How can a phone-charging station be free for your venue?
Because your guests pay for their own rentals. D&I Charge places self-serve phone power-bank stations in bars, breweries, restaurants and other venues within 50 miles of Sacramento, California, at no cost to the venue.
A guest taps a debit or credit card on the station, takes a charged power bank back to their table, and returns it to an open slot in the same station before they leave. The guest is charged once, when they return it: $1 for every 10 minutes, at most $4.99 for the first hour and $8.99 for up to 48 hours. D&I Charge delivers and installs the station, keeps it stocked, cleans, services and repairs it, and is responsible for lost, damaged or unreturned power banks. Your staff never take payment or handle refunds. All your venue provides is a spot guests can see, near a standard power outlet.
Why doesn’t my venue pay anything?
Each guest pays for their own rental with their own card, at the station. The payment goes through the station’s card reader, not your register, so there’s nothing to bill your venue and nothing for your staff to ring up.
Renting is the guest’s choice, and they’re charged once, when they bring the power bank back. A power bank that isn’t returned within 48 hours is charged a $35 replacement fee instead of the rental price. The full prices are on the rental terms page.
Who pays for and looks after what?
| Part of the station | Who |
|---|---|
| The station itself | D&I Charge |
| Delivery and installation | D&I Charge |
| Power banks and restocking | D&I Charge |
| Cleaning, servicing and repairs | D&I Charge |
| Lost, damaged or unreturned power banks | D&I Charge |
| Guest payments and rental questions | D&I Charge |
| Each rental | The guest, by card |
| A visible spot near a standard power outlet | Your venue |
How does it compare with other ways to charge guests’ phones?
Most venues already handle dead phones somehow. Here’s how a D&I Charge station compares with the two usual alternatives.
| D&I Charge station | Charging phones behind the bar | Buying your own charging station | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment cost to your venue | None | Your venue buys the chargers and cables | Your venue buys the unit |
| Upkeep, repairs and lost parts | D&I Charge | Your venue | Your venue |
| Staff time | None. Guests rent and return on their own. | Staff take in, keep track of and hand back phones | Depends on the unit |
| Does the guest keep their phone? | Yes. The power bank goes back to the table with them. | No. The phone stays behind the bar. | Depends on the unit |
What happens after I ask for a station?
- Send a request with your venue name and city, using the request form or by emailing contact@dicharge.info.
- We get in touch to set up a visit.
- At the visit, we look at your space and pick a spot near a standard power outlet where guests can see the station.
- We deliver, install and stock the station.
- Guests rent and return power banks on their own. If the station ever needs attention, let us know and we’ll take care of it.
Which venues can host a station?
Places where people stay a while: bars and pubs, breweries and taprooms, sports bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, arcades and pool halls, music and event venues, hotel lobbies, salons, barbershops and laundromats.
We serve venues within 50 miles of Sacramento, California, including Sacramento, West Sacramento, Elk Grove, Roseville, Rocklin, Citrus Heights, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, Davis, Woodland, Dixon, Lincoln, Auburn, Placerville, Galt, Lodi, Stockton, Vacaville, Fairfield and Yuba City. Not sure you’re in range? Ask anyway and tell us where you are.