A vending machine filled with snacks and drinks does many wonders, especially for people who commute daily and can only take a break by getting something refreshing. This specific machine allows people to buy snacks and drinks they can consume while on their way to work or school. Just choose the item, insert the payment, and, voilà, you can indulge in your favorite potato chips or take a slurp of your favorite ice-cold soda in a snap. However, some people are just too abusive, especially when using vending machines. In some instances, vending machines endure punches and kicks from short-tempered customers, especially when their orders get stuck inside the machine after they’ve already paid for it. In fact, a malfunctioning vending machine might face mobbing by angry customers, inciting enough fury that they could literally carry the machine and throw it down in complete irritation. This could lead to more problems for someone running a vending machine business in the heart of a busy city.
If you happen to witness someone kicking or punching a vending machine, never go near the machine itself, even if it’s still operational. Imagine a student inserting payment into the machine, and the drink he chose doesn’t dispense. There’s a tendency he will kick the machine to dislodge the stuck soda can. Most of the time, it works. Unfortunately, it does more harm than good. Using a damaged vending machine may escalate the malfunction. Since most vending machines run on electricity, utilizing a damaged vending machine, regardless of the extent of the damage, might result in mild to severe electrocution, potentially leading to death, especially with high voltage. Furthermore, if the damage is severe, the machine might spark a fire or explode, causing more harm to life and property. Also, food inside a damaged vending machine might get contaminated due to chemical reactions from packaging and the malfunction itself. Consuming food and drinks from a malfunctioning vending machine could lead to digestive damage and other health issues such as vomiting and stomach aches.
Maintaining a vending machine business is never an easy job, especially if your machine faces violence from angry customers due to a simple electrical malfunction that stopped the machine from working. It becomes a worse headache if someone gets hurt due to a malfunctioning vending machine, making the machine owner liable for lack of maintenance. Yes, the vending machine business is expensive, but the costs could escalate if someone gets hurt because your machine malfunctioned, even if it’s due to a customer’s violent reaction.
*Originally published on A1 Vending Service December 08, 2015
