AMS Vending Machines Durable and Dependable  An interview with John Whitwell of Buffalo Rock

John has been buying AMS equipment for 8+ years and comments on the quality, customer appreciation from the factory and factory reps and the versatility of their machines.

“The reason I use them is they are really dependable. We use very few parts on them over the past 10 years.”

“The brand new machine that’s coming out this year; we just got a few in. The appearance of the machine is just unbelievable compared to what it used to be. The numbers are lit up, everything looks great, compared to what it used to look like.”

AMS Vending Machines Durable and Dependable  “Again, I couldn’t praise more about the durability and dependability of these machines compared to what we used to deal with… good product.”

“One other plus about the AMS refrigerated machines, the 35 and 39 inch machines, is they use the same parts. Besides the shelf being wider, I don’t have to carry duel parts.”

 

 

 

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:

 

AMS Vending Machines Durable and Dependable  Tom: This is Tom Shivers with the Vending Business Show, and I’m here with John Whitwell, who is the market equipment manager for Buffalo Rock. Today we’re going to talk about AMS equipment. So thanks for being here, John.

John: Thank you.

Tom: Now with buying AMS equipment, what do you think about the quality, the warranty, and customer appreciation from the factory and factory reps of their five wide snack machines?

John: I really enjoy using the AMS. I think we started back about eight or nine years ago, and I pretty much exclusively use AMS. I toured their facility. I’ve watched from the metal coming in to the end product. I’ve met Roy Steeley, the owner of that company, all the people that work there.

John: But the biggest factor, the reason I use them, is they’re really dependable. We use very few parts on ’em over all the last ten years. And then the sales rep that I have, Tim Paul, is really knowledgeable on the equipment, and if I need him here today, he’ll come today, if he’s in the country. There are times he’ll be in Puerto Rico.

John: But generally we have a great relationship, they do a great job, and that’s one thing that I never got out of some of the other manufacturers.

Tom: Now you buy both the snack machines and the refrigerated machines, is that right?

John: That’s right.

Tom: AMS is the only manufacturer that makes a 35″ four wide, refrigerated vendor. Do you use a lot of those?

John: Well when we first started purchasing them, we bought only the refrigerated, and that’s because the refrigeration unit was, actually, the expense was only a few hundred dollars more, and we lease them back to ourselves, so that’s a big savings. And they also make a food … I don’t know if you knew that, but they make a food machine, a 35 and a 39, and that’s all I use on food as well. I use their AMS 39 and 35s.

Tom: What types of food do you dispense from the refrigerated food machines?

John: We do everything from the big sandwiches, to some of the platters, like wing platters. You can just about configure it any way you want. And, of course, that’s pretty much set through our corporate office, how they want the machines set. But we can pretty much sell anything through ’em. And we sell a lot of different things.

Tom: AMS is the only company that makes an ETL approved, high security, outdoor vendor. Do you use a lot of those?

John: We use them in the schools.

Tom: Okay.