The Challenge of Operating a Fleet of Vending Machines
Operating a fleet of vending machines is a logistics-intensive business. Each machine must be restocked regularly, kept in good working order, and its revenue collected. Without real-time information on the status of the machines, the operator is flying blind: they don’t know if a machine is broken or empty until the next scheduled round.
This lack of transparency has many consequences:
- Stockouts that go unnoticed for hours or days.
- Technical malfunctions that go undetected (jammed coin mechanism, failed refrigeration).
- Inefficient rounds: trips to machines that are still full.
- Revenue losses: a machine that’s out of service for 24 hours results in €50 to €200 in lost revenue.
Architecture of an IoT Solution for Vending Machines
Onboard Hardware
- MDB/DEX IoT Module: Connects between the machine’s motherboard and the coin mechanism, capturing sales and status data without altering the machine’s operation.
- Temperature sensor: PT100 or NTC probe in the refrigerated compartment.
- Door-open sensor: magnetic contact on the main door to detect access.
- 4G Connectivity: Integrated SIM module with an internal or external antenna, depending on the environment.
Cloud Platform
- Map-based dashboard showing the entire fleet
- Real-time inventory by vehicle and by product
- Revenue by vehicle, by day, by week
- Alerts for breakdowns, stockouts, and temperature issues
- Automatic route optimization
Monitored Parameters
| Parameter | Source | Frequency | Alert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock level by selection | MDB/DEX | With each sale | Minimum threshold per product |
| Sales | DEX audit | Upon each data collection | Sales anomaly (fraud?) |
| Refrigerated temperature | PT100 sensor | Every 15 min | > +8 °C for 30 min |
| Coin mechanism status | MDB | Continuously | Malfunction or jam |
| Machine power supply | On/Off | Continuously | Power outage |
| Door opening | Contact | Immediately | Outside restocking hours |
Route Optimization: From Fixed Logistics to On-Demand Logistics
Supervision fundamentally transforms replenishment logistics:
Pre-supervision (fixed logistics)
- Twice-weekly rounds on all machines
- 40% of visits find machines that are still 60% full
- 15% of visits find a machine that has been out of service for several days
With supervision (on-demand logistics)
- Routes planned based on the actual needs of each machine
- Breakdown alerts triggered immediately upon an incident for rapid response
- 25 to 40% reduction in kilometers traveled
- Machine downtime reduced by 80%
Sales Analysis and Product Mix Optimization
Beyond operations, monitoring provides valuable data for business strategy:
- ABC Analysis: Identification of best-selling products and slow-moving items by location.
- Seasonality: Automatic adjustment of the product mix based on the season (hot drinks in winter, cold drinks in summer).
- Location-Specific Behavior: Different preferences in businesses, schools, hospitals, and train stations.
- Testing and Learning: Measuring the impact of a price change or a new product in real time.