Category: Features and Updates

Blogs We Love: VendingMarketWatch.com 10 Reasons Micro Markets are better than Cafeterias!

Here’s another blog we love!  We hope you love it too … 

10 Reasons Why a Micro Market is Better than a CafeteriaMarket vs. Cafeteria

By VendingMarketWatch.com

1. It’s Employee Paid. Offering food and drinks to employees is a powerful benefit for companies looking to attract and retain good quality workers. However, food budgets can be hard to prove return on investment for in some areas. The retiring of the foodservice decision maker or an uncertain corporate climate can affect cafeterias, cafes and pantry service. The new person or board might feel the money would be better spent elsewhere. Conversely, because the capital outlay by the location for a micro market is zero, it is less affected by budgets and executives.

2. It’s Grab and Go. At work, people are searching for quick, convenient eating options. There is more snacking and fewer sit down meals during a workday, which means micro markets are a great option. The service is 24-7, giving everyone the flexibility to snack when they need an energy boost and everything is prepackaged for easy shopping of ingredients.

3. It’s Fewer Upfront Costs. Cafeterias require a number of additional upfront costs including grills, washing stations, food temperature logs, walk-in coolers, etc. Micro markets are much simpler, with a comparatively low upfront equipment cost. A micro market needs a few coolers, shelving, a kiosk and internet connection. Any add-ons can be discussed with the location and purchased by them to add that positive employee experience they want to create in the space.

4. It Allows Bulk Buying. Since micro markets use so many prepackaged products that can be used in vending and other markets, it increases the volume of items operators order, allowing them to get better pricing from the suppliers. A great purchasing manager can also work to take advantage of special offers and rebates. This can enable micro market operators to tie in better-priced products to on-site promotions that will drive sales at each location.

5. It Offers Cost Balance. While fresh food is a key component of both cafeterias and micro markets, cafeterias rely more heavily on their food offerings. Food means waste and a smaller margin. Micro markets, on the other hand, allow operators to provide a good mix of food options and shelf-stable products, such as bagged breakfast items and treats. Micro markets can even include non-edibles options that employees crave, such as small electronics or smartphone chargers.

6. It Serves A Wider Range Of Locations. Unlike cafeterias that require a few hundred employees on site, a micro market can be successful with between 100 to 200. It’s a much more flexible option with what type of checkout is available, including full, freestanding kiosks to small, tablet-based checkout that can be placed on a counter next to a small shelf and cooler combo. Micro markets also work in a broad range of businesses from manufacturing to offices.

7. It Requires No Additional Staff Onsite. Having a cafeteria means having staff on site. From cooks to cashiers, it’s more people to hire, train and manage. Comparatively, a micro market requires a route driver and support staff, people who are already on the payroll at an operation. There is no staff required to keep it open, yet a micro market offers more hours of operation to the employees making it a worthwhile benefit.

8. It Includes Supported Marketing Efforts.Consumers love getting a deal, especially when it’s a product they enjoy eating. With new features being added by micro market suppliers, promotions, special pricing, and loyalty programs are easier than ever to schedule. Many micro markets have built-in programs operators can simply turn on and off. Others have special relationships with suppliers for great partnerships. Either way, micro markets make marketing easier and more engaging with customer-focused apps and interactive touchscreens.

9. It Means No Waiting In Line. Everything is made ahead of time and prepackaged, eliminating lines of people waiting to order or for their items to be cooked. Micro market customers can just browse the selections and make a purchase. Many even offer mobile checkout apps to eliminate

the queue at the kiosk. It also encourages repeat business during the day. After all, it’s much more inviting to purchase a pack of gum in the afternoon if you know it will be a quick checkout than waiting in line for the cashier to ring up other employees.

10. It Requires A Smaller Footprint. Unlike cafes and cafeterias that need food prep and storage areas, micro markets are all about product display and sales. The configuration, number of coolers, kiosk placement, type of shelving and even how the equipment is powered is flexible. It’s a solution that adapts to locations large or small much more easily than a foodservice solution. It’s scalable as well – a solution that can grow with a company.

 

Kudos Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com, we agree! Micro markets have a lot of great components that cafeterias alone don’t have!

Blogs We Love! …

Here’s a great blog from the Staff at Vending Market Watch back in 2016!  It may be older, but it’s still very much relevant.  Take a look … 

THE 5 MUSTS OF SELLING NEW PRODUCTS IN YOUR MICRO MARKET

The ins and outs of introducing new snacks into micro markets.

By STAFF at VendingMarketWatch.com

New Products

Snacking has been steadily growing over the past several years. According to new Technomic research 83 percent of consumers in 2016 snack on a daily basis, which is 7 percent higher than previous years. This is great news for micro market operators because one of the best things about micro markets is the variety of snacking options available for operators to offer consumers. Unlike vending, micro markets have few, if any snack restrictions, and can be home to products of different sizes, multiple flavors, various dayparts and top-selling brands.

One big mistake micro market operators make is not introducing new snacks frequently enough, making a market feel stale. Without new, trendy and seasonal products, consumers just won’t come to shop. Here are the top 5 tricks of the trade micro market operators use to successfully introduce new options.

#1: LISTEN TO THE CLIENT

Micro market operators have the option of offering a much larger number of stock-keeping units (SKUs) compared to vending. But of the thousands or so new products introduced each year, how does a company decide which products to offer?

First and foremost new products need to meet a consumer demand. Operators should speak with clients about their specific requests and/or general desires. For example, many locations want to go healthy, asking for no salt or low sodium snacks, gluten-free chips, high protein energy bars and other very specific products. Other locations might just ask for granola bars, without the specifics of what they define as healthy. Find out what criteria will meet the need and seek out products from there.

Second, operators should consider hosting an open house and/or tasting event at the micro market. This not only creates excitement and brings people into the micro market, it allows for immediate feedback on the new products. Consumers love having their opinion matter, so try asking them to vote on the new micro market items they like best. Work those items in during the next round of new product introductions. Ever-changing consumer snacking trends mean operators should, on a consistent basis, discuss new product introductions with clients.

#2: INTRODUCE NEW ITEMS IN A TIMELY MANNER

Once you know generally the type of items a location wants, the next question becomes, how often should you introduce new products? There is no magic number or timeframe used by every operator. Some operators attempt to receive at least two new items per week across all categories. This requires reviewing the distributor’s ordering guide continuously and strict warehouse management of all the new SKUs.

Other operators introduce one to two items per month, keeping the micro market fresh and new without there being a continuous turnover of new products. Review rebate offers and manufacturer promotions for ideas, but also make sure the items meet location requests or demographic preferences.

Designate a certain number of SKUs as NEW, and use those to track your rotation of new items or assign the management of new SKUs to a specific warehouse supervisor to ensure you can regularly and efficiently refresh the micro market product line.

#3: PROMOTE THE NEW PRODUCT

There are several ways to emphasize new products in micro markets; in a cooler or on a shelf operators can hang a brightly colored tag reading “new” or use a static cling. Using a tag or cling means the product can reside with other ‘like’ items while remaining distinguishable and drawing the consumer’s eye. New products can also be placed in a space on their own near the entrance of the micro market, letting consumers know immediately that the market has been ‘refreshed’ with new items.

Another way of promoting new products is utilizing digital advertising and displaying new items on monitors and kiosks. Since all consumers need to use the kiosk to pay, an operator can be sure the new product marketing message is being seen by market users.

Some micro market systems also allow operators to send customers direct email, which is a great way to market new products. However, don’t inundate a person’s inbox or they will block you. Also, it’s a good idea to offer promotions around new products in emails and other marketing messages, such as bundling for a discount or a buy one, get one offer. This has been shown to raise awareness and sales of new products.

#4: REVISIT PAST PRODUCTS

Just because a product didn’t sell well once, doesn’t mean it won’t sell well in the future. Reviving products back into a micro market can have a positive effect on sales. If a location begins requesting an item that was previously tried, operators should consider reintroducing the product. Management and clientele changes or the evolution of snacking trends can mean a product that did not meet consumer needs a few months ago could generate incremental sales today.

Also, look at different varieties and sizes of products that are being requested again. Perhaps the item suffered due to a lower perceived value. Talk to the location, ask for specifics about the product; brand, flavor, package size, etc. You could uncover that a larger (or smaller) bag would be more welcome, or opting for a more trendy superfood ingredient makes a difference.

#5: REVIEW THE NUMBERS

Data is king when it comes to introducing new products. In fact, data lets operators know which new products are moving and those that need to be replaced or moved. Because of the massive amount of products and ever-changing consumer snacking trends, it’s important to do at least weekly inventory management of products, regardless of how many new product introductions an operator makes. By reviewing the data, operators can make room for new products as well as removing, re-pricing or repositioning items that aren’t selling.

Repositioning items can be especially helpful for increasing the sale of new items. Try adding a display at the kiosk to increase impulse purchases of the new item, or draw attention to it. Or try reorganizing the snack display, giving the new items more prominence. Benchmark the sales data before and after the change, to ensure sales are increasing, as well as not adversely affecting sales of other items.

New snack offerings in micro markets can revitalize market sales and bring excitement; operators should be sure to place the same amount of attention on new product introduction and selection as they did to the micro market when it first opened.

Experience Excellence in Customer Service

Ever dealt with frustrating customer service in your lifetime?
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That’s why great customer service is SO important to us! In fact, we’ve even included it in our mission … At Three Square Market, our mission is to RISE to success through Relentless Innovation, Service, and Execution.  And we think our customer service does just that! 

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Experience excellence in customer service with 32M!

If you’ve ever called our service line you probably have gotten to know one or more of our amazing service team members.  They are great at their job, aren’t they?!  If you haven’t had the chance to get to know these amazing people, take a look below at some of their answers to a fun questionnaire! Because well … they rock!

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Get to Know Our Team!

Courtney: 

What people say about Courtney: Courtney excels brilliantly at the technical part of her job – she is friendly and efficient. There is nothing she can’t solve.

What is the greatest piece of advice a parent or mentor has given you?  

Treat other the way that you want to be treated.  

What technological innovation has made the most impact on your life?

Cell phones.

What is one important skill every person should have?

Kindness.

What is your favorite sport to watch?

Bass Fishing.

Jack: 

What people say about Jack: Jack is the nicest fellow you will ever meet! He is the first person to jump in and assist wherever he is needed.

What is the best perk that you have had at a job? 

Freedom to drive a 40′ motorhome and workshop trailer to installs … this job. 

What is the best vacation you’ve ever had? 

South Dakota when my kids were young. 

What is one word that you would use to describe your team? 

Awesome.

What is one thing you admire most about the person who sits to the right of you? 

How she covers so many functions in the company and cares about her team. 

 

James: 

What do people say about James? James is very disciplined and factual. He works at a high-level and can always be counted on to get the issues resolved or tasks finished.

Who would you most like to swap places with for a day?

My dog, eat and then sleep most of the day. What a life. 

What is the best meal you have ever had? 

After my first firefight, we got back from a 12-hour + mission, just exhausted. I don’t even remember what it was … probably chicken or goat. 

What is the most helpful way for you to get feedback? 

Anyway, works, direct, counseling, doesn’t matter. 

Who is your least favorite superhero? 

Superman, he has like every superpower which is not appealing,
and he has issues handling Lex Luthor. 

Jeremy:

What people say about Jeremy: Jeremy is our most Senior Account Executive and is relied upon for his knowledge of computers. He handles some of our
most difficult technical issues with ease.

Choose a movie title for the story of your life. 

Fixing Computers (a documentary)

What was your favorite toy as a kid? 

Cap gun. 

What is the nerdiest thing you do in your spare time? 

Fixing other people’s computers. 

What is your favorite cereal? 

Pops. 

Juliana:

What people say about Juliana: Juliana is the team’s expert on both 32M and TKC. She is very out-going and quick to remember customer facts – who their spouses are, who their children are, etc. and our customers love it!

Who inspires you? 

People who work to achieve their goals and do not give up. Those who do not step on other people to get where they are going. Those who are kind and compassionate.

What was the best concert you’ve been to? 

Skillet and Through Foot Krutch

What are you passionate about? 

My kids, school, work.

What is the coolest thing you’re working on right now? 

I am remodeling my bathroom and writing my own website.

Nick: 

What people say about Nick: Nick is new to the team, but is quickly becoming an expert! He is intelligent, ambitious, and has a bright future in the company.

What are your professional dreams?

To work my way up to either Network or System Administration

What are your hobbies? 

Hunting, shooting, fishing, working on cars and working on the farm.

Do you have any pets? 

Two cats and a black lab

What is something no one would suspect about you? 

I was a part of the first team in Wisconsin to sign up for the Wisconsin State High School Clay Target League, and we went on to be the first state champions, champions again my Junior year, and All-State my senior year.

David: 

What people say about David: David is learning the ins and outs of computer setup. He has a nice presence on the phone with customers.

Tell us about yourself.

I like playing music live (DJing) and I am passionate about customer service. 

What is your favorite movie?

Monte Python’s Search for the Holy Grail

What are you watching on Netflix? 

Documentaries mostly but I binge watch Family guy too. 

What is the coolest thing you are working on right now? 

I’m working on obtaining the Comp Tia’s A+ computer certification and
eventually a computer science degree. 

 

 

As you can see – technology, kindness, and service are all very important and prevalent qualities that our team members admire and evoke, and a little bit of fun too ;).  We hope you enjoyed getting to know our team members a little bit better!

32M Microchips Employees Company-Wide

Three Square Market will become the first U.S. company to provide implanted microchip technology to their employees.
Chip Implant to be used by 32M
Chip Implant to be used by 32M

RIVER FALLS, Wis. – July 20, 2017 – PRLog — Three Square Market (32M) is offering implanted chip technology to all of their employees on August 1st, 2017. Employees will be implanted with a RFID chip allowing them to make purchases in their break room micro market, open doors, login to computers, use the copy machine, etc.  This program, offered by 32M, is optional for all employees. The company is expecting over 50 staff members to be voluntarily chipped.  32M is partnering with BioHax International and Jowan Osterland, CEO, based out of Sweden.

RFID technology or Radio-Frequency Identification uses electromagnetic fields to identify electronically stored information. Often referred to as “chip” technology, this option has become very popular in the European marketplace. The chip implant uses near-field communications (NFC); the same technology used in contactless credit cards and mobile payments. A chip is implanted between the thumb and forefinger underneath the skin within seconds.

A micro market, also known as a break room market, has become a staple in the U.S. with over 20,000 locations and growing.  While in existence for over a decade in the American workplace, the international community began to embrace this only a few years ago.  A micro market is a mini convenience store located right in the employee break room using a self-checkout kiosk, similar to what is found at many major retailers.  Businesses see multiple benefits when adding a micro market to their location, such as increased employee morale and productivity. 32M entered this growing industry over four years ago and is rapidly growing in market share and believes this technology will help it continue this trajectory.

“We foresee the use of RFID technology to drive everything from making purchases in our office break room market, opening doors, use of copy machines, logging into our office computers, unlocking phones, sharing business cards, storing medical/health information, and used as payment at other RFID terminals.  Eventually, this technology will become standardized allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc.” commented 32M CEO, Todd Westby.

“When working with our operators over in Europe, we came across a company of chipped employees at BioHax International and the concept of using RFID with micro markets quickly grew,” commented 32M VP of International Sales, Tony Danna.  “We see chip technology as the next evolution in payment systems, much like micro markets have steadily replaced vending machines. As a leader in micro market technology, it is important that 32M continues leading the way with advancements such as chip implants” added Mr. Westby.

“The international market place is wide-open and we believe that the future trajectory of total market share is going to be driven by who captures this arena first,” said 32M COO Patrick McMullan.  “Europe is far more advanced in mobile and chip technology usage than the U.S. and we are thrilled with the growth opportunity this enhancement will bring to us.  Thanks to our market partners in Sweden, we met this innovative company and look forward to working with them to take our market share to another level.”

32M is envisioning this technology to help it grow its other self-checkout businesses.  “We see this as another payment and identification option that not only can be used in our markets but our other self-checkout / self-service applications that we are now deploying which include convenience stores and fitness centers,” added Mr. McMullan.

Employees will be chipped at the 32M inaugural “chip party” hosted at their headquarters in River Falls, WI on August 1, 2017.

32M based in River Falls, WI, is considered a leader in micro market technology.  With its’ patented technology and industry-leading smart phone application and inventory intelligence, 32M has grown to over 2,000 kiosks in operation in nearly 20 different countries plus it operates over 6,000 kiosks in its’ corrections industry business, TurnKey Corrections. For more information on 32M visit http://www.32Market.com or http://www.BreakRoomRehab.com or follow them on Twitter, @32Market, on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn by typing in 32Market.

BioHax International is a company based in Sweden on the forefront of implanted chip technology. Osterland was recently a guest speaker on the TED Talks. Visit http://www.BioHaxSweden.com for additional information.

32M is inviting the press to attended and partake in the event on August 1st, 2017 at 11 AM CST in River Falls, WI for more information please contact 32M directly.

Pick & Ship

Another 32M exclusive feature! 

What is Pick & Ship?

Take a look at our brochure!

Pick & Ship is a unique feature of the 32M system, that you won’t find anywhere else. Using 32M’s Intelligent Inventory Management and your set route schedule, orders can be auto-generated to OUR warehouse … where your products are picked per store, boxed, and then shipped to YOUR selected location.

Saving you time and money! 

Just think … 

No Warehouse/Equipment Needs

No Employee Time Picking

No Wasted Time On-Site

Just the products you need. Delivered to your location!

Check out our video!

 

Why Use Pick & Ship?

For all the reasons listed above, with 32M’s Pick & Ship concept you can cut paid employee time, warehouse and vehicle costs.

You no longer need: 

  • Employees to pick and box store orders
  • Large warehouse spaces to store your products
  • Large vehicles for transportation of orders

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How it Works:

  1. Choose to use Pick & Ship by speaking with your sales person today

  2. Your agreement with 32M will determine your price level, etc. 

  3. We train you and do the work to set-up everything based on your par levels and route dates

  4. Receive your products at your designated location(s)

  5. Stock your shelves and enjoy the rest of your day!

 

Get started today by contacting your salesperson!

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Why 32M? Because PCI …

Why 32M? Well to be honest on this topic we could go on for days … But we won’t!
Here is one major reason why you should choose 32M:

Your transactions are safe with us!

Something we are super proud of is the time and effort we have put in to hold the highest level of PCI and PA-DSS certification in the industry.
That’s right the HIGHEST LEVEL! 

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What do PCI and PA-DSS mean? 

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is the set of rules established by the Payment Card Industry to protect cardholder information. PA-DSS was implemented in an effort to provide the definitive data standard for software vendors that develop payment applications. The standard aims to prevent developed payment applications for third parties from storing prohibited secure data including magnetic stripe, CVV2, or PIN. In that process, the standard also dictates that software vendors develop payment applications that are compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS).

Do small businesses need to be PCI Compliant?

PCI applies to all merchants who process credit or debit card transactions regardless of the size or number of transactions. Merchants must be able to demonstrate PCI compliance across all IT systems that store, transmit, or track cardholder data.

What’s the benefit of being PCI Compliant?

By making sure your business is PCI Compliant, you protect your customers’ personal data from breaches, prevent against unscheduled business downtime and ensure that customers trust your brand.

You also protect your business from paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties and fees that can include:
• Investigation of your point-of-sale (POS) system
• Non-compliance fines with VISA and MasterCard
• Reimbursement for purchases made using stolen cards
• Replacement for stolen credit cards
• Higher transaction fees from your bank

Want to learn more about 32M and what we can do for you?
Call our reliable sales staff below!

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A One-Stop-Shop

We are here for you … for everything you need for a micro market! Here are a few things that we offer, that you may not know about!

Products for your store! 

We have an entire section of our online store dedicated to “Stocking Your Store!” This category is filled with market worthy options that are proven in many existing 32Market stores.  Products like these can provide you a huge profit and your clients that items they’ve been looking for! Check these options out!

Equipment!

It’s true you can get equipment anywhere … but from 32M we not only have great prices but time tested products that we promise you will love!

Security and Internet!

That’s right, you can pick up these market essentials from our store rather than searching everywhere else. And bonus, we’ve tested them all and know that our options are the best product for you and come with great customer service! (OptConnect and Night Owl  – we’re looking at you!)

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Who can forget, Bundles!

Okay, we talk about this A LOT, but seriously, it’s the best price you’ll find anywhere to get your market started …. or add a second location to your already busy market in a large office.

Get your ENTIRE market for just:

Find a better price … we dare you. 🙂

Bottom line, we’re here for you … from the very beginning we put our customers first and always aim to have the best value and best products for our operators. Give it a shot and take a look at our web store: 32MarketStore.com

Plus, our amazing sales people are always just a phone call away …

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The “Barriers” to opening a micro market …

Micro markets can be intimidating to those who have not experienced them first-hand, but we are here to calm your fears!

The number 1 reason we hear for avoiding micro markets is, you guessed it, theft. Operators rightfully worry about theft of their inventory in an open-concept market.

While it’s true you can’t eliminate theft completely, over the years we’ve developed added protections against this, and can proudly say that less than 1% of our operators experience theft issues that need to be dealt with.  AND additionally, 100% of our operators have had our assistance and full support in dealing with it!

Theft deterrents from 32M: 

  • The Red X – We originated this feature over a year ago to make it very clear when a transaction is not completed properly.
  • Time-stamped images are taken of the person at the kiosk when a product is scanned but not purchased.
    • Pair this feature with your security camera systems and inventory, you’ll easily pinpoint any issues quickly.
  • Worried about mobile purchases? We’ve got you covered! Real-time reports list transactions for your market including the platform used (kiosk or mobile).

Take a look at our video about security features!

Another barrier we hear about is cost.  VendingSolutions.com, lists the average cost of a single vending machine at $3000 (snack) to $3600 (beverage).  Guess what, at 32M that’s also the average cost of a kiosk! Bonus, you only need one kiosk per market with our patented mobile application!

Let’s average it out! 

1 snack and 1 beverage machine at a location = approximately $6600 plus the cost of all product.

A micro market set up from 32M including kiosk, shelving cooler, cooler surround and select product package  = $5195 plus the cost of the remaining products.

Benefits of a micro market with 32M:

  • Credit/Debit acceptance
  • Automatic Inventory Management Software
  • Real-Time reporting
  • Pick for your store before being on-site (pre-kitting)
  • Monitor your market from anywhere at anytime
  • Start up costs are LESS than vending
  • So much more!

Learn about pre-kitting to save time and money, in our awesome video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpSSzf4SAXo

Save money, make money, and have happier clients! It’s really a no-brainer! 

32Market.com

Fill out this interest form to have our sales staff contact you!
Don’t forget your phone number if you would like to receive a call!

The Finishing Touch …

In 2016, we added fixtures to our All-In-One package from 32M and over the past year, it has become its own entity, 32F.  (Not to worry, we’re still a one-stop-shop for our micro market operators!!) With its industry best pricing and product, 32F has grown to be more than just for ‘our’ micro market operators, and we’re serious when we say it’s “the finishing touch.”

What does the finishing touch mean? 

  • the extra mile
  • bringing everything together
  • a polished look and feel
  • completing the look/project/space

As a micro market operator, you may be wondering why it’s important to add all these pieces to your market.  The answer is simple … in an attractive, clean, well set-up store customers are not only willing to spend more money, pay higher price points, but they are also more likely to come back.  And that is really the goal, isn’t it?

Micro markets are beneficially and attractive to business owners because give back their employees’ time. And time is really what we are all worried about, isn’t it?

Time=Money

Your time putting in the extra effort and finishing touches will win you more opportunities for markets making your business and their’s more profitable. To learn more about our finishing touches and how we can get you started … go to 32Fixtures.com or call your 32M sales rep!

715.386.2233