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VENDING MACHINE SUPERVISION
In most ships, vending machines area valuable
asset to any ship’s store operation because they
generate a substantial part of the ship’s store
profits. The high-profit capability of vending
machines makes it possible for your ship’s store
to sell necessity items with a low markup to the
crew. At the same time, you can still obtain the
profit objectives set up by the commanding
officer. In the cup-type soft drink vending
machine, the processing of the syrup, water, and
CO2 gas is done by the machine. In the other type
of machine, the product—whether it is a canned
drink, candy bar, or package of cigarettes—
requires no further processing. Consequently, the
machines with finished products are merely ex-
tensions of the retail store operation. You, as a
leading Ship’s Serviceman, will be responsible for
supervising the operation of the vending
machines. The areas with which you will be con-
cerned are discussed below.
MECHANICAL PROBLEMS
Vending machines are usually not built to the
standards of most shipboard equipment. The
erratic movement of some ships may trigger
mechanical problems in some types of vending
machines. The usual abuse inflicted on the
machines by irate patrons will also contribute to
mechanical failure. When you are supervising the
operation of vending machines, you can expect
a certain amount of mechanical failure to occur.
Whenever your machines need repairing, you
can procure the services you need through a com-
mercial or Navy exchange repair service. You
must use an Order for Supplies or Services/Re-
quest for Quotations (DD 1155) to procure these
services. The services should be a direct charge
to Ship’s Store Profits, Navy (SSPN), functional
account 75400.
On some ships, you may find vending machine
repair parts already in stock. On the other hand,
because of the variety of problems suffered by
vending machines aboard ship, you may not be
able to anticipate all the repair parts your
machines will need. The vending machine parts
your ship should carry in stock are coin changers,
name labels, and bulbs. You should rely upon the
repair service representative to furnish items such
as springs, latches, bolts, and nuts.
Although you may have a wealth of technical
talent in the personnel aboard your ship, you will
have no guarantee that even one of your members
will be able to repair a broken vending machine.
Some of the soda contractors for soda vending
machines may be aware of your need to have
trained people on hand. For this reason, some
contractors will occasionally hold vending
machine repair schools in various home ports. The
NAVRESSO fleet assistance team in your area will
announce when these schools are available. Try
to schedule your Ship’s Serviceman in charge of
vending machines for these training sessions. Most
of the repair parts representatives at the sessions
will furnish a list of common items you will need.
SERVICING PROBLEMS
Servicing your vending machines will be a con-
tinuous problem. To maintain sales volume, you
must keep the machines clean and supplied at all
times. The frequency of refilling will depend on
the number of machines you have on board and
the size of the crew.
Besides keeping the machines supplied, you
must see that certain cleanliness standards are
maintained. For example, if you happen to have
a cup-type vending machine as part of your ship’s
store operation, you should warn the operator to
be careful when the machine is being filled. Any
syrup that is spilled in the process will soon
attract insects. Daily cleaning of the cup-drop will
keep insects away and will help you to maintain
an attractive and sanitary appearance for your
customers. When the ship is underway, you may
notice a slight spilling when the drinks are
dispensed. Do not worry about this. This type of
spillage is normal aboard ship and will drain
into a container on the bottom of the machine.
VENDING MACHINE COST
CONTROLS
If you are the appointed collection agent or
if you are supervising the overall operation of
vending machines aboard your ship, you must
oversee the collection of cash from vending
machine sales. The cash collection procedures for
vending machine sales are similar to those used
for the retail store. However, you must record all
cash from vending machine sales separately from
sales made in the retail store and from those made
in the fountain. The information below will pro-
vide you with some general guidelines. You should
always consult the NAVSUP P-487 for details on
the currently recommended cost control pro-
cedures you must follow in the supervision of
vending machine operations.
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