On average, 12 to 15 customers ask bartenders to charge up their phones behind the bar.
But now, many operators have banned this to avoid being liable in case of phone damage or loss.
ChargedUp was, therefore, invented to allow customers stay charged through the night by renting a portable charger and, in turn, taking the pressure off bartenders.
For the customer
ChargedUp co-founder Charlie Baron said: “A lot of our reviews say, ‘this allowed me to stay out longer’, ‘this allowed me to get home safely because I could book my Uber’.
“We’re proving that we are increasing consumers dwell time in our venues and we have data to show that people rent our power banks, on average, for an hour and half.”
ChargedUp partnered with Stonegate Pub Company in April 2019 and is also partners with Brewhouse & Kitchen.
Head of growth for ChargedUp Mauricio Garcia Lievana said: “We’re really pleased with how well our partnership with Stonegate has gone.”
A win-win situation
Lievana added: “It really is a win-win situation, helping to drive customers into venues and enabling customers to relax and enjoy a drink while their phone charges, which can help to increase dwell time in the pub.
“The chargers tend to be most popular between 5pm and 9pm and we know that, once charged, many people go on to use their phone to order a taxi to get them home safely, so that’s another positive benefit.”
Stonegate Pub Company head of commercial Dan Castle said: “We know that customers find the ChargedUp service really beneficial.
“All they need to do is download the app on their phone, scan a QR code to unlock a powerbank from the ChargedUp station in one of our pubs, then they can keep the charger with them while they enjoy their evening.
“Staff appreciate it too because, in pubs where the charging units aren’t available, they can be asked to charge customer phones an average of 12 times a day and they can also find themselves responsible for phones that have been forgotten.”
Driving footfall
Brewhouse & Kitchen CEO Kris Gumbrell said: “ChargedUp has been a brilliant addition to the service we provide. We actually see new guests coming in to pick up a battery and stay longer as they have enough power to get an Uber home at the end of the night.”
The app also includes a map where users can view all the venues where ChargedUp is installed.
ChargedUp’s Baron said this has driven footfall to these venues.
He said: “Our users are constantly looking for the nearest pub or bar that has a charging station and they often dictate their night by where ChargedUp is.
“This is why Stonegate loves it – we’re driving footfall to their venues and increasing dwell time and providing a great service for their customers.”