sales and will be an investment that lasts for years.
For more information about how to fix a broken vending machine and when to call in an expert, contact us at VSI Vending & Coffee Services with your questions.