Over the years, there was always talk among operators about somehow using the front of a vending machine for advertising. Or maybe the little screen on a bean to cup brewer would work. Or – how about a monitor in a micro market? Ten years ago, it was just talk and it seemed like science fiction.

Today, advertising in micro markets and on other payment devices is a reality – and a nice profit center for operators. Leave it to the folks at 365 Retail Markets to deliver with an entity they call Advana.

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation, the podcast for the convenience services industry, host Bob Tullio looks at the explosive growth of micro market advertising. For Tullio, this podcast really belongs in the file that’s entitled - “I can’t believe this wasn’t available when I was operator.”

As Jacob McNulty from 365 put it, every operator starts out by pressing the easy button – allow advertising and watch the checks come in. It can get even better than that as revenue multiplies with more screens and supplier support.

While 365 Retail Markets is the advertising frontrunner with Advana – in this episode, Elyssa Steiner talks about the advertising program that Cantaloupe has brought to the table for their customers, leveraging the vast number of screens and devices in their network.

Either way – it’s a win for operators. In the podcast, Tullio asked McNulty, “Doesn’t this seem like a no brainer?” Allow advertising. Cash checks. He agreed.

That’s why Tullio calls it, “easy money.”

As co-owner of Quality Vending & Coffee, Dean Prather is a hard-working operator with 34 years in the business. His invention, Q-Tote, is having an impact on the micro market industry. Dave Marler of Lightspeed calls it a “game changer.” Beyond his work, he is driven by giving back in several directions.

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation, the podcast for the convenience services industry, Dean Prather talks to host Bob Tullio about the three things he is invested in – his employees, his customers and the community. It is Dean Prather – Part II.

Prather talks about his take on the coffee service industry and the fact that today, it is looking more and more like pantry service. He discusses his enthusiasm for one piece of equipment that he believes is the next big thing – a departure from his usually conservative approach to business.

Suppliers are critical to success and Prather identifies the key partners who have elevated his company. He explains the thought process behind Q-Tote and how the product, while not a perfect fit for every operator, is taking off.

Of course, he has his own recipe for the secret sauce that is perfectly in line with his approach to doing business.

Since the NAMA Show in May, while some operators are discouraged and turning away from coffee service, Bob Tullio has been beating the same drum, urging coffee service operators to ramp up their sales efforts.

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation, the podcast for the convenience services industry, Tullio looks at the upside and downside of the reality that OCS will never be the same – although, it’s hard to say “never” about anything in today’s world.

What really sparked this whole premise – that now is the time to ramp up the OCS sales effort, is some of the conversations Tullio had with OCS operators over the past several months. While there is plenty of frustration out there, selling OCS opens a tremendous amount of opportunity for operators because of one reason:

Selling OCS is the easiest way to get in front of a decision maker.

Jennifer Fox of Fox Vending, Jon Fishman, Tullio’s former business partner, Orrin Huebner, business consultant, Linda Saldana of Seventh Wave Refreshments, Kim Lenz from Associated Services and veteran operator, now retired, Tom Konop, all contributed to the content of this podcast.

In this conversation with Tullio and his panel of industry leaders, the message is clear:

Face to face on site engagement is key. Get in the door. Get in front of prospects. Double down on OCS selling. Take the road less travelled and enjoy the expanded opportunity that comes with being a committed OCS operator in this new office refreshment landscape.

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation, the podcast for the convenience services industry, host Bob Tullio sat down with Holiday House co-founders Butch and Lynn Winkler, partners for 48 in marriage and business, Barbara Russell, the vice president of sales and marketing for the company. You won’t believe what Barbara’s role was the first time she worked for Butch and Lynn.

This is a story of hard-working people who have evolved within an industry — in this case, the coffee service business. Butch and Lynn started as operators from 1981 to 1991, when they sold the company and launched Holiday House, selling a few plumbing parts.

Today, their massive catalog has products that serve 3900 operators and is growing. They are also the driving force behind the Holiday House Technician Training and Trade Show. Barbara Russell is the brainchild and quarterback of the event, which will take place from September 30 to October 2 at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, Calif.

It's a great story. Butch and Lynn share their journey, looking back and looking forward.

Dean Prather's story at Quality Vending & Coffee in Kansas City, might remind you of Jon Holden's story at All Star Services in Michigan. Proof that son-in-laws can be a great hire!

In this episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, Prather takes host Bob Tullio on a company tour of Quality Vending & Coffee, a company that has served the greater Kansas City metro area for decades. He also shares the company journey and his own personal route to becoming a prominent figure in the convenience services business. As it turns out – he has emerged as an inventor and his product is having a positive impact with operators around the country.

This is part one of a two-part episode, because once Dean Prather gets going in an interview, he has some excellent insights to offer. Part two will be released on Tuesday, September 3rd.

Like so many great companies - Quality Vending and Coffee was started in a garage. In 1991, Don Miceli and his late wife Jo Beth launched the company, a bold move following Don’s 30 years in the business working for Interstate United and another local independent operator. Don and Jo Beth decided it was time to do their own thing and they brought in their son Carl as well.

Less than a year into their new venture and with a growing list of accounts, Don reached out to his son-in-law, Dean Prather, about joining their team. Over 30 years later – Prather, now a co-owner, knows he made the right choice.

More than ever before, technology is being associated with vending and micro markets. For many, it seems to have all happened overnight, right after the pandemic. In reality, pioneers like Evan Jarecki have been at it for a decade.

Today’s episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation, the podcast for the convenience services industry, focuses on a company and industry leader who offers a classic entrepreneurial story. Host Bob Tullio talked to Evan Jarecki, CEO and co-founder of Georgia based Gimme Vending, a leading software company that builds management, delivery, and invoicing tools for micro markets and vending operators.

Gimme was built around three core values.

Empathy – caring deeply about their customers and how their teams operate.

Determination – not stopping until the job is done and being passionate about quality.

And Problem-Solving - embracing challenges and working with partners to find solutions.

Those core values have served the company well during what has been a very eventful 10-year ride. Jarecki shares his journey - the pivots, the milestones, the progress and how his product has evolved over the last decade. It’s a great listen - 15 minutes well spent - for operators, suppliers and entrepreneurs.

There are plenty of reasons why the Atlantic Coast Exposition — often known as ACE — has emerged as more than just a regional event. It attracts attendees from beyond their core states of North Carolina, Virginia and South Carolina.

In partnership with the Atlantic Coast Exposition, today’s episode of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast provides a preview of the upcoming “ACE in Space” event. Planned for October 10-12 in Myrtle Beach, S.C., ACE is where operators and suppliers from across the United States gather to attend educational sessions and see and show new products and equipment.

Podcast host Bob Tullio talked to Carl Moser, an industry veteran and currently a district manager for Canteen running the Forest City Branch attached to Canteen's Charlotte facility. Moser also is the chairperson of the 2024 Atlantic Coast Exposition, where the vending, office coffee, micro market and food service industry meets on the East Coast.

According to Moser, the show will offer quite a bit of fun, education and training as well as a compelling guest speaker — Astronaut Steve Smith — in its package of unparalleled networking opportunities. Listen to the podcast to get the inside scoop on what to expect at “ACE in Space.”

Every now and again, Bob Tullio, the host of Automatic Merchandiser’s Vending & OCS Nation podcast, steps out of the convenience services industry and talks to people who sell something else for a living to see if he can learn anything new about sales.

In this episode, Tullio talks to Angel Salvador, a Beverly Hills real estate professional who has hit some real-estate home runs with the Hollywood crowd, and Jerry Bolin, an agent himself and a long-time real estate coach who has mentored some top industry producers.

Let’s face it: If you are in sales, chances are, at some point, you said to yourself, “If this coffee service and vending thing or whatever you’re selling, doesn’t work out, I can always go sell real estate. That has to be like printing money, right? It’s easy.”

Well, as Bolin points out, just because they send you a real estate license in the mail, there’s no guarantee that the checks will follow.

Angel’s story is one of perseverance and determination. He and Jerry have learned a few lessons along the way and are happy to share along with some “real estate war stories.” There is one thing he learns every time he takes a journey outside the industry, Tullio notes. “The challenges we face in the convenience services business are not ours alone, and there is always something new to learn.”