"Free EV Charging Stations Near Me": The New Must-Have Amenity to Boost Business and Customer Loyalty

Are you still checking for Wi-Fi availability when you are booking a hotel? Not anymore, but you did a decade ago. Now, in developed countries, Wi-Fi is as fundamental as hot tap water. The moment we check in and get Wi-Fi connected, our first Google search is often "Free EV charging stations near me".

These days, more and more tourists are looking for EV charging options. Over the next few decades, while diesel and gas engines will gradually disappear, EV charging will become a service as basic as hot water and wifi are now.

So, you are a service company looking for a solution. What should you think about?

Installing chargers to the parking lot of a service company, a shopping centre or a lodging facility requires changes in the infrastructure, processes, promotions, and communication. First, think more specifically about the benefits or the competitive edge that EV charging gives you.

What are the end goals of the investment?

A charging station is an investment. Upkeep of the station and the infrastructure require money. However, for a service company, the payback may be tenfold, even bigger.

1. Think about your goals.

Like this:

• Increased customer loyalty
• Growth in new customer segments
• Cost efficiency for company cars
• Extra income from charging services
• Supporting the image of an environmentally friendly company
  
  

2. Think about the users’ needs.

Who exactly will be using the chargers: your employees, your customers, or both?

Think about the placement and coverage of the chargers. If you are operating a shopping centre, it might make sense to put the customer chargers near the main entrance and the employee chargers near their entrances.

1. How can you take advantage of charging data?

The company has access to charging data and analysing the data helps improve employee and customer experience and satisfaction. This in turn gives you even more of a competitive edge.

2. Do looks matter to you?

Also think about what the charger looks like and how it fits your brand and its surroundings. Sophisticated solutions make positive customer experiences even better and help attract new customers.

VOOL has thought about how our charger looks. Our design is timeless and fits many surroundings. You can choose from a variety of panels. What is best for your atmosphere and brand? Metal, plastic or wood?

For free or for a fee?

You can let people charge for free and hope for increased income thanks to the added value that your competition does not provide.

Or you can come up with special loyalty offers, EV charging included – to keep existing customers and attract new ones.

Hotels and restaurants prefer charging without a fee and often take one step further in their services. Some have video surveillance of the car, accessed through the hotel or restaurant app.

The second option is to ask for a fee and bring in various partners to manage the service.

The third option is hybrid use: your customers charge for free and other users pay.

Use the VOOL public charging option to make any charger in the VOOL system into a public charging point. It only takes a few clicks! Customers can use a variety of payment options: Google Pay, Apple Pay or a credit card.

You can also use VOOL to add a margin to the electricity price and earn extra on selling power.

If your charger is visible in charging apps, it will make your hotel or restaurant visible and more attractive for the people using these apps.

Read more:

5 reasons to choose smart EV chargers for your company