Future-proofing business: motel's EV success
05 May 2023
When Hamilton’s Queanbeyan Motel owners Jag and Kay Singh installed EV chargers with the help of a destination charging grant from the NSW Government, they gave customers another reason to choose their motel. Powered by the motel’s rooftop solar, the chargers are now helping EV drivers travel through the region with confidence.
Installing 2 dual-port 22kW EV chargers in the motel carpark is the latest in a series of upgrades made by owner-operators Jag and Kay Singh.
Jag says the chargers complement other improvements, including renovations, room upgrades and sustainability initiatives, all designed to attract new customers, reduce operating costs and future-proofing the business.
"We've been through the bushfires and COVID, and that's when I actually spent all that money – now I've got everything the property needs," he says, adding that they are now able to reap the rewards of those investments.
Kay: He's a big risk-taker.
He's a big dreamer, but he works hard to make them true.
Jag: Obviously, EV charges are the future, the electric cars are the future and I’m a big supporter of the EV chargers myself.
Kay: If we were both dreamers then who's going to work?
Jag: We purchased this business back in 2019.
We wanted to be owner-operators and we lived on-site for almost three years.
Kay: I look after the front desk and all the invoices are going to Jag.
OK, accounts department, Jag.
I'm just talking to the people.
Jag: She's doing an amazing job because she's a much-loved person by the customers.
When we bought the property, it was only 2.5 stars on Google.
But since we have taken over, we are officially 4.7 stars with more than 400 reviews.
Kay: Getting the EV chargers installed at the property, I was like, maybe it's too soon?
But since 2023 we are already seeing so many EV cars on the road.
So I thought maybe, yeah, it's not that early.
Jag: One of the biggest concerns that we had with the EV chargers installation was the cost of it.
I was in round one where the New South Wales Government offered this scheme and they actually contributed towards the installation of the chargers.
It's an extra service for the customers.
They can come and stay overnight and then just charge their cars.
So it's obviously I'm looking at that perspective as well, just to increase the bottom line.
Ruth: I design my entire trip around where I can go that actually have the EV charging infrastructure.
It's definitely a way forward for businesses to be looking at how they can actually attract my spending dollars.
I want to be able to get to other beautiful national parks and places in New South Wales, so I'm really looking forward to seeing other motels and tourist destinations embracing this technology.
Jag is a businessman who's leading.
He's made the investment to have electric vehicle charging and he's actually providing what many of us need.
Jag: We're not only future-proofing ourselves from the revenue perspective, it's an add-on service to the customers and they will pick your property rather than one of the other properties.
Now, the government is supporting and providing that grant, I think this is a time to move.
EV chargers are the future, explore that option and take that advantage now.
How an EV charger helped to boost business
Jag and Kay have decided that motel guests can charge their vehicles for free, making them a popular choice for the many new EV drivers in NSW.
‘People are staying here and rather than going out of their way to find a charger, they can charge their car overnight,’ says Jag.
The motel’s 2 dual port EV chargers are also available to passers-by for a small payment to cover costs. This puts the motel firmly on the map as part of Australia’s EV charging network.
‘Since we’ve done the upgrades, including the EV chargers, our business has built up a customer base who love the property,’ says Jag. 'The motel has shifted from a 2.5 star property with average occupancy of 55%, to 4.5 stars and 85% occupancy. We've had over 400 Google reviews with a very high average rating.'
Embracing innovation: what customers say
While Kay initially wondered if they were adopting the technology too quickly, she soon noticed more and more EVs on the roads. Together, she and Jag decided it was the right time to invest.
"It’s an added service to the customers. If they can charge their car, they’ll likely pick your property to stay at," Kay explains.
The Singhs see EV charging as part of a long-standing commitment to innovation and being industry leaders in the region.
"I started with LED lighting, I was the first one in the region to do that, then putting the solar panels, we were the first one to do it, and now a lot of the other properties are doing it ... the same thing, with the EV chargers, we’re the first in Queanbeyan to install them,” says Jag.
EV charging site host - expressions of interest
Want to become a site host for an EV charger? Hosting public EV fast chargers could help your business attract more visitors and encourage them to stay longer.
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