Understanding the data from your office coffee machine can make all the difference in commercial performance and customer engagement, writes Vija Volfa, Key Account Manager, Vendon
There is a persistent misconception about the coffee service business. Many believe that once a machine is installed in a good location, performance will largely take care of itself. If cup sales are low, the location must simply be weak.
Operators working with large coffee networks know that reality is far more dynamic.
Through telemetry, we see that machine performance changes constantly depending on consumption patterns, user behaviour and operational decisions.
Working closely with some of the largest coffee service operators in Europe, I often see shifts in operating models several years before they become common industry practice.
Looking ahead to 2026, three things are becoming increasingly clear.
The first is using consumption monitoring to refine the commercial offer. Vendon telemetry allows operators to see exactly which drinks sell and how performance varies across locations. In some networks, three beverages account for nearly half of total consumption. Instead of offering everything equally, operators should adjust menus, promotions, and visibility around those drinks.
Telemetry also highlights underperforming sites, allowing operators to test promotions, relocate machines, or rethink the offer entirely.
The second shift is consumer engagement at the machine. Leading operators increasingly treat coffee machines as marketing touchpoints rather than simple dispensers. Consumer campaigns, such as QR-based free drink trials, allow teams to encourage first-time use, collect consumer data, and monitor campaign results in real time.
Instead of waiting for monthly sales reports, marketing teams can adjust promotions while the campaign is still running.
The third shift is data-driven asset management. Connected machines continuously report technical events and usage patterns, allowing service teams to address issues early and maintain uptime close to 95% across large fleets.
The future of the office coffee business belongs to operators who understand not only where their machines are placed, but what the data from those machines is telling them every day.
Find out how Vendon’s telemetry solutions can boost your beverage menu and increase business performance.
