Every office has that one corner. The printer nobody likes lives there, next to a chair box and a plant that has survived three office moves. Someone says, “Let’s put the machine here.” Before anyone moves the plant, a few boring questions are worth asking. Office vending starts with the spot, not with a list of benefits.
We are not here to convince you that coffee at work is good. You know. Offices are the first entry on the Places page, and this guide helps you pick a corner where the machine is close to hand and in nobody’s way.
Three usual candidates
In an office the choice usually comes down to three spots:
- The kitchen or kitchenette. The natural break spot. There may be water there too, which matters for a coffee machine.
- The corridor by the meeting rooms. Close to meetings, but check that the machine does not narrow the walkway.
- The reception area. Handy for visitors, as long as there is a socket and a bit of room in front.
None of them wins by default. What matters is what is against the wall, behind it and in front of it.
Socket, signal, floor
Each of the three machines needs a separate earthed 230 V socket. Not an extension lead from under a desk, a socket. It also needs mobile signal or Wi-Fi, because the machine connects to a network. In an office behind thick walls, or half below ground, check that before deciding.
The floor should be firm and level. The snack machine needs at least 20 cm behind it for ventilation, plus room in front to open the door. The dimensions of all three models are in the guide on our three vending machines, so we will not repeat them here.
Water only for coffee
If the office is getting a coffee machine, one more question comes up: where the water comes from. It can come from bottles inside the machine or from a mains line in the building. We agree the option for each site and write it into the contract. There is more on this in the guide on water for the coffee machine.
With the snack machine and the vending cooler the question never comes up. Power and signal are enough.
Sun, radiators and a cold lobby
A machine does not like the sun on its back. Better not to put it by a big south-facing window or right next to a radiator. According to the manufacturer, the coffee machine needs a room that stays between 5 and 35 °C all year round. In a heated office that is rarely a problem; in an unheated entrance lobby in winter, it is.
The vending cooler needs a dry, ventilated spot with no sun or heat source next to it. The corner by the radiator that everyone loves in January is not its corner.
Traffic and walkways
Someone will stand in front of the machine, choose and wait for a drink, so it is better if they are not doing it in the middle of a route. The machine should not narrow a walkway or stand by an emergency exit. A door that swings open straight onto the machine is not a good neighbour either.
If anyone in the office uses a wheelchair, make sure they can get up to the machine without moving chairs out of the way.
Who turns up with the delivery
Alnos Vending refills and services the machine. Our staff have to reach it with stock and open the door, so a spot behind three locked keypad doors is worse than the corner by the kitchen. Tell us early how people get into the office and who lets our staff in. The scope of service is in the contract.
Once the machine is in place, please do not move it yourselves. After installation, only Alnos Vending moves the machine. Payment is cashless; we confirm the details when we set the machine up. There is no coin slot.
Two machines in one corner
If the office wants coffee and snacks, the machines can stand side by side. Then the totals matter: both widths, room in front to open the doors, and at least 20 cm behind the snack machine. According to the manufacturer, each machine needs its own separate 230 V socket, so one socket for two will not do. We check the power at the site before setting up.
Side by side or apart? Coffee by the kitchen and snacks by the meeting rooms works too. Nothing says they have to be together.
One contact person
In an office where everyone is responsible for the machine, in practice nobody is. Name one person who knows the spot, knows who lets our staff in, and passes on the team’s comments about the mix. They do not refill or fix anything. They just need to know where to write: hello@alnosvending.pl.
Before anyone moves the plant
A spot inside the building and a separate 230 V socket are all we need to start. The rest we settle in a conversation. Email hello@alnosvending.pl, call +48 84 300 10 10, or send a Golden Ticket, the machine enquiry form, not a prize draw. Describe the corner you have in mind. The plant can stay put a little longer.