Jim Dillingham, owner of Vend-ucation, a Dunbarton, N.H.-based vending resource, explains the benefits of a new cashless system called Virtual Universal Wireless Interface (VUWI) in an interview with Tom Shivers for The Vending Business Show sponsored by A& Equipment Sales Inc., a vending equipment dealer based in Lithonia, Ga. Dillingham notes the VUWI is begin beta tested. The Bluetooth-based system allows a customer to download a mobile phone app and authorize a credit card purchase from a vending machine.
The Vending Business Show is a series of podcasts residing on A&M Equipment’s Website, www.amequipmentsales.com. These are educational interviews that discuss the nuts and bolts of the vending business.
To listen to the podcast, click here.
Editor’s Insight: The cashless vending system discussed in this podcast was described in the May Automatic Merchandiser cover story on Gator Vending in Orlando, Fla. The article described how the system works and the results that the operator experienced.
Vending operators have to recognize that technology is always changing. New tools are continuously being developed. This makes it hard for operators to know what tools to invest in. But given the fact that consumers are beginning to use smart phones for everyday purchases, vending operators cannot postpone investing in cashless system indefinitely. 06-01-12 By Elliot Maras
