Uncle Sam
Member
The use of powerful cordless tools is becoming very common (including to the crooks), so vending machines can be destroyed quickly. Many wash operators do not want to spend the “extra money” (as they see it) to make a computer operated vending center as secure as it can be. They have the mind-set that local people will not try to break-in to a vendor because we all know each other. As we have tried to tell operators, it isn’t the people of the local area that break-in or mess up a facility that they use; it is the out-of-town person just passing through the area that looks for easy pickin’s. An unsecured vendor may go for 3-4 years without any trouble, but changes in the economy or demographics eventually cause it to get hit. The damage that is done to the door of the vendor near the bill validator and selection pad is usually extensive enough to cause the replacement of the door. Electronic harnesses are torn up, the bill validator gets destroyed, and the selection pad is compromised. The time and effort to move all the good parts from the old door to a new door shell is significant and replacing the broken parts is costly too. In the meantime the vendor is out of service and lost sales are never recovered.
Replacing a vandalized door on a vending machine usually adds up to $1500-$2200 by the time all the broken parts are fixed. That does not include labor to do the work or the time and aggravation caused by the vandalism. Sure, insurance will pay for part of the cost, but one is still out of pocket.
Cont'd
Replacing a vandalized door on a vending machine usually adds up to $1500-$2200 by the time all the broken parts are fixed. That does not include labor to do the work or the time and aggravation caused by the vandalism. Sure, insurance will pay for part of the cost, but one is still out of pocket.
Cont'd
