VENDING TRACK / WEDNESDAY / DECEMBER 15, 2021 / 2:30 PM
Touchless Vending and Coffee Service Machines: Success Beyond COVID?
COVID-19 created a new customer demand for touchless interaction due to health concerns. However, the demand for touchless and contactless interaction continues to expand on account of the recent customer exposure. As a result, several equipment manufacturers developed touchless versions of their machines. A panel of convenience services operators will explain how they assess the current need for touchless technology and how they introduce it to customers.
PANELISTS
Gary Arwin | President | Gator Vending
Gary Arwin founder of Gator Vending is an innovator in the vending industry having been one of the first vending companies in the US to bring the use of cell phones to the vending industry. In early 2012 Gary began beta testing a new platform called Vuwi (Coin Free) on vending machines that allowed you to use your cell phone to make a purchase. Since then, Gary has used technology throughout his business to increase customer service, improve sales, increase efficiency, reduce costs and continually provide the best end user experience possible. Gary is passionate about using technology to it’s fullest for Gator Vending and helping others to do the same.
Albert Gonzalez | Operations Manager/Sales Manager | Best Office Coffee Service
Albert Gonzalez is operations and sales manager for Best Office Coffee Service in Miami, a coffee service operation serving South Florida. Albert and his father, Juan Gonzalez, formed the company in 2006 after working for other coffee service companies and grew it into one of the largest OCS players in South Florida. The company has focused on matching every customer with the proper type of brewer.
Michael Lovett | CEO | Capital Provisions
Michael Lovett is CEO of Capital Provisions, a breakroom food services provider in Southern California and also serves as a partner at Legend Capital, an investment fund focused on the convenience services industry that has made investments into over 100 vending operators. Michael’s work has included founding and serving operational roles at Vagabond, a technology provider, Legend Foods, an operator, and Capital Provisions. Prior to his time in the industry, Michael founded CirrusWorks, a network performance optimization company, and Critical Network Productions, a telecom systems integration business that was acquired by Swisscom, where Michael led the global enterprise solutions group.
MODERATOR
James Siggers | Head of Business Development | Invenda Group
James Siggers moved to Dubai from the U.K. to start his career with Tom James, the world’s largest custom clothing company. After three successful years running the Dubai office, James identified a need for a more sustainable approach to bespoke menswear and created Benjamin Siggers. The company quickly became the leading provider of bespoke menswear in the Middle East region and was the first luxury brand to offer a full range of organic garments. Passionate about innovation and growing and developing new concepts into new markets, James joined Invenda to help the automated retail industry.
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