Brent’s Story

Brent Farrell, Vitality Vending of Vermont
Various Towns, VT

We are a small vending machine, micro market and office coffee services provider in Vermont. Our clients range from highly skilled white collar to blue collar manufacturing, health care facilities, higher education, fitness centers, nursing homes, office complexes, etc.  February, March and April are traditionally our busiest 3 months of the year but that will clearly not be the case for us this year.

While obviously very early to assess the overall economic impact of the coronavirus emergency on our business, we have seen remarkable impacts in only days.  We have multiple clients who are mandating employees work from home so we will see revenues drop considerably in those locations.  The closing of higher education facilities, students no longer living in dorms, and classes being taught remotely will also have a large impact on our business thru the rest of this spring semester and possibly into the summer as well.  We have already been notified by a couple of clients that we will not be allowed into their businesses to provide ongoing service to our machines and their employees for the foreseeable future, effectively cutting off sales, and the collecting of revenue, from those clients until the crisis passes.  

We have yet to determine how the emergency will affect our access to our clients that operate elder care facilities. In addition, we do not yet know how this will affect our business in local health clubs and gyms.  I can only anticipate a decline there due to the social distancing.

Needless to say, revenues from some sectors of our business will be severely compromised.  This of course will affect the amount of work we have available for our staff.   In this time of year we usually have 2 people on the road 5 days per week full time and 2 people on the road part time.  In addition, we employ 4 part time warehouse workers, only one of whom has another full time job. 

There is so much yet to be known. This coming week will be telling.  I truly have no idea what to expect other than a sharp revenue drop.  Of course, cash flows will be hurt as well so it will definitely be troubling times ahead.