What Happens After You Install Wireless Charging: Feedback from Australian Venues

Gaming clubs, regional hotels, and sports bars have each reported the same outcome, independently of one another.

Stay Charged has installed wireless charging across 300+ Australian businesses, and the feedback follows a consistent pattern. It goes beyond “patrons like it” to what changes about patron behaviour, and what venue operators notice.

Here’s what venues are saying.

“People Ask for a Charging Cable Every Day”

Mark Warren, Director of the Gumeracha Hotel in South Australia, describes the problem before installation:

“It’s amazing how many people ask you daily for a charging cable to connect their phone to as their device is going flat.”

That’s a familiar scene. What it costs in staff time is measurable. What it costs in patron goodwill (the quiet embarrassment of having to ask) is harder to quantify but just as real.

What happened after installation surprised him:

“At first people thought it was a bar coaster but when they learn they can charge their phone they love the idea and actually stay longer within the premises.”

First, the charger blended in well enough that patrons didn’t immediately recognise it, with no eyesore and no out-of-place technology bolted to the furniture. Second, patrons stayed longer, because they no longer had a reason to leave.

“Peace of Mind Has Been a Huge Win”

At Club Blacktown in New South Wales, Ethan Dean, Technology Manager, frames it differently:

“Our members and guests love the convenience of being able to charge their phones quickly and for free while enjoying their time at the club. The peace of mind that comes with knowing their devices are safely charging next to them has been a huge win for our patrons.”

“Peace of mind” captures something the statistics don’t fully convey. Patrons can stop worrying about their phone, so they settle in, order another round, and stop calculating when to leave.

That outcome comes from a Technology Manager, an informed operator with high standards for what goes on the club’s floor.

Club Blacktown is one of the largest clubs in Western Sydney. When a venue of that scale reports this outcome, it holds for smaller venues too, not the other way around.

“Staying Engaged While They Play”

Mike Canty, COO and Co-Founder of SportsPlus, a sports simulator bar, reports the same pattern in a different context:

“The charging pads are a hit, especially with guests playing activities — they love being able to charge their devices effortlessly while staying engaged.”

In an activity venue, attention is the product. Anything that pulls a guest out of the experience (a dying battery, a trailing cable, a trip to find a kiosk) costs some of it, and wireless charging removes all three.

What Australia’s Venue Fit-Out Industry Is Noticing

Bill Smith, Director of Design Group (specialists in joinery for pub and club fit-outs across Australia), has observed the installation quality across many projects:

“Stay Charged’s wireless chargers have proven to be an exceptional addition to our projects. Their sleek integration into furniture and surfaces not only enhances the aesthetic appeal but also provides a valuable modern amenity that patrons truly appreciate.”

For venue managers, the practical question is how it integrates, aesthetically and operationally. Design Group works with leading licensed venues across Australia and recommends only products it trusts, so its endorsement speaks to the integration quality: wireless charging belongs in a well-designed venue fit-out from the start.

The Pattern Across All Four

The venues differ in type, state, and operator background, and all report variants of the same outcome: patrons appreciate it, the integration works, and they stay longer.

That consistency comes from removing a friction point patrons were quietly navigating on every visit.

The research puts it at 46%: patrons who would spend more time at a venue that offers charging. The venues above are reporting the same behaviour.

If you want to see what the investment looks like for your venue (conservative ROI model, real venue data), download the free business case below.