Trial Periods at New Sites – Testing a New Location

A trial lets both sides check whether a machine makes sense before a longer agreement.

The building manager is happy, the operator is happy, and the machine has been in its new spot for a week. The first days look good, because everyone wants to see what's inside. Then the curiosity wears off, and only then do you see how the site really performs. That's why many new sites start with a trial period. This article explains what a trial period is for, how to plan one, what to watch during it, how to talk to the building manager, and how to make a decision at the end. We won't give you one correct length or a sales threshold that means success, because there are no universal numbers like that. We will show you how to agree on them together, before the machine even arrives.

Why Have a Trial Period at All

Assessing a site before the machine goes in is a forecast. You can count people, ask about breaks, and look at the kitchen, but only a real machine shows whether people actually use it. A trial period turns the forecast into an observation. It gives both sides time to check whether the spot, the product range, and the service routine fit the building. For the building manager, it's a way to limit risk: if the machine gets in the way or nobody uses it, everyone knows how to back out. For the operator, it's a chance to make adjustments before the site is written off. So a trial period isn't a sign of distrust. It's an honest admission that nobody knows a building well enough to predict everything in advance.

Set the Goal Before the Machine Arrives

The most common problem with a trial period is simple: nobody agreed on what should happen during it. After a few weeks, the building manager says it's "probably fine," the operator says it "could be better," and both are right. That's why the goal is worth writing down before the start. It might be a sales level the operator considers sufficient, but it can also be something unrelated to money: no noise complaints, no access problems for service visits, a satisfied night shift. If what the building manager mostly wants is for people to stop leaving the building to get coffee, say so plainly. Then the result gets judged on that, not just on the number of candy bars sold.

How Long Should a Trial Period Be

There's no single right answer, but there are a few principles. The period should be long enough for the novelty effect to fade. The first week almost always looks different from the ones that follow. It should also cover full cycles of the building's life: several ordinary working weeks and, if possible, a day when the place runs differently, such as a weekend at a sports hall. On the other hand, the period shouldn't run so long that it stops being a trial and turns into an ordinary arrangement with no clear decision. The length, the conditions for ending it, and what happens afterward should be written into the contract or an agreement with the building manager. The details depend on the operator and the site, so ask about them directly.

Watch Out for the Season

A trial period at the wrong time can give a completely false picture. A machine placed at a university during exam season will show traffic that won't be there over the summer. A machine tested in an office building during vacation season will look weaker than it would in the fall. If you can't pick a better window, at least keep it in mind when you judge the results. Ask the building manager what typical weeks look like over the year and where the trial falls against that background. Sometimes it's smarter to push the start back a few weeks than to judge a site on a month when half the team is on vacation. That conversation takes fifteen minutes and saves a lot of misunderstanding at the review.

What to Watch During the Trial

Sales are the obvious indicator, but not the only one. During a trial period, it's worth watching several things at once:

• which products sell fast and which sit untouched,
• which hours and days the machine gets used most,
• whether there are reports of breakdowns, jams, or payment problems,
• whether anyone complains about noise, smell, or a blocked walkway,
• whether the service team can reach the machine without trouble.

This information helps you tell a bad spot from a bad product range. If the machine sells little, but everything it sells is water and coffee, the problem may be the offer, not the location. If it sells a lot, but every week someone complains about a line in a narrow hallway, it may only need to move a few yards.

Adjustments Along the Way Are Normal

A trial period isn't about placing a machine and waiting for a verdict. A sensible operator makes changes during that time: swapping out products that don't sell, adding the ones people ask for, and matching restocking frequency to real traffic. Sometimes the spot in the building changes too, if the first one turned out worse than it looked on the floor plan. What matters is that these adjustments get written down. At the end of the period, it's then easier to see whether results improved or stayed flat despite the changes. For the building manager, it's also a sign that the operator takes the site seriously. A machine that shows the same three empty spirals for six weeks says more than any report.

The Role of the Building Manager and Staff

The building manager doesn't need to count sales, but their observations are very valuable. They hear what staff say, know when the building is busier, and see whether the area around the machine stays tidy. It's worth naming one contact person on the site side who collects feedback and passes it to the operator. It also helps if staff know the machine is on trial and that their opinion counts. A short note in the kitchen or an internal message is enough: what's in the machine, how to report a problem, where to leave a suggestion. People are more willing to say what's missing when they know someone is listening. Otherwise they simply stop using it, and nobody knows why.

Regular Contact Instead of One Talk at the End

Leaving everything for the final review is a risk. Small problems that are easy to fix in week two can grow into a reason to end the arrangement after two months. It's better to agree on a short check-in halfway through. It doesn't have to be a meeting. A phone call or a message with a few questions is enough. Are there complaints? Has anything changed in the building? Are staff asking for anything? The operator can use that moment to share what the sales data shows and what they plan to change. That kind of contact builds trust and means the conversation at the end of the trial isn't a surprise for either side.

How to Record the Results

At the end, a short one-page summary is useful. It's not a report for the board, just a way to put the facts in order. What did we assume at the start? What was the actual traffic, week by week? Which adjustments were made, and what came of them? What complaints came in, and how were they resolved? What do staff say? A summary like that lets you decide based on facts rather than an impression from the last week. It also helps later, when someone asks a year on why the machine stands exactly here, or why it was taken away. Memory is unreliable, but a note from the review stays.

Three Possible Decisions

At the end of a trial period, there are usually three ways forward. First, the site has proven itself, and the machine stays permanently on the terms agreed earlier. Second, the site has potential, but something needs to change, such as the spot in the building, the machine type, or the product range, and the trial is extended by an agreed amount of time. Third, the site hasn't worked, and the machine goes back to the operator. Each of these decisions is fine if it rests on data and clearly agreed rules. The worst outcome is no decision at all: the machine stays, nobody is happy, but nobody says so out loud either. We cover when relocating a machine makes sense in a separate article.

Example: A Warehouse With Two Shifts

An operator places a snack and drink machine in a warehouse, by the entrance to the locker room. For the first two weeks, sales are high, then they drop by half. The building manager starts to wonder whether it was worth it. The halfway check-in clears things up: the second shift finishes after the locker room is locked, so for half the day nobody can reach the machine. The machine moves to the hallway by the exit, and the operator adds a few products the night workers had asked about. Over the following weeks, sales settle at a reasonable level. Without the trial period and the halfway talk, the machine would probably have just been taken away.

Common Mistakes During a Trial

A few mistakes come up again and again in different buildings. The first is judging after week one, when curiosity inflates the result or a lack of awareness that the machine exists deflates it. The second is making no adjustments at all: the machine keeps the same range for the whole period, even though after two weeks it's clear half the spirals aren't moving. The third is silence. The building manager hears complaints but doesn't pass them on, assuming it isn't their business. The fourth is comparing the site to a completely different place, such as a small office to a large factory. Each of these leads to a decision based on an incomplete picture. Fortunately, each can be prevented with a simple talk at the start and a short check-in along the way.

Afterward, Tell People What Happens Next

Staff who used the machine for several weeks and gave feedback deserve a short note about the decision. If the machine stays, mention what changed thanks to their suggestions, for example new drinks or a spot closer to the exit. If the machine goes, it's better to say so plainly and give the reason than to let it simply vanish one morning. People get used to conveniences faster than you'd think. A lack of information breeds rumors, and one short message closes the topic. It's also a good moment to thank the contact person on the site side, who usually does this work on top of their regular job.

What to Check Before the Start

Before the machine arrives, it helps to have answers to a few questions:

• How long does the trial period last, and what happens when it ends?
• What is the goal, and how will both sides know it has been reached?
• Who on the site side collects feedback and passes it to the operator?
• When will the halfway check-in take place?
• Does the period overlap with vacation season, school breaks, or another unusual week?
• Who covers the cost of moving or collecting the machine, if it comes to that?

The last question seems minor, but it can cause a dispute if nobody settled it. Financial terms and each side's obligations depend on the specific contract, so read it before signing, not after.

Locations

The page on machine locations (publisher's site) describes typical places where machines stand.

FAQ

Does every new site need a trial period? No. It's a common practice for sites where both sides have doubts, but it depends on the operator and what's agreed with the building manager.

Can the product range change during the trial? Yes. Adjusting the range and the restocking frequency is one of the main reasons a trial period makes sense at all.

Is the first week enough to judge a site? No. Curiosity usually inflates the first days, so the real picture shows only after several weeks.

What if it's still unclear after the trial? You can extend the period by an agreed amount of time, but with a clear goal and a date for the next decision.