COVID Sanitation

New Year’s Resolution: Keeping your vending machines cleaner
New Year’s Resolution: Keeping your vending machines cleaner 1040 661 GAD Vending

 

How to Clean Your Crane Vending Machine: Daily Cleaning and Disinfecting

As a distributor of Crane Merchandising Vending machines, we’ve learned how to clean, repair and maintain vending machines. Our route sales customers rely on GAD Vending for parts, reconfiguration and retrofitting cashless solutions.

Crane Cleaning: Coffee Vending Machines
Crane Cleaning: Coffee Vending Machines 1053 643 GAD Vending

How to daily clean and fill canisters in the Crane Vending Machines: Cali, Coti and Icon.

Stern Pinball Announces Mask Sales Proceeds to Charitable Causes
Stern Pinball Announces Mask Sales Proceeds to Charitable Causes 1000 1000 GAD Vending
As Stern Army locations and other establishments worldwide ease back into reopening, it’s necessary for all employers and players to practice safe habits while working and playing.
Facilities are opening in a careful and measured way to ensure a safe environment for all guests and staff and Stern wants to support those efforts by providing these additional safety measures in the form of these masks. Stern will donate a portion of the proceeds directly to the AMOA Coin-Op Cares Education and Charitable Foundation and to the AAMA American Amusement Machine Charitable Foundation.
  •  Features 3 layers of cotton with polyester front
  •  Comfortable and easy to breathe through
  •  A portion of the proceeds will go directly to charity
  •  Artwork by Josh Clay
$9.99
FREE DOMESTIC SHIPPING on all orders over $50!

As We Open Up – New Cleaning Standards For Your Equipment
As We Open Up – New Cleaning Standards For Your Equipment 1707 2560 GAD Vending

While many of our vending machines, digital music and ATMs have been located in essential business – many of our customers are just opening up.

Don’t go it alone! Harsh chemicals will destroy graphics and parts. If you’ve been open during the pandemic, you should be using these guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting your equipment. If something is not addressed here, please contact GAD Vending for manufacturer recommendations for cleaning.

For all our route provides, end users, maintenance crews and service personnel – here are articles and video on the new level of COVID cleaning standards.

VENDING

3 Ways Vending Is Providing Safer Retail – The Social Distancing Hero

How to Clean Your Crane Vending Machine: Daily Cleaning and Disinfecting

3 Additional Ways Owner/Operators Can Keep Their Machines COVID Clean

Vending Machines – A Controlled, Safe Method to Provide Food and Beverages to Consumers – Part II

 

ATM

New! Hyosung ATM Disinfection Kits Coming Soon

DIGITAL MUSIC

Starting Up Your AMI Jukebox Post-Pandemic

 

 

New! Hyosung ATM Disinfection Kits Coming Soon
New! Hyosung ATM Disinfection Kits Coming Soon 1200 800 GAD Vending

The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened public demand for enhanced user experiences. With customer safety being one of our top priorities, we developed industry-leading disinfection protection for the company’s ATMs to help in the fight against the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19.

DISINFECTION OFFERINGS
Starting Fall 2020, disinfection upgrade kits will be available for Hyosung ATMs. We have chosen to address customer safety with installation services and LED lights. Each disinfection upgrade kit will be installed by GAD Vending certified technicians in our Midwest service area. Upgrades are by appointment. Each kit includes the following features:
  • Silver Ion Antimicrobial Touchscreen
  • Silver Ion Antimicrobial Keypad (plus function keys if required)
  • Violet Blue LED Sterilization Lights

Utilizing silver ion technology, which provides a 99.9% microbe growth reduction rate, Hyosung’s antimicrobial touchscreen and keypad upgrades are made from EPA-approved products that provide permanent protection by continuously inhibiting the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.

For further protection, the upgrade kit also features violet blue LED lights to disinfect the most common ATM touch points including the touchscreen and keypad providing 99% sterilization. Violet blue LED light was selected because unlike UV light, it is harmless to humans and is already commonly used as a disinfectant in the medical field. This unique two-step approach provides superior protection for Hyosung ATM users.

ANTIMICROBIAL COATING SERVICE NOW AVAILABLE

In addition to the disinfection upgrade kits, Hyosung is announcing a new service for existing ATMs to apply an antimicrobial coating that will protect ATM surfaces. Certified technicians will apply the coating to ensure the ATM continues to function properly and recommend reapplying after six months.

Unlike solutions promoted by others, Hyosung’s disinfection solutions are easily implemented and do not change how the user interacts with the ATM. Offering the broadest coverage and longest-lasting protection, Hyosung has developed the most comprehensive approach for ATM safety in the industry.

Please contact your Hyosung Sales Representative or Certified Dealer to determine which options are right for you.

PRESS RELEASE

IRVING, Texas, July 28, 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened public demand for enhanced user experiences. Hyosung America, the North American market share leader and fastest-growing ATM manufacturer, is announcing industry-leading disinfection protection for the company’s ATMs to help in the fight against the spread of infectious diseases like COVID-19, and help ease consumers’ safety concerns with using ATMs. “The well-being of our ATM users is of the utmost importance, and we began working as soon as the pandemic arrived to design a solution to maximize the safety of our ATMs,” said Hyosung America CEO Hee-Eun Ahn. “Hyosung wanted to provide a comprehensive solution to address concerns today as well as into the future.” Starting this fall, disinfection upgrade kits will be available for Hyosung ATMs. Each disinfection upgrade kit will be installed by certified technicians and include the following features:

  • Silver Ion Antimicrobial Touchscreen
  • Silver Ion Antimicrobial Keypad (plus function keys if required)
  • Violet Blue LED Sterilization Lights

Utilizing silver ion technology, which provides a 99.9% microbe growth reduction rate, Hyosung’s antimicrobial touchscreen and keypad upgrades are made from EPA-approved products that provide permanent protection by continuously inhibiting the growth of microbes such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.

For further protection, the upgrade kit also features violet blue LED lights to disinfect the most common ATM touchpoints including the touchscreen and keypad providing 99% sterilization. Violet blue LED light was selected because unlike UV light, it is harmless to humans and is already commonly used as a disinfectant in the medical field. This unique two-step approach provides superior protection for Hyosung ATM users.

In addition to the disinfection upgrade kits, Hyosung is announcing a new service for existing ATMs to apply an antimicrobial coating that will protect ATM surfaces. Certified technicians will apply the coating to ensure the ATM continues to function properly and recommend reapplying after six months.

Unlike solutions promoted by others, Hyosung’s disinfection solutions are easily implemented and do not change how the user interacts with the ATM.  Offering the broadest coverage and longest-lasting protection, Hyosung has developed the most comprehensive approach for ATM safety in the industry.

“These solutions underscore Hyosung’s unique value proposition in the ATM industry as the owner of our intellectual property, design and manufacturing,” said Ahn. “This ownership allows us to quickly respond to changes in user behavior and the market.”

Click here for more information: https://hyosungamericas.com/atm-disinfection-enhancements

 About Hyosung America

Hyosung America is the North American subsidiary of South Korea-based Hyosung, Inc., a global leader providing ATMs to the retail off-premises and financial institution markets. Since entering the North American market in 1998, Hyosung has become the largest provider of ATMs in the United States. Hyosung America is headquartered in Irving, Texas, and provides research and development support in its Global Software Center in Dayton, Ohio. For more information about Hyosung solutions, visit hyosungamericas.com or contact your Hyosung authorized dealer, GAD Vending.

3 Additional Ways Owner/Operators Can Keep Their Machines COVID Clean
3 Additional Ways Owner/Operators Can Keep Their Machines COVID Clean 368 255 GAD Vending

From Crane CPI Touchless Division: The public’s heightened concern for hygiene and safety has piqued interest in vending machines as an on-site sales solution that takes human-to-human contact out of the equation. You may find that your business is picking up, as a result, and that’s good news.

At the same time, operators may need to address customer concerns around hygiene and machine touchpoints. One top of mind solution on the brains of operators and OEMs alike is a “touchless” vending machine. While this kind of innovation isn’t out of the question, it will be one that takes time to develop and a sizable investment in new equipment to implement. At the very least, upon availability, we can expect it to require expensive adaptations to existing machines, or the requirement for new machines all together.

Instead, we’ve compiled best practices for operators looking to decrease touchpoints without a hefty pricetag. Read below for three ways to keep your machines and your customers safe.

1.   Minimize existing customer touchpoints with contactless payment options

Vending machines may be more than a convenience – in some spaces, they currently serve as the only food source available to essential workers in hospitals and warehouses. Optimizing machines to serve all customer needs by accommodating any payment method they prefer to use is essential to a successful vending operation. Machines should take cash or credit cards at a minimum, and in the wake of COVID-19, there is a growing demand for contactless and mobile payment options.

Making contactless payment an option is a smart investment for unattended markets. A report by RTi Research showed contactless use up 30% post-COVID-19 as consumers look for ways to reduce their exposure to publicly shared surfaces. Switching to a card reader that accepts contactless payments is an easy fix, if they are not already enabled.

When upgrading machines to accommodate contactless payment, consider investing in cashless hardware that is compatible with mobile apps, as well. These apps enable customers to make their entire transaction using their phone, eliminating several payment touchpoints at once. After they’ve made their selection and paid for it in the app, they just grab their item and go.

2.   Use digital media to guide customer behavior

Digital media, or advertisements at the point of sale, help to dramatically influence customer behavior, according to a study by CPI and Crane Medianet. Two goals can be achieved by using digital media screens on your vending machines:

First, screens can educate and inform consumers. Timely topics include best practices for social distancing, proper hand washing, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). Messaging can be used to explain how (or how often) machines are cleaned and disinfected, or alert customers to PPE available for sale inside the machine.

Second, screens with advertisements for available products can help consumers decide what to buy. Reducing the amount of time a customer spends interacting with the machine reduces their exposure.

3.   Follow best practices for machine sanitation

Cleaning surfaces between each customer interaction is not practical in unattended retail, but operators can follow a basic set of guidelines to help keep machines clean and safe:

Educate personnel

Any of your staff that interact with machines must practice appropriate hygiene, including wearing masks and gloves. Have them change their gloves between sites and change their facemask every four hours. Before and after interacting with machines at each site, route drivers or technicians should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water, per CDC guidelines.

Prepare your machines 

Coffee and refrigerated vending machines must have temperature levels checked and expired products discarded, as always, but also be sure to thoroughly clean and disinfect customer touchpoints at every opportunity – especially on high-traffic machines. Operators should instruct drivers or local site management on the proper sanitization of machine doors, screens, buttons, and payment peripherals.

Follow appropriate guidelines 

Check with organizations like NAMA and EVA and follow their recommended guidelines for operators preparing to reopen their machines. Operators should update their safety practices regularly to maintain compliance with local governments and agencies.

Take immediate action to solve an immediate problem

Touchless vending is on the horizon, and that’s an exciting prospect for the future. But the hygiene concerns raised by COVID-19 are an immediate problem for which operators need an immediate solution. Operators can take the above steps right now to keep customers and staff as safe as possible while they continue to provide convenient access to essential items. Contact GAD Vending in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri for more information on the latest Crane Vending solutions for vending machines and touchless payment solutions.

Vending Machines – A Controlled, Safe Method to Provide Food and Beverages to Consumers – Part IV
Vending Machines – A Controlled, Safe Method to Provide Food and Beverages to Consumers – Part IV 298 297 GAD Vending

Reducing COVID-19 Exposure Risk with Contactless Payments

Previously, we delved into why vending is the ultimate solution in the convenience services industry in Part I, finding the right product to keep your vending machines disinfected and safe for your customers to use in Part II and best practices to properly clean your machine in Part III. In this final installment, we will focus on why cashless payment options are more important now than ever before.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is possible for a person to contract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or their eyes.  Potentially contaminated surfaces and objects that pose as infection risks include dollar bills and coins.

When it comes to the potential spread of COVID-19 through currency, some countries are taking an aggressive approach to reducing the risk of currency spreading COVID-19. China, for example, has been quarantining the country’s cash. The government collected banknotes and then sanitized the stacks of bills. From there, the currency was kept in isolation for 7-14 days before being released into the banking system.

While the United States has taken similar measures on currency that has come from Asia, steps such as those taken in China have not been taken on a widespread basis in the US. Even so, as consumer behavior changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we expect to see an acceleration in the already growing trend of cashless as consumers’ payment preference of choice in vending.

Recognizing the risk of COVID-19 exposure through surfaces and objects, many operators are being proactive in reducing the risk to consumers by ensuring their vending equipment is cleaned and sanitized on a more frequent basis and updating their fleets with cashless card readers.

“We see the cashless payment trend increasing, even while the crisis is happening, with a shift towards the use of contactless transactions.  The ability to offer cashless payment capabilities encourages consumer confidence,” said Carly Furman, CEO of Nayax LLC.

While the COVID-19 crisis is sure to bring unseen changes to the convenience services industry, we believe there is an underlying, long-term opportunity for operators.  The current crisis may increase the growing share of cashless transactions in vending, resulting in increasing operators’ profits. In fact, in a study done of 250,000 machines over an 18-month period, the number of total transactions increased by 26% on machines that allow for cashless payments.

According to the same study, there is a 37% increase in dollar spend when customers pay with a card versus cash. Customers are more inclined to purchase more than one item from the machine, simply because it is so easy to swipe their card. Although mobile payments only account for 5-7% of payments, that number is estimated to grow during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as people are looking to move away from making contact payments, such as cash.  Apple Pay and Google Pay use near-field communication (NFC) to power contactless payments. With NFC, consumers simply tap their phone to a compatible terminal such as a Greenlite device and the transaction is complete.

This is an unprecedented time for all of us, meaning that we have to adjust to the way we live our lives and operate our businesses. Adding a cashless card reader, such as Greenlite ensures you will not miss out on a sale due to payment acceptance limitations while providing a safe, contactless payment option for consumers. It also keeps you safe by providing you with access to inventory reports, maximizing machine fulfillment when it is needed.

For any questions regarding safe practices for your vending business or information about your U-Select-It vending equipment, contact GAD Vending at (402) 553-2812.

Vending Machines – A Controlled, Safe Method to Provide Food and Beverages to Consumers – Part III
Vending Machines – A Controlled, Safe Method to Provide Food and Beverages to Consumers – Part III 1707 2560 GAD Vending

Best Practices for Cleaning and Disinfecting Vending Machines

Previously, we delved into why vending is the ultimate solution in the convenience services industry in Part I and finding the right product to keep your vending machines disinfected and safe for your customers to use in Part II. Part III of our four-part series will provide best practices to properly clean your machine, without causing damage to the equipment.

While U-Select-It recommends soapy water for cleaning and disinfecting vending equipment, the choice is up to you.  Regardless of what type of cleaner you choose, here are some Best Practices for Cleaning Vending Equipment.

  • Recommended supplies:
    • Disposable non-linting cloths (‘contact’, ‘non-contact’ & ‘external’)
    • Clean disposable gloves
    • Plastic scraper
    • Spray bottle w/ cleaning solution
    • Glass cleaner or similar for cleaning the window
  • Ensure the machine is Switched OFF before completing any cleaning tasks.
  • Do not apply or spray the soapy water solution directly onto surfaces that could or might leak directly onto electrical components such as the keypad or touch screen.  Where this is a possibility the soapy water should be applied to a ‘clean’ cloth which then should be used to wipe the surface to be sanitized.

Why do I need three separate cleaning cloths?  The ‘contact’ cloth should be used on areas of the machine that come into contact with areas of consumer interaction.  The ‘non-contact’ cloth should be used on internal areas of the machine. The ‘external’ cloth should be used on all external surfaces with the exception of areas of the machine that are exposed to consumer interactions.

Some Do’s and Don’ts:

  • Do not use metal scrapers
  • Do not put any of the machine’s internal parts on the floor
  • Do not take water for cleaning from a toilet area
  • Always wear protective gloves
  • Always use the correct cleaning agent for the application and follow the manufacturer’s instructions

In many grocery and retail stores, it is commonplace to see self-serve sanitizing wipes for customers to use.  To help ensure your equipment stays clean and provide peace of mind to consumers, if possible, provide sanitizing wipes at or near your equipment.

As with all individuals working in convenience services in a food-handling role, an operator who is suffering any form of illness should inform their supervisor and not perform any work sanitizing the vending equipment.

Safe sanitation is crucial now more than ever for your vending equipment. For more information on best practices to sanitize your vending equipment or other equipment questions, please contact U-Select-It at 1-800-247-8709 or your local distributor GAD Vending at (402) 553-2812.

With consumers using cashless often due to sanitary concerns, Part IV focuses on why cashless payment options are more important than ever. 

Vending Machines – A Controlled, Safe Method to Provide Food and Beverages to Consumers – Part II
Vending Machines – A Controlled, Safe Method to Provide Food and Beverages to Consumers – Part II 2560 1707 GAD Vending

From our partner manufacturer at USI Vending Machines: 

What Products Are Recommended to Safely Clean and Disinfect Vending Equipment?

Previously, we delved into why vending is the ultimate solution in the convenience services industry in Part I.  Part II of our four-part series will provide guidance on finding the right cleaning agent to keep your vending equipment disinfected and safe for your customers to use.

As communicated by the European Vending Association, even with the secured product control offered by vending, it is extremely important to clean and disinfect vending equipment often, especially considering the current health crisis due to COVID-19.  Fortunately, the cleaning and disinfecting process for vending equipment is easy and cost-effective. All components on vending equipment, including electronics, keypads, plastic surfaces, and glass surfaces, can be effectively cleaned and disinfected with warm, mild soapy water.

Why is soap so effective against bacteria and viruses, such as the Coronavirus?  Soap is comprised of two-sided molecules. One side is attracted to water; the other side is attracted to fat. Viruses, such as the Coronavirus, are comprised of material surrounded by a coating of proteins and fat. When viruses interact with soap, the soap molecules rip that fat coating out. Soap literally demolishes viruses in as little as 20 seconds.  To learn more about why soap is U-Select-It’s preferred cleaning and disinfectant agent, check out National Geographic’s article Why soap is preferable to bleach in the fight against the coronavirus.

There are commercial-grade cleaning and disinfectant options such as Kay 5 Chlorinating Sanitizer, which is highly effective against bacteria and fungus, and is used primarily for kitchen equipment, soft serve and shake machines and kitchen utensils.  Another option is PURELL® Foodservice Surface Sanitizer, an EPA registered multi-surface sanitizer/disinfectant approved for use on food-contact surfaces with no-rinse required and is currently registered in all 50 states.

If you choose to use a commercial-grade product, follow the manufacturer’s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Never mix these products with ammonia or any other cleanser. Also, check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date.  Expired products will likely not be as effective against coronaviruses. You can view all EPA approved disinfectants against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19 HERE.

For more information on best practices to sanitize your vending equipment or other equipment questions, please contact GAD Vending at (402) 553-2812.

How should you go about cleaning your vending machine? Find out more at our Part III..

 

GAD Vending

Greater America Distributing (GAD Vending) is your premier marketer of vending equipment and amusement games in Mid America.  The company has been operating for over 30 years with offices in Omaha, Nebraska; Kansas City, Missouri; and Grimes, Iowa, a suburb of Des Moines.

Omaha

6161 Grover Street, Omaha,
NE 68106

1-402-553-2812
[email protected]

1-402-553-2812
[email protected]

Kansas City

3230 Roanake Road, Kansas City,
MO 64111

1-816-531-4300
[email protected]

1-816-531-4300
[email protected]

Des Moines

2105 SE 37 Street, Grimes,
Iowa 50111

1-515-278-4455
[email protected]

1-515-278-4455
[email protected]

Greater America Distributing

© 2023 Gad Vending. All Rights Reserved.

Enter your
text here