In the main, the answer to these questions is ‘no', or at best ‘maybe'.

So what can we do to make a difference?

If we agree that vending machines now supply great products that are served at the correct temperature and deliver rain or shine, we in turn should shout that from the roof tops, but what do we actually do? 

We should take a leaf out of the point-of-sale merchandising book where we need to make our customers aware of what we do and how well we do it.

If you look at supermarket shelves, the supplier fights tooth-and-nail for the best position and then goes hell for leather to maximise that space, the end-result being greater product awareness, more sales and, eventually, more profit.

As vending companies find their markets under threat it would be great to see them put machines - branded and prominent - in all areas telling the full story of how great their product is.

Paul Howard is Managing Director of Nebrak Limited.

www.nebrak.co.uk