4 Key Insights Presented at the 2016 NAMA One Show
Equipment and technology innovations were the talk of the show
Attendees of the 2016 NAMA One Show in Chicago, April 13-15, were treated to a look at the trends shaping the vending and on-premise industries. Equipment and technological innovations were the talk of the show. Here are a few of the key insights shared by The Coca-Cola Company.
The Micro Market Space Is Growing
As the segment picks up steam, operators are looking for ways to maximize their investments and grow profitability. Product bundles are one way to do that. Attendees were reminded about the vendor-specific FLO Portal on CokeSolutions, which offers research-based insights; pricing and theft-prevention tools; a profit calculator and profit analysis feature; and planograms. On the micro market section of the portal, operators can print customized point-of-sale for food bundles and cost out combo offers to help drive profits.
Cashless Payments Are Becoming More Popular
The Company highlighted its investment in cashless payment vending solutions to help customers increase sales — especially to tech-savvy teens and millennials — with easy, fast and secure payment options. The Company built the Student Card Acceptance program for colleges and universities and developed a cashless technology that accepts campus-specific payment systems as well as credit cards and mobile payment solutions.
Many vending machines now accept mobile payments in addition to credit cards and debit cards. Coca-Cola's North America vending fleet includes more than 100,000 vending machines that accept Android Pay and Apple Pay.
Beacons Are Taking Hold
The Company explored opportunities to leverage proximity marketing tools, including beacon technology. Beacons turn proximity into access using Bluetooth technology to transmit mobile marketing messages to consumers who opt in to the program via a mobile app. Show-goers could attend an educational session called "Using Beacon Technology to Engage Shoppers," presented by Derek Myers, group director, Channel Planning & Development at The Coca-Cola Company, and Google's Dan Cath, to learn how shoppers perceive beacon technology and best practices for leveraging beacons.
Sparkling Is in Demand
And finally, those who dropped by our booth walked away with a better sense of what The Coca-Cola Company offers and refreshment in the form of the latest products: smartwater® sparkling and Minute Maid® Sparkling, among others.
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