It can get really frustrating when something that seems blindingly obvious to you seems to sail over the heads of everybody else. Well, nearly everybody…
Take ETL, for instance. When we announced the arrival of Electronic Tray Labelling to the UK, we made a prediction. ‘It’s going to be a real game changer’, we said.
‘ETL means we can say ‘good-bye price tag’’, we said and we talked about other, additional benefits in functionality, in communication and in the ease and speed with which customers – and operators – can interact with the machine.
So, no prices for guessing that we’re delighted to say Premier Vend MD Darren Herbert agrees with our ‘game changer’ assertion, and pleased as punch that he’s allowing us to share his Samba Touch ETL success story here in the pages of our blog.
Premier Vend’s ETL revolution is underway right now at a hospital on the company’s patch around Chester. ‘We put the first one into a real ‘front of house’ area where there’s heavy-duty footfall’, he says.
‘The machine is self-operated by the hospital, so we’ve been working with them to use Samba Touch with ETL to promote products that are considered to be ‘healthier’, or to identify ‘special’ products, such as those that are gluten free’, Darren said. ‘It’s great to be able to disseminate information like that without having to ruin the look of the machines by having stickers all over them.’
It’s a facet of the machine that Darren’s customer really appreciates – but it’s not the only one… ‘They really are very pleased with the new machines’, he said. ‘The hospital is getting a facelift at the moment and one of the machines has been sited in one of those areas that was lagging behind. It looks like something out of the 1970s! The good news is that the machine is so good-looking that it’s like an instant facelift. The surroundings might need work, but the Samba Touch with its LEDs and so on looks great!’
With a Samba Touch equipped with ETL, access to products and information is easy and immediate, thanks to a simple, intuitive and interactive interface. Via the touch screen, consumers can browse through the products on offer and buy multiple items in a single transaction, using the ‘shopping cart’ feature.
What’s more, a ‘data sheet’ is available for each product that contains the nutrition and allergy information which more and more customers are coming to expect: and if and when the provision of this information becomes a legal requirement, you’ll be ready!
As an operator, now you can create deals that satisfy even the most demanding users – as well as setting up promotions based on the quantity of products in the cart. ETL, or Electronic Tray Labelling, really comes into its own when there’s a meal deal to sell…
Samba Touch really does take vending to a higher level!
Before ETL, if you wanted to present a promotional message referring to an individual item, your only option was to insert a text-only message in the space directly below the product. Not any more! Premier Vend’s ETL enabled Samba Touch machines allow the hospital to use multiple, alternating messages. They can create, for instance, meal deals and special offers, as well as conveying that nutritional information to which consumers are legally entitled.
In fact, as many as five custom promotional messages can be added to a product’s display, either via the settings on the machine itself or remotely, via telemetry…
‘You were right when you said it was a ‘game changer’, Darren said. ‘It’s changed the game at this hospital, that’s for sure.’
*How could ETL technology be a game changer for you? Ask your Account Manager for details
