VENDING MACHINES
Just like the retail store, the vending machines are sales outlets. These machines are another means of merchandising products aboard ship. A vending machine (fig. 2-12) is a coin-operated

Figure 2-12.- Vending machines.

machine that dispenses merchandise after the customer inserts legal coins or currency. The vending machine is equipped with a coin changer that provides change to the customer after purchase. The following coin-operated machines are authorized for shipboard use: cup or can soft drink, candy/ cookie, cigarette, hot food/ snack, dollar bill changer, and electronic amusement machines. Vending machines are very important toward high crew morale. The two top jobs of the vending machine operator are keeping the machines full and taking care of customer complaints. Servicing the vending machines is not an easy job. They are the only part of the ship's store operation that provide service 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

VENDING MACHINE CASH COLLECTIONS
As the vending machine operator, you will normally have another job on top of taking care of the vending machines. To make collections within prescribed time limits and still do your jobs, you will more than likely have to time your collections so they will not interfere with your other work. This can be easily worked out with the person who is making collections. You should keep in mind that the vending machines need to be collected daily or before making any repairs to the coin mechanism or the machine itself whether the ship is in port or at sea. On the weekends in port, cash only needs to be collected from the vending machines if the volume of sales is over $150, or when making repairs to the machine or the coin mechanism. Also when the last business day of the month falls on a weekend or holiday, all cash must be collected. Collections are recorded on the NAVSUP Forms 469 and 470 according to the procedures previously described. All collections from the vending machines will be entered in the ROM cash receipt function daily, or as soon as practical. When more than one machine is operated, the cash receipts for each machine must be recorded on separate pages of the NAVSUP Forms 469 and 470, and the pages must be identified accordingly. The Cash Receipt Book, NAVSUP Form 470, will be kept in the custody of the vending machine operator. Meter readings are taken at the time of collection and used to determine the amount of cash that should be in the vending machine. A record of these meter readings is maintained on the NAVSUP Form 469 under the column marked Number of Customers. The previous day's meter reading minus the meter reading at the time of collection times the selling price should equal the cash collected.