TWO LOCATIONS BEFORE 9AM. Alan found me two outstanding locations this morning. One is a Goodyear and the other is an auto place. They are both outstanding locations. In the second auto place they had 2 machines already but the guy moved them into the back and let me put mine right there in the front! Great deal!
As I was rising from bed Alan was working and finding me locations. Amazing. I couldn't believe it. He called me to give me the first location and then 3 minutes later called again with the second. I thought I was dreaming. He called 10 places today so far. 2/10 isn't bad at all.
There was a barber right next to the second auto place so I thought, hmm. I went right in with just a business card, gave him my pitch, and he said sure. Now they have a candy machine! Yes, that is 3 machines this morning before 10:30AM! The day hasn't even started.
Back to work.
Rob
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27 comments:
Rob,
That is good. I am going to the dniest at 1:00pm so mabie I will have some time to make a few locating stops. o crap...I have not had my coffee. I get a litte "wild" when I drink coffee. So I am not nervous when locating! I feel like I can do anything!
Kyle G.
Need Advice:
Alright, here is the current deal. My locator gave me two locations today. One was a dry cleaning place and one was a leasing office. I went to both and was disappointed. I didn't like the locations. Now I came back home and sent my locator and email telling him so and he called me.
He said when he finds me a location I need to place them for 30 days and then if they don't work out he will replace them for me. But he can't let me say no to locations at my discretion.
What do you guys think? I need some objective advice/criticism on this.
My point is this: These are my machines, why would I pay for locations I think are crappy.
His point is: I can't have my locators finding locations for you to say no to, they want paid. The only reason you can opt out of a location is if the location owner says no when you arrive.
Advice?
What makes the locations crappy? Please explain what do you mean by crappy Rob? I hope you can find the best locations.Perhaps you should try giving a list of places for your locator to call or you could just locate yourself.I would just try the locations for 30 days and see what happpens. By the way I would like to see a list of top ten hot performing locations to place a bulk vending machine and a list of the 10 worst place to place a machine.I would like to hear from experinced vendor only on this question. Kyle whats on your list of places?
Rob,
Well that is how loctors get you. if your locations are crappy and he will not renew them, do not use him anymore.
I suggest you tell him to shove his crappy locations up his butt, and sit on it.
You are loosing money with him. A crappy location = you suffering.
Kyle G.
Hi Robert
I do not know a good location from a bad one. My main concern would have to be " safety "of the machine. If just 2 or 3 people that worked at the locations put a quarter in each day for treats or gum it would add up fast. How much foot traffic do they get? If the machines do not produce have your locator find a new location.
I am still figuring out how to hire a good locator. Any and all input is appreciated.
Alan
Alan,
Do not use a locator. I do all my locating myself. All 170 of my machines were located by me, myself, and I!
Kyle G.
Well, I guess I've decided that I don't like my locators terms. If I don't like a location I shouldn't have to take it.
In my opinion I can tell a good location from a bad location just by looking at it. You can at least tell descent locations from terrible ones.
Rob
I dont know Rob, This is just my opinion from past experience but you never know what a location will do until you get in there. I cant tell you haw many locations I thought were going to be bombs but turned out to be some of my best and vice versa. My only criteria for placing a machine are 1. no more than one other competitor on location, and 2. its a secure location. meaning low theft and vandalism threat. Its worth your time to place them to see what they do. After all, any location is better then having them sit in your garage.
As for your locator delemma, I hate to say it but I saw that coming. What he is asking is industry standard. He is offering a location to you to try for 30 days. If you are unhappy with the sales then he will find you a new one. You have to consider the fact that he has done what you pay him to do. Now go place the machine and see how it performs. If it isn't up to snuff have him honor his gaurantee. Its just a good business practice.
Hi Robert
Does your locator go in person or just over the phone? A good locator may be hard to find. I am sure that you shopped around. They may be like many other professionals. If someone like me that just fell off the back of a " potato truck " can find two good locations in a few minutes I would think a professional could find them also.
Many of the locators that I researched " claim " they go in person. The more you learn about the industry the easier it is to hire a locator. Consider walking away from a bad one.
Alan
Well,
I've talked to a guy from Sunset Locators and he will send a guy here to do it in person for $40 a location. This is after much negotiation for the past few weeks. He claims to be making no money on this and would do it for the advertisement. What do you think?
Rob
Rob,
Do not use a locater. I do all my locating myself. All 170 of my machines were located by me, myself, and I!
So what do I think? You need to do it yourself, you will not succeed if you use a locater.
Kyle G.
Kyle,
It is worth it to me to pay a locator rather than going out myself and finding locations. You must understand that my cost per machine is still less LOCATED than what you pay for a new machine because I don't have to pay shipping costs.
I can get brand new double heads bought and located for $135. Who else here can touch that?
ON THE OTHER END:
I called my current locator and told him my stance. I was firm and said that I just didn't think it was my responsibility to leave a machine in a location if I didn't like it. He conceded. No problem. He should have conceded before I got this new kick ass price of $40 for in person locating. I just don't know what to do.
Any ideas from the audience?
Rob
Rob,
Who knows. I am done with locators. I will use one for a crane, but that is it. Do what you think is right. I have seen many people use locators, and there buiness is DONE and gone in a few years.
have been in this buiness a heck of a lot longer than you have, and if you do not want to listen, well that is fine! :-/
I am telling you this, so I can still be commenting on this blog in a year.
You will surley loose at this game useing a locator.
Kyle G.
Ok,
I'm willing to listen to reason but you can't just tell me "don't use a locator." I need a reason that I shouldn't use one.
Rob
Well for one, thay are out to steal your money.
2. Your business can not be set up by someone else.
3. You cant tell people it is "your" business, because you hardly do any work.
4. How many more machines could you have already bought if you did not fall for the locating scam?
5. You are spending, wait WASTING $35 dollars to do something that is so simple.
6. I want for you to succeed. Like in my previous comment, "I have never seen a vendor succeed in this business using a locater".
Locators are frauds. Thay want your money, and give you crap locations in return. Thay will replace your crap locations, with more crap locations.
Ken, or C. Vending,
Do you guys use these "locators"?
Kyle G.
I'll agree that I could be buying more machines with the money I'm spending on locating. However, let's also agree that buying more machines to sit in my garage isn't helping!
You say finding locations is easy. And, I think you think that, and in some cases it may be. I'm sure the longer you are in the business the easier it gets. But your opinion is very subjective.
I placed a machine today on my own. I can do it. That isn't the problem. I'm not scared of going into businesses and talking to owners and managers. It just seems to me that my time is better spent doing other things, like commenting on the blog, haha.
This business is my own. I may outsource my locating but I am building the machines, getting the candy, servicing, etc. I have basically just hired a call center to work for me. Do you think Michael Dell makes sales calls?
You're right. My business can not be setup by someone else. I am setting it up and letting others help me.
Trust me, if I were in your position I would never hire a locator. You are good at locating your own machines and you have proved it. You are a good salesman. You also enjoy doing it. It's not a great deal of fun for me to go from location to location and ask to put in a gumball machine.
Rob
My son and I have never used a locater, but I am sure they have their place. We only have 13 locations thus far and are only growing about 1 location per month by doing it ourselves. Since it was meant to be a business for my 12yo son, we never intended to get in a hurry to grow our locations until we learned the business as we went along.
Ken
Rob,
I agree with sme of what you are saying. In order to get better at something you must pratice. You will get better at locating, IF YOU TRY. You must do it, to get better.
Kyle G.
Nice to hear from you Ken. Ken let me tell you the position I'm in, maybe you have some advice.
I have about 15 machines that need located. The minimum for in person locating is 30 machines.
If it were you, would you get 15 more machines and hire an in person locator for $40 a location or would you stick with your tele-locator and keep doing the same old?
Rob
I agree with Caserri. How ever perhaps Rob you should try to find good sales people to locate machines instead of using a locator. You know some one with sales experince on the phone.Create flyers advertising looking for sales people to work for commison. You can post these in several diffrent places people call you and you pay them 10 dollars per location.Maybe less like 5 dollars per location.Now these people are salespeople not people attached to bulk vending in any way and are not out to scam you.I have not tryed this but it may work. Also you might want to try this give something away free total free except they agree to have a bulk machine placed in there business.Again make a flyer post some where and say something like this free movie rental from blockbuster Please only business owner only respond. Will show you how. Then what you do is tell the owner of the business you will give them a blockbuster gift card completely free if they agree to let you place your machine there. You could use any gift card you want if you choose. You can pay less for a gift card than a price of a locator.As a matter a fact back to my last post about the contract you can make them sign a contract stating they must keep the machine there for a certain period of time or they agree to pay the proper removal service fees. CHA-CHING CHA-CHING I hear the cash register ringing.
Rob,
I think that you and I are two completely different personalities. I live by the motto, slow and steady wins the race. You seem to have jumped in full steam. So far you have spent, borrowed, a lot of money and have only been in the business a little over a month. That is something I would not feel comfortable doing. I am the type of person that uses my profits to buy new machines, etc. I feel that you are in a hurry to get going, before you have learned the business. If I were you, I would try to locate the 15 machines yourself and you may even have to relocate some of your slower locations after your first collections.
Ken
Ohh if you feel like it maybe should try hiring a real telemarketer.
Hey Ken,
I think you are right. It is difficult to slow me down. I only have about $2,000 on the credit card right now. The rest I have paid for in cash. I guess I feel the need to explain why I am the way I am:
I have the summer off. I'm getting my MBA next year. If this doesn't work out for one reason or another it's not like I can't pay back 10 or 20 thousand dollars in the near future. Also $500 a month from vending doesn't really interest me. If it's not enough to get me excited it's not worth it.
JOSH:
I love the blockbuster idea. I love walking in with a free gift. Maybe a free dinner or something around town. Hmm, that idea is really nice. I like it.
I'm still thinking on the 30 machine deal. I just don't know.
Rob
Kyle,
You have never heard of a vendor becoming successful using a locator? Here is how I responded to your question over at VC...
While there are plenty of so-called "professional" locators out there, Its not fair to say that the industry as a whole is a scam. There are some fine companies out there performing a valued service for us operators. Sure, they aren't doing anything that we couldn't do on our own however there is a time and place for their services. I am a strong advocate of using a locator when appropriate. As we all know, it is far better, both financially and psychologically, to locate our own machines. There is a certian sense of accomplishment in knowing that you secured your own account.
As an operator grows, it becomes more essential to utilize the services of a professional locator. The practice simply frees up your time so you can concentrate on other aspects of your business. I like to think of them as my employees. Employees that I do not have to put on a payroll and deal with all of the issues that come with employees such as workmans comp insurance and such.
In conclusion, do I think locators are a scam? No. Some, well maybe most, are but if you are smart enough to weed through the locator jungle you will find some real gems. Do I utilize locators? Yes. I don't rely on them however I realize the benefits of their services. Most days I am just so busy running the day to day that I really dont have time to re-locate all the poor performers to better my bottom line. Thats where the locator comes in. They run in the backround, quietly securing spots.
Caserri,
What an elegant post. I completely agree with you. I realize that I have time to locate myself right now and I will continue to do so.
However, I like the idea of have other people locate for me. Trust me, I have a lot of pride in the locations I have acquired myself.
Caserri do you have any locators that you would like to refer?
Rob
Rob,
Go to my forum and read about my recommended locator. She is by far the best I have ever used.
For those who are unfamiliar with my forum you can access it by going to my website at www.caserrivending.com then scroll down to the bottom of any page and click the link to the VENDiscuss forum.
Thanks for letting me plug my forum Rob.
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