Facebook vending machines dispenses computer accessory

Facebook has prepared a really awesome facility for its employees in its headquarters in Palo Alto, U.S.A. It is a vending machine, which dispenses not coffee or snacks but computer accessories such as keyboards, power cords and screen wipes. The machine helps Facebook employees easily replace their damaged computer accessories without hitting up IT department guys, says Facebook CIO Tim Campos, the brain behind the innovation.

Facebook's vending machine

The machine requires every employee to swipe his ID card to collect new accessories. This way the machine takes account of details like who took an accessory and what it was. According to Campos, the machine will reduce 35 percent IT costs of the company. Every accessory on the machine will show its retail price though they are free for employees.

And so expenses made by an employer will trace back to him/her every month. Therefore employers will certainly take care of their computer accessories from damages, especially keyboards, often turned ineffective as coffee spilled on them. Ultimately, the machine will cut down IT costs, Compos says.

The Facebook IT team had previously placed a box with computer accessories near every cabinet in the office. In this case, to keep a track over an employee’s collection of accessories, a kiosk was set up near each cabinet. But quite often employees failed to swipe their card on the kiosk when they replaced their accessories. Only 5 percent of employees bothered about sliding their ID on such kiosks, Campos said.

It is then Campos went on to shape the IT accessory vending machine inspired by an iPod vending machine at an airport. The company has thus far placed three machines in its Palo Alto office. If it is found successful, the company will establish two vending machines on every floor in its new headquarters in Menlo Park, the Facebook CIO said.

Via CNNMoney