Fridges used to be things that just kept other things – usually food and drink – cold. Vending machines, meanwhile, used to be things that exchanged unhealthy snacks and drinks for the correct change only.
In today’s world of the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile phone apps for absolutely everything, controlled refrigeration and other technological advances, modern fridges and vending machines are very different to those older models. And one of the biggest leaps forward of all has been bringing the two together in the form of commercial smart fridges.
In this article, we’re going to take a look at smart fridges and discover how the technology they employ could boost profits and improve user experience – both for those operating a dedicated vending business and also those making provision for snacks and drinks for staff and visitors within their own commercial premises.
But first, let’s look at what smart fridges actually are.
What are smart fridges?
At the most basic level, smart fridges are fridges that can be connected to the internet and then controlled and monitored remotely via an app. The benefits of that may not be immediately obvious – after all, an app on your phone can’t fetch you a cold beer when the football’s about to start.
What they can do, however, is allow you to control the temperature, let you know if there are signs of a fault, operate at the most energy efficient level and even let you know when you need to buy more milk or when something perishable is about to go past its use by date.
And what’s a commercial smart fridge? Well, that’s just a smart fridge operated on a commercial basis. And that means all the benefits of a smart fridge – and more – apply, except that in this case, they’ll be helping you to improve sales, reduce waste, cut costs, keep your customers happier and ultimately make more money.
Here are some of those benefits in detail.
Five great benefits of a commercial smart fridge
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Improved energy efficiency
The sensors and controls built into smart fridges mean that temperature settings are maintained at their most efficient level, which means that you’re not only reducing your energy costs but also cutting your carbon footprint. Smart fridges can even adjust the temperature according to how much food is actually in them – a full fridge takes more energy to keep cold than a near empty one – and even let you know if you’ve accidentally left the door open.
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Real-time data regarding levels of stock and sales
Your commercial smart fridge can keep you up to date with what’s selling well, which items need replenishing, which products might be about to go out of date and much more. That ensures that you’re not only maximising your opportunities for more sales, but also minimising waste and maintaining the highest possible levels of food safety for your customers.
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Predictive maintenance
The monitors within a smart fridge are not just checking the temperature and contents – they’re also keeping a constant eye on the workings to make sure everything’s functioning as it should be. That means that as soon as any signs of a fault appear, you’ll be alerted instantly, allowing you to sort out any problems well before they lead to a breakdown and avoid potentially significant loss of income.
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Improved customer experience
Commercial smart fridges are far more user friendly than traditional vending machines, allowing the user to select their food and/or drink and pre-authorise payment in advance. Then they can just use their card to open the fridge door and collect their goods when they arrive, eliminating the need for queuing and delays or the frustration that comes with the machine getting jammed.
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You’re in control at all times
Add up all the above and you’ll find that you have a great deal more control over all aspects of your machine or vending business than you would get from a traditional vending machine – and you can enjoy that control at any time and from anywhere.
If you’d like to know more about the many benefits of commercial smart fridges and how you can incorporate them successfully into your business or commercial site, get in touch with the friendly and expert advisors at Nu Vending today.
We’re leading providers of the latest vending solutions for businesses and organisations across London and the Home Counties.
