Bl**dy tubz vending again!

[Mark@YorVend]

We all know full well that tubz vending don't play fair, their sitefinders use some very sharp practices, giving the impression they are representatives from international confectionery firms to add credibility to their pitch.
This doesn't bother me in the slightest (good luck to them), companies are always sceptical of telesales, and sometimes need convincing to take a chance and try something new!

What really p***es me off is when I get to a site I've had for ages and find one of their franchisees towers in there, then upon enquiry I find they were told all sorts of bulls**t to agree to have the machine. I myself have been offered sites (from diane) that already have a machine, but might be persuaded to have mine too, but I was always told it was my descission whether to do it or not. Every time I've said no, I don't think it's right, and refused to leave a machine!

Why do tubz vending franchisees never do this?
I bought part of a round from a tubz vending guy called Brian about a year ago, and he told me he was given sites by tubz vending that already had other operators machines in. He was instructed to leave his machines and 'wait it out' for a couple of months until the other operator got sick of it and moved his machine. This is a pain in the ****, but usually the tubz vending guy gets the hump first, due to not getting all the sites found anyway, and not reaching the sales forecast tubz vending peddle, and ends up selling his half a round within a year or so.

Unfortunately just recently tubz vending (or individual franchisees) seem to be getting desperate. Just recently I called in to a pub where I had placed a machine a few months ago, only to find it had been replaced by a tubz vending machine. After speaking to the landlady, she informed me that I was a criminal who was operating a fraudulent company, cast aspersions on Hurley's charity contract with the NSPCC, and that she had been told by someone that my machine should be removed immiediately and replaced with one from tubz vending.

Unfortunately for May Cooper, the landlady of the Saddle Inn, she took this rubbish as gospel without even speaking to me first, and smashed my machine to pieces, stealing the money for herself and depositing my machine in the nearest skip.
At the moment Mrs Cooper is keeping quiet and refusing to name the person (or company) that told her I was a fraudster, and that Hurley's were acting inappropriately, but as she is about to be charged and brought before the court for theft and destruction of property, the police are confident she will 'spill the beans'.
I'm praying nightly to the God of justice that it turns out to be an employee of tubz vending, as my sister Emma is a reporter for the Yorkshire press and will take great delight in reporting the full details of the story!

But just as a warning to anyone thinking I'm a mug, the gloves are off now....

[Style]

May Cooper sounds like an idiot mate. I agree with you re Tubs but most landlords will listen to the truth.

I work with a local hospice for most of my machines and offer all pub sites "25% commission or I give the money to the local hospice." It keeps the door firmly closed on Tubs reps but if they do sneak in I find its normally fairly easy to get them kicked out again.

Good luck in court but I cant see how the police would be able to charge tubz vending with anything.

[Mark@YorVend]

The local hospice thing sounds like a good idea, I had been speaking to a guy from one recently who suggested putting one in each of the charity shops the hospice has (13 I think). I may very well switch to a local charity.

I hope the woman accepts my offer of paying for my lost machine and making an £81 donation to NSPCC, as an alternative to me pressing charges (which is the police's preference), but from what the police woman told me, she fails to see where she did something wrong!
As for tubz vending and their franchisee, if she claims in court it was them who told her all the lies about me and Hurley's, although it wont be illegal, it will be covered extensively in the local papers. This will result in ruining their reputation locally and make it impossible for them to even hang on to the sites they have, let alone get anymore!!
Fingers crossed she proves a good witness... :)

[FlintVending]

A sad turn of events for all concerned.
When it comes to sites its just like the wild west now.
surprised you have not mentioned what hurleys think about all this?
Surely it is slander, and if it is tubz vending sitefinders that said this it will all be recorded.
I, for one, will be interested to hear of the outcome of this mess.
Good luck Mark!

[part-time-operator]

i have had a lot of machines stolen from sites recently. you're lucky you at least know who did it!

i've also recently had tubz vending franchisees emptying my machines and paying the landlords commissions and then walking out without re-filling it. All while wearing the tubz vending polo shirts!

I actually think the guys at tubz vending HQ are not to blame here, it's the greedy scum who they are taking on as franchisees recently and who fully deserve to lose their investment. Be patient Mark as a professional operator you will survive in this game for much longer.

[Mark@YorVend]

A sad turn of events for all concerned.
When it comes to sites its just like the wild west now.
surprised you have not mentioned what hurleys think about all this?
Surely it is slander, and if it is tubz vending vending sitefinders that said this it will all be recorded.
I, for one, will be interested to hear of the outcome of this mess.
Good luck Mark!

Spoke to Paul at Hurley's and to be honest he wasn't surprised in the slightest, he said he has heard countless tales over the years about them, but the chances of proving it, or getting them to admit it are almost nil.
I'm not stupid enough to make a public declaration that they definately did lie to poach my site, as I don't want suing for slander (that would be too ironic), I can only state what I know and state my suspicions. But If I ever get any solid evidence out of this, that they have used lies about me and Hurley's to get their machines in, I will make sure everyone knows about it!!

[Mark@YorVend]

i have had a lot of machines stolen from sites recently. you're lucky you at least know who did it!

i've also recently had tubz vending vending franchisees emptying my machines and paying the landlords commissions and then walking out without re-filling it. All while wearing the tubz vending vending polo shirts!

I actually think the guys at tubz vending vending HQ are not to blame here, it's the greedy scum who they are taking on as franchisees recently and who fully deserve to lose their investment. Be patient Mark as a professional operator you will survive in this game for much longer.

Yeah I had thought about that already, I have printed and distributed a load of leaflets for my sites warning them about being vigilant for bogus people coming in to empty our machines. To be honest I also told most of them a few months ago when I lost a set of keys that all staff will have an ID badge from now on.
It also mentions that some of our machinery has recently been destroyed due to a rival company spreading malicious lies about us, and asks if they get any such calls or visits making accusations against us, and asking to leave a machine they give me a call. I also put the North Yorkshire police logo on it so it looks very official! The people I gave it to in person, rather than just posting it, were all very supportive when I explained the situation and will be giving any possible poacher very short shrift!!

[dorsetvending]

Have involved the police regarding tubz vending operator only recently. Stole 2 machines, one being a Pringles machine that they didn't even operate. To be fair to tubz vending they did contact the guy in question, but it took police involvement to truly concentrate the guys mind. It's frustrating but I will protect my business at all costs.

[Mark@YorVend]

I'm lucky that I live in such a small city and most of my customers know me by sight, I make a point of getting my hair cut in the hairdresser sites on a rotation basis, I regularly have a pint and a chat to the landlords in the pub sites (advantages of a bike), and have built up a relationship through my hotel with the taxi firm sites.
All in all, I would doubt if anyone could get away with nicking a machine of mine as they would probably be challenged by a member of staff, especially as they have all been warned countless times!

I'm also in the process of sticking those indestructible coded security stickers to the side of all mine, so I can tell if a stolen machine goes into operation with another company. To give tubz vending a bit of credit I don't think for a minute even they would advocate stealing machines to their franchisees, I just don't know why they insist on trying to take sites from other operators.

[Coin Operated Group]

Put trackers on your machines and change the locks.

Locks are cheap enough to buy and will stop bogus refill/empties. Change a few at a time , your most vulnerable sites first.