Author: Marketing Marketing

Coges focuses on precision and efficiency with the new Sofis coin mechanism

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Coges will present at Venditalia the release on the market of the new SOFIS change-giver coin mechanism for vending machines, a precise and functional MDB payment system, able to guarantee the high performance necessary to meet all the needs of the vending operator. The Sofis coin mechanism will join the Hexis and Unica coin mechanisms in the range of Coges cash payment systems.

“Sofis distinguishes itself from other Coges coin mechanisms because it combines maximum precision in coin recognition with extreme simplicity of operation.” Underlines Daniele Ioriatti, the new Sales Manager of the Vicenza-based company. “If Hexis and Unica are very smart change-givers, with the possibility of paying with smartphones and above all connecting to the Cloud with the Nebular platform, Sofis is characterized as an essential MDB coin mechanism: flexible in configuration, easy to manage and extremely precise, sharing the new module for coin recognition developed for Hexis, ideal for those looking for a secure and uncomplicated cash payment system.”

Sofis has considerable elements of discontinuity even with Aeterna, the other “unconnected” coin mechanism from Coges: first of all, Sofis will only be available in the MDB version; in addition, the absence of a display and keypad in the new coin mechanism is compensated for by the immediate programming with E.C.S. Programmer. The most important difference, however, lies precisely in the recognition unit: thanks to a revolutionary multifrequency reading technology, the new module is able to collect a greater amount of information on the characteristics of the metal alloy. This technology, combined with the analysis of over 200 mechanical, optical, acoustic and electromagnetic parameters, allows the Sofis change giver a better quality of coin identification which translates into a more advanced acquisition capacity, a greater number of recognized currencies and above all, in better discrimination of fakes and fraud.

Particular attention was paid to cleaning and maintenance operations, made easier by the modular structure of the coin mechanism. Finally, the Sofis tube group, like that of Hexis, also stands out for its length and for the possibility of being easily configured to meet the needs of the Operator in the various locations, accepting the most requested value combinations.

“Surely Coges is focusing more and more on connected payment systems and is making the hardware-software ecosystem the central point of its value proposition.” Matteo Pegoraro, head of the R&D area observes “This does not mean that we intend to neglect the design of more traditional payment systems. We work closely with all the players in the vending market and we know that each location has particular needs, connected systems are a fundamental step forward but they are not the answer to everything. Coges’ goal has always been to draw on its vast experience to develop a complete, versatile and integrated range and offer our customers the most innovative solutions. ”

The Sofis change giver will be available for purchase at Coges and authorized dealers starting from next month. Come and discover it from 11 to 14 May at stand C43-D48 in Hall 3 at Venditalia!

Coges unveils the new Nebular at Venditalia 2022

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Coges will present at Venditalia 2022 the new release of the NEBULAR service, an integrated platform of hardware, software and Cloud services designed to provide each Operator with all the payment options and user loyalty he has always wanted. Building on its growing success throughout Europe, Nebular moves to a new, even more performing server infrastructure, which allows for improved security and efficiency and paves the way for new functions, such as the revolutionary credit management on the Cloud. Nebular thus becomes the vital center of the entire ecosystem of connected Coges products, a scalable architecture of intelligent devices that allows the Operator to choose for each location the hardware and software components that can bring him greater advantages and to modify them over time.

“NEBULAR is changing the way of understanding the vending business, freeing the services that can be offered to the user from the hardware limits of the vending machine,” says Daniele Ioriatti, Sales Manager of Coges. “This is not a single product, but a complete solution that each Operator can adapt to their needs and those of the location. When we talk about Nebular we are talking about the NEBULAR PAY contactless credit card reader, which recreates the immediacy and speed of purchasing of the retail environment on the vending machine, the MYKEY key with QR code to enable online credit top-up, the new PALLADIUM TOUCH system with touchscreen display and key credit management on the Cloud, which we will present in absolute preview at Venditalia. These are systems that offer unprecedented functions in vending and that integrate natively with the hardware of COGES ENGINE and the UNICA and HEXIS coin mechanisms.”

The Nebular platform is designed to accept the widest range of payment methods in vending and retail: cash, MyKey, MIFARE, credit cards, virtual wallets, mobile payment apps… The list is constantly growing with third party payment options such as ApplePay, Google Pay and Satispay. In this way, the Operator will be able to digitalize its relationship with all customers and involve them through loyalty programs, bonuses and exclusive functions such as online top-up and the user portal. Nebular also allows you to achieve operational excellence thanks to accurate data collection and sales reports, including real-time information on top-ups and credit balances on cashless media. Coges’ control over the entire platform and the life cycle of the individual parts reduces the need for maintenance and limits obsolescence, to meet the Operator’s needs today and in the future.

Among the new Nebular functions presented at Venditalia 2022, the spotlight will certainly fall on the possibility to transfer the storage of the key credit from MyKey to the Cloud. Credit on the Cloud offers the Operator total control over MyKeys and transactions, both in terms of security and credit management: MyKey lock in case of theft or loss, credit transfer from one MyKey to another and instant refund on the user’s MyKey. Furthermore, the transfer to Nebular enables the credit recharge on MyKey via credit card directly from the cogeskey.com portal via computer, smartphone or via the new Palladium Touch system.

The range of Coges payment systems is completed with new products that will be presented at Venditalia, starting with the new change-giver coin mechanism for vending machines SOFIS, a precise and functional MDB peripheral, able to guarantee the high performance necessary to meet all the needs of the Vending manager. The appointment at Fieramilanocity will also be an opportunity to review some of the payment systems unveiled over the last two years and already on the market, such as the Hexis change giver, the new MyKey and the small DYNAMOS cashless system.

From the cashless key to smart payment systems connected to the Cloud, for 45 years Coges has been using its experience to transform vending machines into smart systems, continuing to innovate to bring an increasing number of satisfied consumers into vending. From 11 to 14 May we will be at stand C43-D48 in Hall 3 in Venditalia, happy to come back to meet you in person and to present the future of the evolution of vending.

Pay at the vending machine with Satispay and Coges systems

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The Italian company Coges, leader in the design of payment and connectivity systems for vending, is proud to communicate to customers the implementation of a new function on its payment systems to enable payment of purchases at the vending machine directly via the Satispay app. This function is made possible by an agreement between Coges and the company Satispay, owner of the homonymous mobile payment platform.

“Satispay is an enormously popular app in Italy and rapidly growing abroad, both in the retail world and for exchanging money between individuals or for payments on e-commerce sites.” Underlines Daniele Ioriatti, Sales Manager of Coges “The implementation of this new payment option was highly anticipated in the vending market and we are proud to be able to allow our Nebular customers to activate it on their devices for free. Payment with Satispay can help the Operator reach an audience of passing-by users or it can offer a more attractive alternative for the public who is already familiar with Satispay mobile payments. We are talking about an app with over 2.5 million users and over 180,000 connected points of sale, a very large audience. ”

The new function, already available on the Coges Engine systems and on the Unica and Hexis coin mechanisms connected to the Nebular platform, makes it possible to transform the vending machine into a Satispay point of sale. The payment procedure is quick and intuitive: the end user only has to frame the QR code on the vending machine, select the amount of the product they want to purchase and confirm the payment, all via the Satispay app. The amount will be automatically deducted from the availability on Satispay account.

Satispay is an innovative mobile payment platform born from the idea of ​​an all-Italian fintech. Thanks to its mode of operation, completely independent from credit or debit cards, Satispay allows users to pay in the store or on e-commerce sites and exchange money with friends, as well as a series of other services such as telephone top-ups, the payment of bulletins,  donations and savings. Founded in 2013, today Satispay is the leading app in the mobile payments segment in retail, and with a market share of 70% within the non-NFC payments segment, Satispay can be considered the most popular and loved digital payment method via smartphone in Italy. The company now has over 200 employees, with headquarters in Milan and offices in Luxembourg and Berlin, markets that are soon to expand.

“The integration of Satispay perfectly expresses the spirit of our Nebular platform.” Observes Stefano Bertoldo, Product Manager of Coges “Nebular is a platform open to third-party applications, its goal is to offer the world of Vending the same technologies that we already use in our daily shopping experience, inside or outside of Vending. We want to integrate all the services that adapt to the needs of locations and end users into our payment systems, in a modular solution where the Operator only has to choose the required services, not embark on complex hardware and software integrations from different manufacturers.”

Nebular is the first open platform of the Internet of Vending, a complete ecosystem of hardware, software and Cloud. Thanks to the integration between the various components, Nebular brings the most advanced functions for payment to vending machines remotely: detail on the balance of each cashless key / fob, remote programming of the system, online top-up, cashless refunds, firmware updates, credit card payment and much more. The scalable architecture of Nebular allows the Operator to choose the hardware and software components that can bring him the most advantages and to modify them over time.

The world of vending is constantly evolving and individual locations always have different needs from each other. Thanks to the integration between Coges payment systems and the Satispay app, you will be able to meet the needs of your customers even more efficiently and grow your vending operation.

PMTsolutions and Broderick Group, together with Coges for the next generation of vending machines in the UK

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Coges and PMTsolutions are proud to partner with the Broderick Group: the UK’s leading vending and refreshments specialist. The Broderick Group have been leading the way in cashless payment with Pay4Vend in the UK and quickly recognised this truely innovative application has the potential to engage its customers in the workplace and on the go making purchasing vending products one of personal choice.

Originally, the project was devised to provide users with a fast and smooth shopping experience. That required setting up the vending machines with new cashless payment systems that would be able to overcome the limitations of traditional technologies.

“The Broderick Group are changing the purchasing habits of consumers by providing them with the same experience and choices that they have in a retail store. Our customers choose to use our vending machines to select a range of refreshments because it gives them what they want, when they want it,’’ commented John Broderick, owner of the Broderick Group based in Manchester and operating throughout the country.

He continued: “As a business we have always been at the forefront of developing innovative technologies that make the purchasing experience easier for consumers and believe that by investing in these new innovations we will increase the engagement of users of vending machines by making it a more of a personal choice.’’

“Cash payments have more and more limitations. Beside high costs of storage and transport, we are facing further pain-points due to pandemic health restrictions: users are uncomfortable handling money. Many cashless technologies provide just partial solutions for vending applications,” said Manfred Sokat, CEO of PMTsolutions.

“Prepaid cashless solutions are effective in closed-loop environments, online cashless solutions are more efficient and convenient for public locations, but they are not all the same. Sometimes the user is required to enter a security PIN, which is very frustrating for them. In unattended locations the purchasing experience has to be fast and user-friendly. Moreover, some credit card readers embed their own connectivity module. That makes the hardware expensive and technically complicated. Our solution provides convenient card payment services for the customer in front of the vending machine and a secure payment platform with multiple services for the operator.”

The seamless integration of the PMTsolutions services into the Nebular platform was a key step to fully meet the Broderick Group’s needs. Nebular is a hardware and software connectivity infrastructure designed to enable cashless payments and to connect vending machines to a cloud server. Nebular opens a bidirectional communication channel between the vending machine and the vending operator. It is a powerful tool to export real-time transactions, to monitor the stock, to update prices/firmware/programming parameters remotely. Nebular, however, offers much more than just a telemetry service, it enables the vending operator to export consumption statistics to learn the user purchasing habits and to proactively launch loyalty programs.

“The partnership between Coges and Broderick Group has been thriving for some time now,” commented Lorenzo Giuliani, Sales Area Manager of Coges. “The first Coges product promoted by Broderick Group in the UK was Pay4Vend, an app for paying at the vending machine via smartphone. Coges had already launched the solution in Italy and in other countries in 2015, but we missed a reliable partner to make this application popular in the UK. John instantly understood the potential of Pay4Vend and took its development very seriously. Thanks to his persistent focus on building customer loyalty and his strategic talent, he spread it all over the country. The next step was to invest in a more powerful tool to run a deeper business analysis (ed. Nebular service), to scale up the marketing strategy. Finally, John asked for our support to extend the credit card options (ed. Pay4Vend & PMT Nebular Pay) during the Pandemic Era to make a dramatic migration to cashless. The partnership with PMTsolutions gave us the opportunity to close the loop successfully.”

The synergy between the three companies made an innovative solution possible: the PMT Nebular Pay card reader connects to the Nebular server through the Coges Engine system. In this way, both the hardware devices share the same connectivity module. A well-established system of tokenization, encryption, and intelligent architecture (Microsoft Azure servers) combined with a global Acquirer service (Worldline) provide secure payments and trusted transactions.

In this way, Broderick Group users can take advantage of an efficient, fast, and secure service. Cashless purchasing at the vending machine is no longer a hassle. It is a smooth experience, with no worries, exactly the same as in the retail store. At the same time the vending operator will exploit all the benefits of the Internet of Things.

“Broderick Group’s foremost concern is the customer and investing in innovation that improves the experience of our customers.” John Broderick concludes: “We know that switching to fully cashless vending machines is aimed at engaging our customers now and in the future. It is our aim to make vending purchase the norm by engaging our customers on a personal level through technology.”

PMTsolutions

PMTsolutions is a leading solution provider of cashless payment services. The entire processing line of all services are in one hand. Just one partner for the whole cashless services chain. From card reader or MobileApp over backend services in data center with technical connections to various financial institutions like banks, VISA, MasterCard or American Express. More information on www.pmtsolutions.eu

Broderick Group

Broderick Group is the UK’s leading vending and refreshment specialist. Innovation-led, it has built a reputation for offering bespoke solutions that work hard for its customers, which range from airports to universities, and from office blocks to leisure centers. More information on www.brodericks.co.uk

7 features that make Creos a better bill validator than Lithos (and many others)

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The numbers speak for themselves: the Creos banknote reader is increasingly appreciated in the world of vending, managing both to stand out from previous Coges models and to get noticed alongside more well-known products on the market of automatic distribution.

“Creos represents a great step forward for Coges in the design of banknote readers.” observes Daniele Ioriatti, new sales manager of Coges “This is demonstrated not only by the sales figures, which have always been the most sincere test of customer appreciation, but also by other objective information measured by Coges such as the percentage of failures and returns for repairs under warranty, which in the case of Creos are currently 75% lower than what was found for Lithos at the end of its life cycle. ”

Born as an evolution of the Lithos model, the Creos validator has presented elements of considerable discontinuity with its predecessor right from the design phase; as is natural, these were innovations aimed at increasing the quality, reliability and performance of the product and responding to opportunities for improvement found in Lithos. These differences are further improved thanks to the technical changes made in the first two years of Creos’ life: these progressive updates, both mechanical and firmware, have taken advantage of the post marketing experience and valuable customer feedback, allowing to further improve the performance of the banknote reader.

Stefano Bertoldo, Product Manager of the Italian company, says: “Also due to the very similar aesthetics, some customers at first struggled to recognize all the changes made in the transition from Lithos to Creos and asked us what were the differences between the two products, apart from the color of the banknote opening. In short: everything. We have handled all the most important components of the bill validator. ”

So let’s find out what are some of the aspects that most distinguish the new Creos banknote reader from the old Lithos:

  1. More reliable banknote acceptance, thanks to the new polycarbonate bezel with rounded inlet;
  2. Improved banknote dragging system through new motor assembly techniques and hardware differences in the belts, to allow high usability of the reader even in conditions of high and persistent stress;
  3. Enhanced antifishing thanks to a more precise and flexible calibration system for different operating conditions, including environmental conditions with the possibility of accumulation of dust and dirt;
  4. Greater efficiency of the optics of the banknote reading counter, with a more precise and tolerant system towards a wider range of work situations;
  5. Improved smoothness of the drive for a reduction in the effort of the motor and a more effective grip of the banknote, obtained following numerous modifications to the mechanical components of the reader;
  6. Optimization of general performance thanks to the increase in the torque of the motors;
  7. Greater safety thanks to the cash register presence sensor that integrates the protection offered by the liquid drainage system and antifishing.

To these mechanical and hardware differences must be added the firmware and database updates, which periodically affect the product and are free for all Coges customers.

If it is true that there is never a limit to the possibilities of improvement, Creos is also the demonstration of the constant commitment of Coges in wanting to listen to the signals coming from its customers and in investing in a continuous improvement of the quality of its range of payment systems, to meet the needs of the vending market in an increasingly satisfactory manner.

Coges presents the new Sales Manager Daniele Ioriatti

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Coges greets with a warm welcome the new Sales Manager Daniele Ioriatti, who has been called to hold this position since 11 October.
Daniele has distinguished himself as a manager in several Italian companies in different sectors and his latest experience saw him as Italy Sales Manager at Bianchi Industry SPA, where he was responsible for commercial activities for the Italian market. He will work at the Schio headquarters and will collaborate closely with the Azkoyen Group Management, coordinating a dynamic and resourceful sales team with international responsibilities.
Daniele Ioriatti studied Economics and Business Management at the University of Trento and subsequently obtained an International Master in Business Administration at the Milan Polytechnic.
We are confident that his experience and his professionalism will be valuable resources for Coges and will help the company to further develop and consolidate its commercial success in Italy and abroad.

Coges awaits you at the EVA annual conference

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The annual appointment with the EVA conference and general assembly will be held on 21 October in Milan. Coges will attend with the new Sales Manager Daniele Ioriatti and with the Area Manager for Italy Francesco Princiotto.

This year the event will be joined by its “digital twin” at the Vending & Coffee Solutions Hub which has already hosted the EVA event in May. The EVA virtual fair will therefore once again allow the main players in the sector to meet, present their products and services and discover the main innovations, addressing the limits imposed by the pandemic on the event in attendance. At the virtual stand of Coges it will be possible to discover, albeit virtually, the new Hexis change giver coin mechanism, the Nebular Pay credit card reader and the other products of our range of payment systems for vending machines.

To enter the virtual platform, simply access the web address https://vending-europe.vfairs.com/ and register; users who have already registered for the May 2021 event do not need to register again.

Coges cashless systems meet the EVA-EPS requirements

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Coges desires to inform its Customers that all versions of E.C.S. Dynamos and Coges Engine cashless payment systems – Coges Engine system together with Nebular Pay Credit card reader for vending machines included – obtained the EVA-EPS (Electronic Payment Specifications) compliance code. The latter, which is released by EVA Committee dedicated to Electronic Payment, confirms the compliance with the EVA standards of Coges payment systems.

“The design of Coges systems has always been focused on the international standards and the compatibility with the design criteria of the vending machines, both from mechanics point of view as well as the communication protocols.”- states Matteo Pegoraro, Coges R&D Manager – “In this way the need for intervention of technical integration is reduced on both sides and the Operator can exploit his investment in Vending as much as possible.”

The EVA-EPS standard, whose second release was issued in 2020, defines the minimum requirements which shall be met by the vending machines and the electronic payment systems to guarantee the mutual compatibility. The standard includes both hardware, software and communication specifications, giving some indications also for a purchasing process by the end-user that is friendly and  consistent with the consumers’ experience with other payment methods.

“Coges has been an active member of Cashless EVA Committee for Electronic Payment for over 15 years and has taken part to this standard definition together with other suppliers of payment systems and vending machines.” – highlights Stefano Bertoldo, Coges Product Manager – “The respect of these criteria guarantees to the European Operator a high quality  purchase, an easy update of the payment systems from the technological evolution perspective and at the same time a cost reduction in integration.”

Coges cashless payment systems involved in EVA compliance are: E.C.S. Dynamos System both for MyKey and MIFARE key/card and Coges Engine System for Base and Plus versions, with Key, MIFARE and LEGIC® key/cards and last, but not least, Coges Engine Plus System equipped with PMT Nebular Pay Credit card reader. For additional information on these products you can contact our reseller network throughout Europe.

How does Hexis assisted recharge work?

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Even though Hexis Change-giver Coin mechanism enjoys considerable operation autonomy, also thanks to its 5 capacious tubes, sometimes it may happen that some tubes empty and it results necessary to recharge them with coins. These are usually the tubes containing the low-denomination coins, which are given more frequently as change to the vending machines’ users.

Normally, to fill the empty tubes with coins the Operator is obliged to calculate accurately how many new coins were inserted and to remove an equal value from another tube containing high-denomination coins. This is often the only way to “move” a certain amount of currency from a tube to another one, by keeping a correct accounting of takings.

This operation, if carried out manually, involves some evident risks of calculation errors and always needs much care and time. To resolve these problems, Hexis includes the optional Assisted Recharge function, which is already present in the other Coges Change-giver Coin mechanisms. Thanks to this function the Operator limits himself to insert an identification key in the cashless Reader connected to the Coin mechanism and to insert all the desired coins in the insertion slot of the vending machine.

The inserted key – a normal MyKey, programmed with section code 96 – will permit the Coin mechanism to recognize the filling operation in progress without confusing it with a sale. The insertion of the coins will be fast thanks to the acceptance rate of Hexis Coin mechanism and when the desired tube will result full, the Coin mechanism will signal it by addressing the surplus coins into the reject channel. The same operation can be carried out at the same time even in more tubes with different denominations.

At this point the operator has only to extract the recognition key from the Reader and Hexis will precisely calculate the value of all the inserted coins, by giving a change in high-denomination coins with the same value: the same operation which was previously carried out by the operator, however in less time and higher reliability. In this way in addition to a correct accounting the presence of coins into the tubes is always guaranteed.

Furthermore, all the recharge operation can occur without the need for opening the vending machine door and for accessing physically to the tube group.

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