Why You Need to Offer Smart Device Charging Station to Your Customers
In this day and age, your cellphone is your access point for everything; communication with your family, getting directions for where you need to go, discovering current news and anything else that might be integral to your day. For many, the smartphone is one of the most important tools in their lives and without their devices, they would be living very differently day to day.
The essential nature of smart phone ownership also makes it important to have the ability to charge your devices when they get low on battery. But for people on the go who may not have easy access to a wall outlet or a charging cord, running out of battery can have serious side effects, like not being able to get in touch with friends, family and coworkers or even not being able to get directions for where they need to go. For many it is crucial to keep devices charged, so as to not suffer the consequences of letting your device die when you need it most.
A customer having access to their phone makes them more likely to make a sale or spend more time in your business.
But more than just being essential for your guests/shoppers, it might also be essential for your business to have your customers phones fully charged. According to the online blog, The Progressive Grocer:
In-store retail is still the most important channel for consumers, and the role that mobile plays in the shopping journey is notable to retailers who want to reach in-store shoppers,” said Marissa Tarleton, CEO of Austin, Texas-based RetailMeNot. “The mobile device is the No. 1 in-store shopping companion, which is a marketing opportunity for retailers to drive in-store footfall, incentivize sales and understand online-to-offline behavior.
Not only does having a charged cellphone make guests fell more secure and safe, it also makes them more willing to spend money. With the ability to look up reviews and check Yelp, Google Maps and other applications, as well as accessing Messages and Snapchat to send pictures of themselves inside your business, having a fully charged cellphone is sometimes integral to making a sale, or a customer deciding they want to want to spend some time at your business.
Because of these potential benefits, many businesses have been installing smart device charging stations inside or near their locations, in order for customers to be able to charge their mobile phones. This development sees business owners attracting new customers by offering a helpful service to people whose phones are running out of battery while they are out and about. More than just a small service businesses can offer their customers in order to increase traffic or incentivize people to come to a store, restaurant or other in-person location, offering a smart device charging station can help build better relationships with customers/guests, making them want to return in the future or give satisfactory reviews to their friends.
Reasons to Install a Phone Charging Station in Your Business
Customers use their cellphones throughout their visits to almost every business.
Placing a smart device charging station in your business not only helps your customers with a regularly occurring, day-to-day problem but it also helps your business. More than just a way to keep customers happy when they encounter the inconvenience of their phone dying, it is a way to draw potential customers to your business and expand your appeal. Here are some reasons below that make installing a smart device charging station in your business a best practice:
Increase customer satisfaction.
A dead cell phone can not only be frustrating but at the wrong time it can lead to a complete disaster. Providing an instant solution is what will lead many customer to share, leave positive reviews or tell friends about their experience while visiting your business. Offering your customers a free service of benefit is a great way to ensure a positive experience, one that they will hopefully pass along to their friends and family, or, hopefully even come back with them! When customer's know this is a provided service, you become a go-to location when someone has a low battery, bringing them back and upping the potential for a future sale. According to Veloxity:
"Because people know that they can charge their phone at your location, they’ll rely on you for it. Restaurants, bars, hospitals and sports events are all examples of beneficiaries. Local restaurants will be the place people go to charge their phone on lunch breaks, and bars can attract people that need to charge their phone before continuing on through the night. As far as hospitals and sports events are concerned, it’s more about positioning. By having charging stations located in eating areas, you can attract visitors to areas where they’ll make a purchase."
These tips, about where to position a smart device charging station and how to best utilize the station in order to attract customer traffic are helpful tips for business owners looking to maximize the use and accessibility of their charging station. More than a simple way to help increase customer satisfaction, smart device charging stations are a way to generate a positive relationship with customers, ensuring they return over the course of the upcoming years.
Engage and anchor the customers.
Offering a charging station to customers gives them the opportunity to stay in one place for a while, making them focus on what your business has to offer.
A ChargeTech charging station will attract potential customers and keep them in your business for usually ten minutes or more. This gives them an ample amount of time to peruse what you're offering/selling and gives them time to talk about your sales staff. Having new customers anchored to your business because they are waiting for their phone to charge gives time for them to experience your business, helping you effectively make a sale. The Veloxity website says this about integrating cell phone charging stations into your business:
Getting a potential customer into your store is half the battle and installing a cellphone charging station can help bring in new customers who may not have ever journeyed into your store before, just because their phone is drained of its battery. In addition, it gives people a reason to stay longer, because they have to wait for their phone to finish charging. This is an invaluable resource, expanding your customer base by bringing in new individuals who may not have entered your business otherwise and keeping them there longer than they might have otherwise stayed. The website InCharged has this to say about the virtues of installing a smart device charging station in your business:"If your customer has to send an important e-mail, access the web to review your business, or is expecting an important call, a low or dead phone battery could compel them to leave prematurely. On the other hand, your venue could offer a phone charging station, allowing your customer to take care of personal responsibilities on the spot. This helps to prolong their time spent at your venue, and focuses their attention away from their phone’s battery making them more engaged customers."
"Increase foot traffic with a custom cell phone charging station: Once word spreads that you offer complimentary cell phone charging, viral marketing will take control and foot traffic will also increase. Smartphones have notoriously poor batteries, and people are constantly looking to recharge them. Offering a cell phone charging station in your business could be the differentiating factor for a customer choosing between a cup of coffee from your cafe or from the restaurant down the street."
For example, installing a ChargeTech 8 Bay UV Light Disinfection — Charge Locker increases the amount of time a customer stays inside the store, restaurant or whatever establishment our locker is placed in. When someone has a dying phone and needs their phone operational, leaving their phone to charge in our 8 Bay UV Light Disinfection Locker and making your customer stick around while their phone charges. This gives you more foot traffic for a longer period of time, while also providing an invaluable service for your customer.
The ChargeTech 8 Bay UV Disinfection & Charging can charge and disinfect up to 8 devices at the same time.
View Product Here
Help Your Guests Feel Safe & Secure in Your Business.
Not only can installing a smart device charging station in your business help increase foot traffic and bring in more guests/customers, it can also help make your guests feel more comfortable and safe while they are visiting your business. Having your cellphone charged and ready for use is important for many who want to be able to get in touch with their friends and family at a moment's notice. For many, having their device ready and able to send and receive texts in case of an emergency or personal crisis is extremely important, and installing a smart device charging station in your business can alleviate the stress and worry that can plague people sometimes when their phone is running out of battery. According to a recent WebViews survey amongst smart phone owners:"In fact, when asked 'Does having a cell phone make you feel safer?' 92 percent of the 1,199 respondents answered yes. Those who answered yes elaborated on what made them feel safe: 53 percent specified the ability to contact family, friends and co-workers; 21 percent said immediate access to emergency services; 14 percent said just the sense of being connected to familiar people and things; 5 percent commented on the ability to call roadside assistance; and 2 percent, the ability to obtain directions."
Having the ability to do all these things with just the tap of a button affects people sense of security and safety. In these time, after many months of staying indoors and working from home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people feel less comfortable and safe being out in public. You can alleviate some of that anxiety for your guests/customers by installing a smart device charging station in your business, guaranteeing that if their phone battery is low, a charging station will be there for your guest to charge their mobile device.
Having a smart phone charging station available for use shows your customers that you care and are willing to spend money to facilitate a better experience on their behalf. This will make your customers/guests more relaxed/less anxious, with negative thoughts taking up less of their time and they can focus more on your store, restaurant, stadium, or whatever the business you run is. Keeping your customers/guests feeling comfortable and safe is not a small matter; installing a smart device charging station helps keep your guests comfortable and feeling happy.
