Facility managers juggle a long list of responsibilities — HVAC, security, cleaning contracts, tenant complaints, capital planning and vending machines rarely make it to the top of that list. But a poorly chosen vending partnership can generate a surprising number of complaints for something that seems minor, while a well-run one can quietly improve tenant or employee satisfaction without adding to your workload. Here's what's worth knowing before you sign an agreement. Vending Is a Service Contract, Not Just Equipment It's easy to think of a vending machine as a piece of equipment you're hosting. In practice, it's closer to hiring a service provider. The machine is just the visible piece. What actually determines whether the arrangement works is: Service reliability: how often the operator visits to restock and check the machine Responsiveness: how quickly issues (jammed products, payment failures, empty slots) get resolved Communication: whether you ha...