Supervise vending services

This standard is about the maintenance of the vending service and is likely to be used by a supervisor responsible for the activities within the area of work on a daily basis under the direction of the relevant manager.
Customers using vending machines on a daily basis are often unaware of the work that goes on behind the scenes and behind the machines. Providing a quality, cost-effective vending service requires a range of skills and knowledge from understanding the resources needed to ensure efficient and safe delivery of the service through to very specific areas such as being aware of which products could cause allergic reactions and how to prevent this happening.

This standard deals with the monitoring and supervision of the service and involves briefing staff on procedures and work schedules, reviewing sales, inspecting vending machines and dealing with problems. It also covers the key steps in ensuring food, drinks and other items are maintained and dispensed in the best possible condition, meets the necessary requirements for food standards and hygiene and is adjusted to cater for requirements.

When you have completed this standard you will be able to demonstrate your understanding of and ability to:

• Supervise vending services

1. Develop procedures and work schedules and make sure you and your staff comply with them, updating staff on any new requirements
2. Make sure staff have the skills, knowledge and resources they need when they  need them and encourage staff to ask questions if there is information that they do not understand
3. Carry out inspections to make sure the vending service complies with relevant legal  requirements, industry regulations, professional codes and organisational policies
4. Recognise changes in circumstances promptly and adjust plans and activities accordingly; find practical ways to overcome barriers and take effective action to manage problems that may disrupt the vending service
5. Lead by example and brief staff to look for and report problems when they occur and respond constructively; recognise recurring problems and promote changes to structures, systems and processes to resolve these
6. Monitor the quality of work and progress against plans and take effective action to manage problems with the vending service when they occur, finding practical ways to overcome barriers
7. Control costs, make best use of available resources and proactively seek new sources of support when issues arise
8. Inform customers of any changes to the service that may affect them
9. Monitor and review the vending service to identify how the service could be improved, continuously seeking to improve products and services and diversify where appropriate
10. Collect feedback on the service from staff and customers
11. Give constructive feedback to staff to help them improve their performance where appropriate
12. Use effective methods to gather, store and retrieve information, accurately complete the required records and report on performance to support the vending service according to your organisational procedures

1. What legal requirements govern vending operations
2. What your organisation's policies are for providing the vending service
3. What range of products is provided and types of machines used by your organisation
4. What vended products can cause allergic reactions and what measures need to be taken to prevent reactions to potential allergens
5. How to contribute to developing procedures for the vending service
6. What your organisation's policies are for identifying faults, breaches of security and damage and why you need contingency plans to deal with problems with the vending service
7. The resources you require for the operation of the vending service and how to obtain these
8. What resources you need to ensure the hygiene and maintenance of the vending service
9. What systems are in place to ensure staff are following correct procedures and how you should apply these
10. Why it is important to liaise with customers and staff
11. How to communicate procedures to your staff
12. What procedures staff should follow for cleaning, filling and emptying machines of cash and how to deal with cash discrepancies
13. How products should be presented and displayed and how frequently you should refill the machines in your area of responsibility
14. What temperatures should be maintained for the products you are responsible for and why this is important
15. The recording procedures which apply to the maintenance and operation of the service (including cash takings, temperature control and complaints) and why this is important
16. How to monitor and review the service, including collecting feedback from customers and staff and reviewing sales
17. What procedures you should use to monitor sales, why you should report fluctuations and who you should report  these fluctuations to
18. What the types of problems are that may affect the vending service and how to manage these
19. How to use feedback from others constructively and how to encourage others to give feedback

The following behaviours are provided as guidance to underpin effective performance of a hospitality supervisor

1. You identify people's information needs
2. You present information clearly, concisely, accurately and in ways that promote understanding
3. You find practical ways to overcome barriers
4. You make appropriate information and knowledge available promptly to those who need it and have a right to it
5. You recognise changes in circumstances promptly and adjust plans and activities accordingly
6. You recognise recurring problems and promote changes to structures, systems and processes to resolve these
7. You continuously improve products and services and seek to diversify where appropriate

Effective methods to gather, store and retrieve information include cost- effective, time effective and ethical means.
Information includes from customers and staff.

This standard is a sector specific standard and has particular links with the following standards in the Hospitality Supervision & Leadership suite of standards: HSL1-6, HSL14, HSL19, HSL23