"Really anyone can operate the system!"
- Business
- Billing
- Charging
- Success Story
- 19.6.2023
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"We mainly have guests from Germany and Austria and the increase in EV usage has increased noticeably," Front Office Manager Kathrin Krieg explains. "Guests may not come to us because we now have an e-charging station. But some might not come if it weren't for the charging option. The wallbox virtually rounds out the relaxation experience. No one has to worry about the battery being too empty for the drive home when they leave."
The task: simplicity and transparency
But what was the exact objective? "We wanted a simple solution to minimise workload," Krieg explains. This is crucial in the hotel industry, where multiple employees at the reception desk need to handle a new billing system. If it was complicated, it would often lead to errors or require extensive training.
Additionaly, customers should be charged for the electricity they use in a transparent and comprehensible way. "Previously we charged a flat rate using a high-voltage socket which was cheap for some but not for others depending on battery size and charge level. Now everyone pays exactly what they use." According to Kathrin Krieg, charging by kWh and not by time ensures that guests are all satisfied.
The implementation: quickly done
The installation of the first wallbox occurred in late summer 2022. The connection was completed by a specialist electrical company that has been servicing Bergergut for a long time, along with their in-house technician. The installation was completed in just a few hours. The following day, the Hotel & Company Solution from KEBA was installed in coordination with the IT company responsible for the operation. although, in principle this is not necessary. But because data security is particularly important to the operators of the Bergergut, they brought their trusted IT support on board. "Overall, however, everything went very quickly," says Krieg.
"I can definitely recommend the solution. But also KEBA itself, because everyone I dealt with impressed me with their passion."
The Result: Enrollment in one minute and more features in the system
When asked about operating the Hotel & Company Solution software , Kathrin Krieg answered without hesitation: "The solution is absolutely foolproof and can really be operated by anyone!" It was so intuitive that documenting the procedures in the hotel's own records proved unnecessary: "The software is self-explanatory, you don't really need to be trained."
Basically, you give a guest one of the numbered RFID cards. With it, they can use the wallbox. Upon departure, the charged electricity is totaled for the period of the stay and can then either be shown on a separate bill or added to the room bill as well. "It's as easy as buying a drink from the minibar or an item from our hotel store."
What's more, with the system in place, human error is significantly reduced. "At check-in, we record that a charge card has been issued. Unlike in the past with the flat rate and without a card at the high-voltage socket, we have eliminated the risk offorgetting to charge for the electricity consumed. Guests also no longer accidentally take the charging card because hotel staff can easily see that they still have it."
For these reasons, Eva-Maria Pürmayr, the director of the wellness hotel, is completely satisfied with the decision for KEBA: "I can definitely recommend the solution. But also the company itself, because everyone we dealt with were extremely dedicated."
Outlook: up to 16 charging points possible
So far, the Bergergut has only one wallbox. which is still sufficient for now, although it can get crowded at times, as Kathrin Krieg notes, especially on weekends. But an upgrade can be quickly done. Without major effort, a total of up to 16 wallboxes can be installed and their charging sessions logged via the KEBA Hotel & Company Solution. So, if more and more guests claim a charging point in the future, the Upper Austrian Oberafiesl is well prepared.
