01-2008 - The Last Word, or The V Word?
The following article, written by Vendia CEO, Mike Potts, appeared in the “Last Word” feature in the January 2008 edition of Auto Vending magazine.
In the beginning was the Word.
And the Word was Automatic Drink and Refreshment Dispense and Merchandising Systems. And the Word was complex, and long, and the people did reject it, and the people did not use it.
But then in the year of our Lord 215BC the Greek Mathematician Hero did see a shining star in the sky and he did pray to the Almighty and he did give thanks, for he could now see the light! And Hero did gather together the people and did say unto them “I am the Word. And the Word is “Vending”. Go forth and preach the Word.”
And the people did realise that the Word was simple, and that it was good, and they did rejoice and gave thanks to the Lord.
And since then… we’ve all been happy with the V Word…until recently. Recently, there have been rumblings…
It has been said that that the word Vending gives negative connotations of unreliable machines, which sell tasteless products, and which then keep the change. And there is talk about finding something newer, sexier, more in tune with the café culture mood of the moment that will lift our industry from that grey and negative image.
But I’m not so sure that it’s as simple as that.
My view is that the time has come to be proud of the V Word and end this talk of using something else.
After all, the rest of the world is embracing the word Vending. My French colleagues used to say “La Distribution Automatique”, now they say “le Vending”. Note that what was DA Expo has just been named Vending Paris 2008 (via DA Vending Expo last time). The Germans have always used the word Vending. The Chinese understand the word Vending – witness their exhibition “The China Vending Show 2008” and even the Middle East is embracing the V word through its own “Dubai Vend” exhibition. It would seem rather odd if we English abandoned the V word just as it is conquering the world! And none of that’s to mention the chosen name of this and many other fine industry publications as well as national and supra-national trade bodies: AVA, EVA and WVA…Only NAMA has gone another route, and guess what, how many people really know what N.A.M.A. stands for? In the end, the V Word is short and international and people know what it is.
But then there’s a more fundamental point to make. My perception in the UK and elsewhere is that today’s core generation of vending machine users have grown up with vending machines, and that their views of the V word are not as negative as some people think. They weren’t around in the early days of the vending industry and they value the convenience – and prices – of modern vending machines. They generally get perfectly good – sometimes excellent – products from today’s vending machines. And they very rarely lose their change these days.
If the word Vending has a poor image – and as I say above I’m not convinced it does – then at the end of the day it is the offer that changes perceptions, as many quality vending companies are successfully doing. Purely changing a name is not going to make a difference in itself.
Sure there are overlaps between vending and pour over, office coffee service, foodservice, catering and lots of other things… and “Vending” can sometimes seem a little narrow, but changing the name isn't gonna make it any clearer…if anything it will just add to the confusion.
And in any case what other word or words would we use instead – back to the dark ages of “Automatic Drink and Refreshment Dispense and Merchandising Systems”? Or even something like “Automatic Retailing” Nah! Even that’s too long and too complicated…everyone would just say “what’s that, you mean Vending?” And what would companies that use Vending in their name do? Manchester Refreshment Dispense Services? West Country Automatic Retailing? Doesn’t sound right to me. Or how about our staff: “I’m an Automatic Refreshment Dispense and Merchandising Solution Engineer”. “You’re what?”…It won’t catch on.
I'm all for learning from the high street - they've done a great job in recent years, and vending is a retailing activity…but lets see ourselves as a proud part of the retailing industry and stick with the vending name. Until we see butchers claiming to be meat merchandisers and cafés becoming hunger and thirst turnaround consultants, I’m for sticking with the V word.
This week I came across a shiatsu automatic massage chair business for sale…what was the headline "Vending Business for Sale"!!
Now that sounds like we’ve finally arrived!
Vendia UK Ltd is one of the largest beverage and snack vending companies in the UK. It is part of the international Vendia Group which is based in Holland and also has vending operations in France.
Vendia’s unique strength is its network of strong local operating companies and management teams, who leverage their regional knowledge and experience to deliver better products and services, whatever the required vending package. Vendia companies have particularly strong knowledge and experience in five market sectors: Leisure, Business, Education, Public Service and Retail.
The company is based at:
17 Rufus Business Centre
Ravensbury Terrace
London
SW18 4RL
United Kingdom
T : +44 (0) 20 8879 8354
F : +44 (0) 870 762 8985
www.vendia-group.com
info@vendia-group.com