Tag: Technology

Coffee … the most important “meal” of the day!

DYK: that in the U.S. 54% of adults drink coffee every day?

DYK: that in 2017 the average price for a cup of coffee in the U.S. is $2.70?

DYK: that the total average of money spent on coffee each year by a coffee drinker is $164.71?

30 Million Americans drink specialty beverages such as lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, etc.

34% of coffee drinkers go to premium coffee places and to get their coffee.

Employees lose 20 to 60 minutes of their work day when they take a coffee run. 

Specialty coffee is an $18B industry in the U.S.

Stats from http://www.statisticbrain.com/coffee-drinking-statistics/

Capture those sales in your market by providing specialty coffee single-brew services! Good news is, we’ve already done all of the taste-testing for you … okay, we enjoyed it a little …. maybe A LOT!  But we can proudly say that we’ve partnered with the best!

Check out our Newco single cup and specialty brewers to help you capture lost revenue in your market! SHOP HERE

Sign up with PodPack for great coffee, great prices, and customized branding options. Oh, and don’t forget to tell them you are with Three Square Market for a great FREE $100 value starter kit!

Have questions? Don’t hesitate to reach out! Our sales staff can help you make the right decision for your market to capture that top 5 beverage sale you may be missing out on!

KurkJ@32Market.com
DaveL@32Market.com

Have a little time? Watch this hilarious video by Chris Wauben about his love for coffee!

Add markets by changing your outlook!

You’ve seen the post that projects significant growth in micro markets year after year! But as the competition increases finding just the right location can become difficult! Revamp your market thinking and find ways to locations that aren’t just the norm.

Smaller locations can be successful too! Three Square Market has had successful markets of 35 employees or less since 2013. And here is how we do it and why …

Why? Because there is limitless potential in businesses of 15 – 75 employees!

How? Small office, think small market! At 32M, we added the Tablet kiosk in 2014 and subsequent small kiosk models to improve on the small market opportunity. Most other kiosk providers have over the years adjusted to the small kiosk movement as well.  Essentially, the smaller kiosk incurs a smaller start-up cost and has a smaller footprint.

Taking it to the next step … mobile apps! That’s right, you’ve heard us say it before but as the originator of the mobile app for micro markets, we think this is a BIG deal! A kiosk in every hand can only increase the number of transactions your market can handle at any point in time! 

Making it work for you? 

Find an appropriate location for your smaller markets, because these markets require your attention just like your larger markets.  To be successful you need to be active in regularly servicing your small markets. We suggest that you look for small locations that surround your larger or existing markets.

As always, cleanliness and filled, faced products in your market is imperative in keeping your market desirable. Micro markets with low product selections or look messy tend to have a difficult time retaining and drawing in purchases. It is worth the investment in your product stock to keep your markets looking fully stocked and orderly.

Your product selection? As we know fresh food items are a key to success in micro markets and we aren’t saying you should immediately count these products out, but here are a few things you can consider if you feel like fresh items are not working at these locations.

  1. Trendy products like protein bars and drinks, kefir, kombucha, high-end frozen products. Remember you want to make your market significantly different from what they would have had with vending machines.
  2. Location subsidizing costs – although this option might not work for all locations it never hurts to see what locations are willing to do for their employees. Remember that employers are looking for low-cost ways to add high-value employee benefits.
  3. Route management and pre-kitting, the more you are on top of your markets and very involved with products, product rotation, and expiration management with promotions to move products when necessary.

Be creative!

Small location means your probably putting in a small sized market! Check out this new cooler/freezer combo options from Minus Forty! We think it’s really cool and the perfect addition to our mini market solution! Don’t shy away from the challenge! Remember … hard work pays off!

 

What Coffee Brewer is right for you?

Half-full? Half-empty? These options will help your cup ‘runneth over’! 

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There are a lot of options on the market for micro market operators, and it’s easy to pick based on just one piece of information … BUT don’t get trapped by picking the lowest cost or the highest retail price point! Just because something is the lowest price often times doesn’t mean it’s the best value.  Let’s take a look!

See our Comparison Chart Here: http://bit.ly/2yT76wW

  1. Your standard cup brewer (Any single-serve machine)
    The positives: low-cost investment, low maintenance, popular products.
    The negatives: This brewer is the same as many household single-serve brewers. Low originality can lose you a large percentage of sales, short life-span, a high cost of product = low-profit margins.
    Where do we recommend?: We recommend using these machines as a trial coffee solution or in very small office settings. 
  2.  The medium level coffee brewer (Our favorite is Newco)
    The positives: medium-cost investment, very low cost of products, high-quality output, and the highest profit margins. 
    The negatives: increased maintenance and the cost of entry can be daunting for a first timer.
    Where do we recommend using it?: We recommend using these in medium to large markets, and even small markets with high coffee consumption. These are the top-rated employer-paid OCS solution coffee makers as chosen by your peers! Overall, this is a great machine for any market setting!
  3. The high-level coffee brewer (We use Bravilor Bonamat, straight from our European operators to you!)
    The positive: Quality, quality quality.
    The negatives: High cost of entry, involved maintenance.
    Where do we recommend using it?: We recommend this option anywhere you have discerning coffee drinkers. It’s great for both medium and large markets and can definitely keep up with volume output. You can schedule maintenance alerts and the machine does a lot of the work for you. This coffee maker has top-notch quality coffee and specialty coffee products. If you’re competing with local coffee houses, this is the way to go! You can price your products under the expensive chains but still, make a great profit margin!

Bottom-line: There are a lot of great options and any one of them might be right for you. Make sure you think about your clients, your locations, your business owner, the long-term, and your schedule before you make the choice that is right for you. AND if you need help … we’re here for you! 

Need to know more?
Want to chat with our staff? 
Want to get started right away?

KurkDaveCurt

 

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.

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 Age Old Question: what IS a micro market?

In researching for this blog, I’ve read a lot of opinions on what a micro market is … and reality is, they are right. A micro market IS what you need it to be.

You see, the very best part of a micro market is its flexibility. Micro markets were developed as an alternative to vending, and unlike their rigid counterpart, micro market’s are flexible, customizable, creative, changing, individual, etc.

Definition: “A micro market is a small, self-contained store in a location without an employee to monitor it. It’s comprised of freestanding storage, such as shelves, that hold a product and a checkout system available nearby. This means that there is no machine that vends the product, but the system is autonomous like a vending machine.”

Yes, it is all of that. However, this definition doesn’t really describe what a micro market truly stands for, what its purpose is?

A micro market is freedom, to choose any product that works for your set of clients in a specific location.

A micro market is beneficial,  to a business by creating an atmosphere for increased performance and productivity in their employees.

A micro market is opportunity, to employees who struggle to find appropriate options on their limited time during the work day.  Opportunity for an operator to grow their business by providing better options to their clients.

A micro market is advancement, depending on your technology an operator’s micro market system will help them advance their product selection, par levels, and maximize their profit through automation.

A micro market is innovation, sure some locations are happy with vending for now. But as workers change so will their needs and wants. The next generation grew up with and expects the latest innovations and technology.

So let’s really break it down …

For an operator, a micro market is the opportunity to: increase their revenue, utilize advanced payment and reporting technology, automate ordering and par levels, & grow their number of serviced locations. 

 

For a business, a micro market is a beautiful addition to their location that not only improves employee morale, productivity, and access to healthy foods throughout the day but is an added bonus for employees that can be used in recruiting and retaining efforts.

For a market user, a micro market is the chance to find products they actually want throughout the day without having to leave their location, and the ability to use the payment avenue that works best for them. 

 

A micro market IS … what you need it to be. 

 

Interested in micro markets? For your business? As an operator? Want to sell your boss on the idea? Fill out this form and we will get a hold of you!

 

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

Selling Technology with Technology!

As we enter 2015 … Technology has an obvious leading role in our lives.  From Smartphones with any app add-on a person could dream of  –  to vehicles with their own traveling WiFi, our lives revolve around instant gratification from technology.

As a business we sell the ability to take a companies break room into the latest of technological advancements.  Why wouldn’t we be selling technology with technology???

If you aren’t already aware of these online hosted please get to know them and use them in your sale!  Bookmark them on your laptop, tablet & smartphone!

Why 32M? 

What Is a Micro Market?

The Mobile App

Customization

As we all know, technological advancements come at lightning speed – we do our best to stay on top of updating our online tools for you, but if you notice any changes that these slide shows require please do not hesitate to contact us! KatyH@32Market.com

Additionally, if you like this tool and would like to create your own online shows –  Slid.Es is a free tool for your use online, just simply create a profile and start developing your presentation!

Have a Happy Tech-Savvy New Year!

Katy