Discharging mobile phone batteries is no longer a problem in Barcelona thanks to Chimpy's “power bank” rental service. Since last year, anyone in this situation can go to one of the 200 Chimpy distribution points in Barcelona to rent an external battery.
Chimpy's external battery rental service was born in Zurich and the immediate success in its home country (Switzerland) prompted the company to expand its business to other European cities. After launching in Berlin, Paris and Vienna, Chimpy has the firm intention of taking off in Barcelona in 2021. The first results are promising thanks to the network that already has over 200 distribution points installed in kiosks and tobacconists and which Chimpy hopes to expand into particularly in the second half of the year.
“After a difficult start due to last year's pandemic, we are pleased to announce that we are ready to offer a full service in conjunction with the end of the restrictions,” says Daniel Ilar, managing director of Chimpy in Spain. “During the lockdown, the vast majority of our distribution points remained open, although, of course, the reduced mobility of people affected us. With the end of the closure measures, we are experiencing a significant increase in rents. We anticipate that the gradual reactivation of the tourism sector will continue to drive our business, ”continues Daniel Ilar.
A simple rental process
The service works in a simple way and without the need to register. Just go to one of Chimpy's distribution points and request an external battery that is delivered instantly, along with its cable to connect it. At the rental price of 3 euros, 15 euros must be added for the deposit, a figure that will be refunded in full when the external battery is returned to one of the over 200 tobacconists and kiosks after use. Chimpy's network focuses on the busiest streets and squares, and the exact locations can be viewed in the Chimpy's app and website.
Rent instead of buy
Chimpy seems to have adapted well to their rent-encouraging business model; thus responding to a growing demand for environmentally friendly people who, instead of buying products, tend to promote a collaborative and circular economy. Buying an external battery and then leaving it in a drawer is a thing of the past. Added to this is that Chimpy batteries are charged with solar energy.
To promote its services, Chimpy will intensify its communication during the summer months. The campaign will include large posters at rental points, a strong social media presence and an 'ambassador card' that will be given to a select number of people to access the service for free. In parallel, the "influencers" will help spread the message to the brand digitally and Chimpy will also be present at the main music festivals this summer.
Chimpy Chi
In 2013, four friends, Andreas Braendle, Mirko Hofmann, Can Olcer and Simon Schwarzenbach, realized the growing problem of used battery waste and decided to take action. The initial business model aimed at companies (recharging AAA batteries) quickly transforms into an external battery rental service (“power bank”) for the general public. With this has also changed the target of Chimpy: now they are mobile phone users. However, the initial ecological approach remains intact: all batteries are charged exclusively by solar energy. On the other hand, they are used many more times than external batteries which are purchased individually, as these tend to quickly disappear in a drawer to be forgotten later. In this sense, Chimpy actively contributes to reducing the amount of waste to be recycled. The company was founded in Zurich. In Switzerland, Chimpy's services are available at all train stations, newsstands, airports and shopping centers. The company is developing a comparable network to offer its services in large European cities.
link:
- www.heychimpy.com
- https://heychimpy.com/es/news/
