I have worked for S+M from…

2004 until 2009 and again since 2017. In between I have worked for our partners so I have indirectly been working with S+M as well.

Before that…

I was a distribution partner for NRI in Buxtehude. I have worked in field of payment systems since 2001 and in the vending industry all together since 1988. I eventually joined S+M through personal contact with the management.

This is what I do at S+M:

I am responsible for sales, distribution and business development for the Suzohapp payment system products.

I like about my job…

Working self-reliantly and interesting tasks.

I like about S+M…

That the team members all get on well with one another. As a sales person I work a lot in the field or from the home-office so if at all there is my dog to share the office with.

What about work-life-balance and family-friendliness at S+M?

That’s great and the management also shows how this can be done well.

My biggest challenge at S+M so far was…

our large scale project with the Swiss national railways from 2014. All Swiss SBB stations were equipped with our banknote payment systems.

I have worked for S+M since…

June 2017

Before that…

I was a full-stack developer for a marketing agency.

I knew S+M through…

the website of the job center. I saw S+M’s job offer there and wrote an application. I wanted to move to Erkelenz and so ideally work there too.

This is what I do at S+M:

In our Vensolutions IT department I’m working as a full-stack developer on advancing our user platform Vensoft.

I like about my job…

to automate IT processes, to realize product ideas and to make our customers happy that way.

I like about S+M…

working within the team and a good working atmosphere. You can realize your ideas and working from home and flexible working hours are also possible. We also get to choose and our own notebooks etc. for work.

My biggest challenge at S+M so far was…

to develop a 7-inch display solution for an S+M client.

My favorite from the vending machine in our office:

a cup of coffee from time to time.

I have worked for S+M since…

I began an apprenticeship here as an electronics technician for devices and systems in 2011.

Before that…

I worked as an electrician. But as an electrician you do get cold hands in winter – not so much as an electronics technician for devices and systems. It is a job with a future so I did go to night school for the necessary qualifications.

I knew S+M through…

my best friend from school. He had started his apprenticeship at S+M shortly before me. I didn’t really have any idea about the vending industry then but have always been excited about computers and technology.

My career at S+M:

I started off as an electronics technician in our workshop for cash payment systems. After my apprenticeship I transferred into the department for cashless systems where I now work as a technician in-house and in the field.

This is what I do at S+M:

I plan our working processes for myself and my colleagues and work on our customers’ requests. Customer service is a big part of my job. I also give trainings regarding our user platform Vensoft and our POS and cashless payment systems. I also test improvements on our cashless systems and write documentations about these.

I like about my job…

Organizing, planning, implementing – that’s what I enjoy doing the most.

I like about S+M…

especially the diversity in my work and working self-dependently.

What about work-life-balance and family-friendliness at S+M?

I have got to be honest: when there is a lot to do you do spend a lot of time in the office. But you can balance it out another time.

My biggest challenge at S+M so far was…

to put up one of our CashBack guest card system devices on my own. Apart from that it is always a challenge to co-ordinate all parties involved in a project.

My favorite from the vending machine in our office:

Belgian waffles

I have worked for S+M since…

July 2017

Before that…

I worked in the same field so I have always worked with vending machines.

I knew S+M through…

my old company because we used to send our coin payment systems to S+M for repairs. I am happy to be with S+M now and my travel to work is much faster as well.

This is what I do at S+M:

I install and maintain our cashless payment system products as a technician in-house and on location with the customers.

I like about my job…

That it is very versatile and never boring.

I like about S+M…

that there is a good mix of younger and older team members and I appreciate the flexible working times. I get along very well with the other colleagues in my department and nobody is left to deal with problems on their own.

What about work-life-balance and family-friendliness at S+M?

I think there is a good balance of the job and private life.

My favorite from the vending machine in our office:

A Twix, when I need something sweet.

I have worked for S+M since…

May 2002

Before that…

I started as a server and network technician and later worked for different software service providers in the field of banking and insurance.

I knew S+M through…

the classic job section in the newspaper. So I just sent out an application. Until then I wasn’t even aware that there was such a thing as the vending industry.

This is what I do at S+M:

I am a backend/frontend desktop-developer and work on software for machines for the vending industry. At the moment I’m working on developing a guest-card system within our cashless payment system Vencash.

I like about my job…

The active participation in agile decision and development processes as well as the direct contact with our clients. Every project is interesting and it never gets boring. Considering the fast changes in the field of IT you just have to be willing to acquire new skills.

My career at S+M:

I started off it the IT department for telemetry and later transferred into our department for cashless payment systems. I have been a software developer, software architect and software archeologist really – from A to Z.

I like about my team…

that we are open to new things as well as unconventional problem solving ideas. There is no competition among each other but good co-operation. In the end it doesn’t matter who had the best idea. We also have a good time together outside of work.

My favorite from the vending machine in our office:

Definitely coffee and a Snickers from time to time.

I have worked for S+M since…

January 2016

Before that…

Among other jobs I have worked in the field of agricultural machines as designer and engineer for tractors and harvesters. I was also project leader at an institute for product development before I started freelancing as an industrial designer.

I knew S+M through…

a request by S+M to create a new design for the Vencube. After that successful project I received an offer for a permanent position at S+M.

This is what I do at S+M:

As the in-house designer everything related to design and construction lands on my desk eventually. I work on new products or applications for vending machines as well as designing our brochures and plan our trade fair stands. I was also responsible for planning the current web-site.

I like about my job…

that it is very versatile. I work closely with colleagues as well as partners and suppliers, have enough freedom and can make a difference.

I like about S+M…

We work hard but also have a laugh. We’ve recently bought a company BBQ which we like to use for birthdays or other events.

What about work-life-balance and family-friendliness at S+M?

For me it’s perfect: I can ride to work by bike. If there is the need to get home for example because one my children are sick, this is usually possible.

My favorite from the vending machine in our office:

Only since I’ve worked here I know that freshly brewed coffee from a vending machine can taste that good.

Anything else?

My view on vending and ticket machines has totally changed. It is impressive how much our technology organizes in the background and how many people are involved in it every day.

I have worked for S+M since…

October 2014

Before that…

I have spent 46 years in the vending machine industry and travelled the world working for CPI (Crane Payment Innovation) in Buxtehude, formerly NRI (National Rejectors Inc.). I got to know the S+M team at the time when the Euro was introduced, because I trained the technicians here in how to adjust our devices to the Euro.

This is why I applied for a job at S+M:

After reaching the age of 65 and the time for my pension I couldn’t really imagine to stop working. I also had a job offer from another company in Rotterdam but decided to go for S+M.

My career at S+M:

I started in the department for banknote payment systems. There I worked on repairs and training colleagues on the CashCode products. Now I’m working in the Vensolutions department.

I like about my job…

I like the versatility of the technology and products in combination with a high level of innovation.

I like about S+M…

that the team and the working atmosphere are great!

My biggest challenge so far was…

the introduction of the Euro (when I was still working for NRI) - with an incredible amount of working hours and quite some sleepless nights. But as is well-known we did manage everything perfectly in the end…

My favorite from the vending machine in our office:

From time to time a mini-salami.

Anything else?

Without satellite navigation in my car I would be lost in North Rhine-Westphalia ;-)

I have worked for S+M since…

November 1999

Before that…

I started off in the German Federal Armed Forces and after that I did an apprenticeship as an industrial electronics technician at the research center in Jülich.

I knew S+M through…

a team member at S+M and later colleague who I knew because of a common hobby. What he told me about the company sounded exciting and it suited my technical interests.

This is what I do at S+M:

I test and examine software, develop our products further within our team and handle bug analysis and customer support. I also work on specific problem solutions and product adjustments for our clients, sometimes in co-operation with other manufacturers.

I like about my job…

that it has a lot of diversity to offer next to the daily business e.g. travels within Germany or to other countries or visiting trade fairs.

My career at S+M:

First I started in the workshop and in the servicing department for banknote payment systems. Later on I transferred into the department for cashless systems and now I’m working in the Vensolutions department.

My biggest challenge so far was…

transferring into the development department and the set-up of a network of clients, partners and other manufacturers which comes with it.

I like about S+M…

The team works well together and there is a good working atmosphere here. The work here offers new contacts and challenges every day. I have a good relationship with my colleagues and usually everyone will lend a helping hand.

What about work-life-balance and family-friendliness at S+M?

In my experience a lot is possible. I would say it is the way of taking and giving here at S+M.

My favorite from the vending machine in our office:

I should say nothing – I would say anything…

I have been with S+M for…

April 2021

Before, I was…

working in the plastics processing industry and in the field of CNC toolmaking.

What I like about my job…

that I can perfectly contribute my skills as a trained freight forwarding and logistics clerk.

What I like about the S+M…

that it is a future-oriented company. I also appreciate the experience of the original staff coupled with the breath of fresh air that the trainees bring to the company. It's like a family. You always learn something new.

Work-life balance and family friendliness?

I find the working conditions at S+M to be above average. We have very flexible working hours and you can also spontaneously take a day off.

My biggest challenge at S+M so far has been...

the holiday replacement of the company management in the first year.

From the vending machine in the break room, I prefer to draw…

a Knoppers coconut and a coffee to go with it.

And what else?

There is nothing here that doesn't exist. That's what makes working here so exciting and varied.