Vinh University holds 'record' for vending machines

(Baonghean.vn) – In Vinh city, in just the past 3 weeks, 15 vending machines have appeared, mainly concentrated in crowded places such as the train station, Vinh University, and Nghe An Oncology Hospital. Vinh University is the place with the most vending machines with 9 machines.

» Vending machines replace canteens at Vinh University

Fast, convenient, cheap

Nowadays, in big cities across the country such as Saigon and Hanoi, the appearance of vending machines is no longer strange to people. Some new walking routes in Hanoi, vending machines have been welcomed by people, used very effectively and gradually become an indispensable utility service.

Students at Vinh University are excited when vending machines bring many practical benefits.

In Vinh city, in just the past 3 weeks, 15 vending machines have appeared, mainly concentrated in crowded places such as train stations, Vinh University, Nghe An Oncology Hospital. These machines provide bottled drinks such as mineral water, soft drinks, coffee, milk, and some fast foods such as chips, sausages, and corn. These are the types of items that are favored and welcomed by many customers.

The way to buy goods through this vending machine is also quite simple. Customers just need to insert money with the specified denomination as shown on the machine, then press the code of the product they choose and after a moment, the product they have chosen will fall into the slot below. Customers then just need to take the product they have bought and use it.

You must insert money with the correct denomination as specified by the machine, which is 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, for the machine to make a transaction.

Vinh University is the place with the most vending machines with 9 machines. Having vending machines installed in student housing areas has made it more convenient for students as they do not have to go too far to buy food and drinks after a very short break between classes.

Nguyen Thi Van Oanh, K55 Journalism - Vinh University said: "After each class, we don't have to go too far to buy food and drinks, we just need to go down to the lobby of the school building to get the necessary food and drinks to serve students. Moreover, the food and drinks in the cabinet are all company products with clear origins, so we feel very secure when using them. In addition, this vending machine has clearly listed prices, so we can buy with peace of mind without fear of being ripped off like when going outside the school area to buy."

The machine has created more convenient conditions for students after breaks between classes.

Hoang Thi Linh Chi, K55 A1 English Pedagogy - Vinh University, happily said: "My house is quite far from school so there are many days when I don't have time to eat breakfast. Luckily, I have this machine so that during recess I can have a snack from fast food in the fridge like milk and sausage. I feel that this machine creates many conveniences for students who live far away like us."

To limit errors, customers should carefully read the instructions on the machine before use.

Prices of food and drinks are clearly displayed on the products in the cabinet.

Many types of food and drinks are available in vending machines, but many customers still want to add some favorites such as bread, unsweetened fresh milk...

Vending machines are not only convenient for students but also at places like train stations, hospitals, and crowded places, creating many practical conveniences for people.

Mr. Nguyen Ba Anh, a staff member at Vinh station, said: "Before this machine was available, many nights we went to work thirsty and hungry, but there were no shops in the station that sold drinks or food at midnight, so it was very inconvenient. Since the machine was available, it has served train passengers and shift staff like us very effectively."

"Stuck, picky" and many errors need to be fixed

Besides the undeniable benefits, there are still some limitations that make many shoppers hesitate and hesitate to buy from these vending machines.

Student Nguyen Thi Van Oanh, K55 Journalism - Vinh University said: "This vending machine is very picky about money. Money put into the machine must be flat, not folded, and must have the denomination according to the machine's regulations. One day, I bought some chips and when I was halfway down, it got stuck and I couldn't get it out. After that, I had to continue putting money in to buy another bottle of water before I could get the food out."

Customers who encounter errors such as not being able to return the change, stuck products, etc. are advised to contact the phone number listed on the machine, but in reality, many people choose to put more money into the machine to buy items to get both items back.

The newly installed vending machines in Vinh City are capable of returning change to customers. When customers give money in denominations of 5,000, 10,000, 20,000 as regulated by the machine, if the customer buys a product in the vending machine and still has money left over, the customer will receive the change back, but only one denomination of 5,000. However, according to Mr. Nguyen Ba Anh, a Vinh station employee, "There are many days when the machine cannot return change because the 5,000 in the machine is not enough to return to the customer, some customers have 10,000 left over but have to accept the loss."

Many students also said that the items in the vending machines are still quite poor and monotonous, so adding some products such as bread and other fast foods will attract more customers.

The elderly, who have little access to technology, are still quite hesitant to use this new sales service. Only when someone who understands how to use it comes to buy the product will they dare to ask for help. This is the feedback from patients at Nghe An Oncology Hospital.

Duc Anh - Phan Minh