The Navarre company Muxunav is currently immersed in the launch of the second generation of its digital label holders, with which the end user will be able to make contactless payments on the vending machine via a QR code.
Once scanned, the code redirects to a payment gateway that includes Bizum, one of the most widespread payment methods today.
In 2020, the worst year on record for any industry, Spain had 370,000 vending machines deployed across the territory. Most of them, due to the major changes in consumption habits and in society in general, belong to a new generation of automatic machines: more technological, digitised and efficient.
However, another part of the machine fleet remains tied to the first generations of more traditional vending, where the interfaces and large touchscreens are, in reality, button panels.
The reality is that many businesses are still reluctant to bring in new smart machines when their classic machine is still working. The fear of the outlay and of not recouping the new investments has a clear consequence on consumer feedback, which will not always be positive.
Although the first option should be to renew the machine fleet with the new automatic machines being launched on the market, the first-generation ones still in service can extend their useful life a little longer.
What happens if the business owner does not have the budget needed for this change? The answer is provided by Muxunav, which, as part of the latest edition of B-Venture, the event organised by EL CORREO together with the Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment of the Basque Government, explained its formula to cut the costs of having more innovative vending machines: digitise the ones already installed.
Its journey in this field dates back to 2013, when the company began replacing some button panels with others featuring illuminated or moving labels to capture the end user’s attention.
That opened the door to the vending sector for them and made it possible to demonstrate the possibilities that technology offers to improve management and make machines more profitable, especially with the commitment to contactless payment.
They then realised that many machines that become obsolete are not changed, but continue to provide a service that no longer suits the profile of today’s user.
In the case of vending, this translates into more costs and the loss of potential sales: higher technical-staff costs to check the machine’s parameters on site and lost sales because many users expect to find more digital payment options on the machine.
The adaptation: increasing sales by up to 32%
That adaptation, that is, the installation and configuration of the module that houses the CPU, takes place in an average of ten minutes, according to the company.
The machine does not even have to be moved. As Antonio Torres and Roberto Ducay, heads of Muxunav, explain, you only have to touch the label holder, so anyone who sees the vending machine will only notice that the label holder has been replaced by a screen holder.
This aesthetic change can, from the outset, offer an increase in sales: users are drawn to technology and today’s consumers come from a generation of screens.
According to the firm, this increase can reach up to 32% of revenue.
Once upgraded, you can have immediate access to the information generated by the machine.
Preparing the machines for TicketBAI
On the other hand, although its entry into force varies depending on the geographical area of the country, the obligation to issue invoices with TicketBAI is an opportunity for Muxunav, since its system makes it possible to send the invoicing data in the required format.
The company points out that, at least in the Basque Country, most vending machines do not yet operate with that format, so their owners will have to start considering solutions to comply with the legislation.
For its part, Muxunav has already entered the testing platform of the regional tax authorities to ensure that its solution is optimal.
Second generation of digital label holders: the inclusion of Bizum
Muxunav is currently preparing the presentation of its second generation of digital label holders, which will allow the user to pay via their phone.
The payment is completely contactless and is made after generating a QR code. On scanning it, the user accesses the payment platforms, among which Bizum is included.
The usual payment system is not removed, but rather complemented with digital payments, so that the consumer who still wants to pay in cash can do so.
In addition, the company explains that, through that QR code, it also wants the user to be able to select the product, as happens in the new automatic machines and in many Horeca establishments.
For now, the firm targets managers and operators of tobacco and drinks vending machines, which are generally the ones with these branded button panels.
However, in the medium term, it will also adapt its offer to machines that have a numeric keypad, the classic models of traditional food vending and refrigerated machines.
The B-Venture event was held at the Euskalduna Palace at the end of October and was organised by EL CORREO, with the sponsorship of the Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment of the Basque Government, the development agency SPRI, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the Bilbao City Council, among other entities.
