Tulsa Break Room | New Vending Technology | Mobile App

Why ZippyAssist is the technology tool every Tulsa break room needs

The key to happy, healthy, and collaborative employees is an excellent break room. While it might seem like a small detail, high-quality refreshment services can actually make a big difference. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry! That’s where ZippyAssist comes in. When you work with Blue Sky Supply, you’ll get the added bonus of having ZippyAssist technology. That means you get an added layer of support when it comes to satisfying and supporting your employees.

So, are you ready to upgrade your Tulsa break room solutions? Here’s how ZippyAssist can help you do just that, plus everything else you need to know about this game-changing feature.

What Is ZippyAssist?

ZippyAssist is a web-based mobile app that provides easy, automated communication with your staff via their smartphones. What exactly does that mean? Well, it means that employees can receive important info, report problems, receive refunds, and request new products or office supplies from the palm of their hands. It’s that simple!

ZippyAssist is an ultra-easy way for staff to request their needs, which is great for both the team and the business! For example, facility managers love ZippyAssist. Why? Because it allows them to focus on other more pressing tasks. Plus, it improves the experience thanks to it being self-service. If there is a problem, the solution is just a quick text away. Now, that’s what we call great customer service!

How Does ZippyAssist Technology Work?

Tulsa Vending Machines | ZippyAssist Technology | Reliable ServiceNow that you know what ZippyAssist is, let’s get into how it works. Every machine in your Tulsa break room will get a machine ID number. Employees will text this ID to a number on the sticker on the front of the machines. The machine ID number shows where they are having an issue. The customer will receive a link via text message to access the ZippyAssist mobile app. That’s it! This program offers a simple, instant text conversation without having to bother the facility manager or pick up the phone and call.

Employees will never have to deal with long customer wait times again. Instead, requests are received in real time for a quick and helpful response from a service technician. Employees can request refunds, provide feedback, share ideas, send praise, or discuss frustrations right there in the app.

What Are the Benefits of this Technology for Tulsa employees?

Of course, one of the best parts of this trailblazing break room service is that it’s convenient, reliable, and simple. This is why Blue Sky Supply is proud and excited to offer this innovative technology along with our break room solutions. Tulsa employees can get instant support and facility managers can get time back to focus on their important tasks.

ZippyAssist also provides a great way to make employees feel heard and appreciated. Instead of walking away feeling frustrated, they’ll receive a quick response to tend to their needs, which is essential for great customer service, employee satisfaction, and their trust in your business. Bonus: ZippyAssist also works in Spanish!

Upgrade your Tulsa break room with ZippyAssist!

When you work with Blue Sky Supply, you’ll get to take advantage of this must-have break room technology. Contact us at 918.599.9100 or info@blueskysupply.net for more information about our micro-market, office coffee, pantry service, or vending services. We look forward to supporting your team!

Adapting Vending Machines in Tulsa

Vending Machines in Tulsa Keep Adapting

Adapting Vending Machines in Tulsa

2020 has brought about many unforeseen changes, especially in Tulsa break rooms. Whether a break room offered vending machines or a micro-market, refreshment providers have had to adapt. This isn’t, however, the first time that break room equipment has been modified to meet a new need. Since the very first vending machine was developed, individuals have continued to use them to solve a variety of different problems.

Vending Machine History

The concept of a vending machine has been around for a lot longer than most Tulsa residents realize. In fact, the first vending machine was said to have been written about by the mathematician Hero in 215 BC in Ancient Egypt. In this machine, the user placed a coin in the machine and received holy water; a job previously performed by an individual. Here are several important changes that have helped make the vending machine what it is today include:

1888: Tutti-Frutti gum vending machines were installed in a New York City subway station.
1946: The first coffee vending machine was invented.
1950: Refrigerated sandwich vending machines expanded the lunch menu.
1950s – 1970s: located in U.S. airports, vending machines sold life insurance policies covering death, should the buyer’s flight crash.
1961: Canned soft drink vending machines offered customers new beverage options.
1972: Glass-front snack machines were introduced.
1985: Credit/debit card payment devices were introduced.
1987: Frozen food vending machines were introduced.
1991: Flavored coffees, espresso, and cappuccino were introduced in coffee machines.

Today

In the 150+ years since the first fully automatic vending machine was invented, a wide range of products, from practical to crazy, have been sold. In 2020, non-edible options including personal protection equipment (PPE) can be found. The following organizations highlight how vending machines can be converted to help combat the spread of COVID-19.

New Jersey Transit (NJT) has installed vending machines in handful of stations that sell PPE such as face masks, hand sanitizer, sanitized wipes, and disposable gloves to the public. Kevin Corbett, CEO & President of NJ Transit, explained, “We want our customers to trust that we have prepared the safest and cleanest transit system possible for their return and will continue to work hard every day to keep it that way.”

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) has developed a similar program. Located throughout the campus, vending machines offer masks, hand sanitizer and other protective products at no cost to the students or university employees. The university tracks “purchases” via the school’s id card system, ensuring that everyone can only make one purchase per product per month.

Adapting Vending Machines in Tulsa

As with the new machines at VCU and NJT, vending machines in Tulsa break rooms offer several benefits for employees. Employers can create a customized menu that includes the snacks, beverages, and fresh food their employees want. Not only are a variety of payment options available, including cash, credit/debit cards and mobile payment apps, but employers can also cover part or all the costs for their employees. In addition, break room vending machines can encourage employees to stay on-site when they need something to eat or drink, reducing person to person contact and the likelihood of coming into contact with COVID-19.

Is your Tulsa break room ready to safely offer sought-after refreshment options? We are here to help you create an inviting and welcoming space that also safely delivers everyone’s favorite snacks, cold beverages, fresh food, and coffee. For more information, please call Blue Sky Supply at (918) 599-9100.

 

vending technology in tulsa break rooms

Technology Plays an Important Role in Tulsa

vending technology in tulsa break rooms

In 2019 state-of-the-art technology is king, especially in Tulsa break rooms. But, and it’s a big one, adopting new technology should not come at the expense of good employee experiences. Based on the most recent Consumer Payment Study performed by Total System Services (TSYS), researchers found that while Americans want to adopt and use the newest payment technology to pay for purchases, they also want to be able to speak with someone when there is a problem.

For Tulsa employers, the challenge is to find the ideal balance between state-of-the-art payment technology and old-fashioned customer service when it comes to the break room experience.

What Employees Look For

    • the option to use a mobile device – whether it’s through a mobile payment app or a bank’s app – to pay for snacks, beverages and fresh food
    • speed, agility and convenience during the buying process
    • intuitive and user-friendly equipment and processes
    • personalized offers based on individual purchasing preferences such as buy-4-get-1-free and information about promotions and rewards

Adding new technology in the break room also helps employers provide excellent refreshment services. Vending equipment, open-front coolers and touchscreen self-checkout kiosks are connected to vending suppliers, thus supporting remote data management or sales and inventory data analysis as well as machine maintenance. Vending machines with sought-after products and less time offline are a win for everyone.

vending technology in tulsa break rooms

“Old-fashioned” Customer Service

Reflecting on the TSYS study, John Dale Hester, Senior Vice President of Relationship Management at TSYS, explained, “Americans are demonstrating a strong appetite for digital technologies…but that willingness to adopt the latest technology has its limits. When people encounter a problem…most still want to interact with a real person.”

When Tulsa employees have a problem with any part of the refreshment services in their break room, there must be a way to connect with someone who can help solve the problem. Whether it’s via a facility/office manager or the mobile app, effective customer service in the break room is about helping your employees be as successful as possible.

But ultimately, customer service issues in the break room should fall back to your Tulsa refreshment provider, and Blue Sky Supply understands that. Not only do we offer state-of-the-art technology and sought-after snacks, beverages and fresh food, but we deliver top-notch customer service. Your employees’ break room experiences are important to us.

For more information about delivering top-notch technology and “old-fashioned” customer service in your break room, please call Blue Sky Supply at (918) 599-9100. We look forward to designing the best solution for your organization.

 

Mobile Payment in Tulsa and Oklahoma City

Vending Machines and the Mobile Wallet in Tulsa and Oklahoma City

Mobile Payment in Tulsa and Oklahoma City

Have you seen the Capital One TV commercial that asks, “What’s in your wallet?” It’s no longer just about what’s in the object that holds the cash and credit cards that you carry in your back pocket or handbag. It’s now about what type of wallet you use – a mobile wallet that holds a variety of credit card, bank account, and loyalty program information, or the one that holds actual cash and credit cards.

Historically, vending machines accepted only cash. As technology changed, so did the types of payments that vending machines allowed. Today, a new option is available that has the potential to increase sales at Tulsa and Oklahoma City’s healthy vending machines–the contactless transaction. This type of transaction is not only cashless, but also credit cardless. The person purchasing a snack or beverage needs only to carry a smartphone that has a mobile payment app, and he or she can quickly buy that item. Many universities and colleges have already seen an increase in the use of mobile wallets by students. Some of the more well-known mobile payment systems are Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Android Pay, but banks and credit cards are also creating their own mobile payment apps.

Do you use a mobile wallet? If you do, you are part of a segment of the population that is moving toward a cashless society. A June 2016 Gallop Poll found that fewer Americans are using cash for purchases today than they did five years ago. In November 2016, Capital One surveyed 1,805 individuals and found that 24.4% of the participants use a mobile wallet for purchases, and 63.3% of those individuals adopted the technology during the past year. That leaves 76.7% of those who participated in the study who do not use a mobile wallet. Another way to look at it is that there are 1,364 potential new mobile wallet users in the Capital One survey. Or 1,364 potential vending machine users in Tulsa and Oklahoma City that could purchase a healthy snack using a mobile wallet.

Vending Machines Mobile Wallets in Tulsa and Oklahoma CityDigital advertising for contactless transactions or mobile payments also impacts the volume of sales at vending machines. A recent study by USA Technologies, Inc. (USAT) examined the relationship between digital advertising and the use of mobile wallets, specifically Apple Pay, at 35 vending machines in New York and Louisiana. They found that there was a 36.5% increase in overall sales at the machines that promoted the availability of Apple Pay. Maeve McKenna Duska, senior vice president of marketing and sales at USAT, stated, “Based on our study, we believe that when businesses and operators present consumers with the option to pay for items with Apple Pay, the number of mobile payments made and the amount spent increases.” Given the large volume of vending machines currently being used in Tulsa and Oklahoma City and the increasing number of individuals who are switching to mobile wallets, there is an opportunity for growth as sales typically increase when mobile payments are available.

If you are looking for mobile payment options for your healthy breakroom vending machine, contact Blue Sky Supply, at (918) 599-9100.