Anyone who has spent an hour on a padel court knows the feeling: the final point has been played, and the first thing you want is something cold to drink. At Smash in Neeroeteren, players do not have to look far. Smart Fridges supplied by Mirkoz Vending are stocked with chilled drinks inside the clubhouse.
Eight courts and a lively club
Smash has five tennis courts and three padel courts. The club is about more than sport alone. Members also get together for social events and regular parties. That makes easy access to drinks especially useful, including at times when no one is permanently staffing the bar.
A fridge that handles payment itself
The Smart Fridge looks like a large, well-stocked refrigerator, but the checkout process is fully automated. A player taps a bank card or smartphone on the payment terminal. The door unlocks, and they simply take the drink they want.
Cameras register which products leave the Smart Fridge. As soon as the door closes, the purchase is processed. There is no product code to enter, no need for coins and no queue at the bar. A bottle of water or a cold iced tea takes only a few seconds to buy.
That simplicity matters at a sports club. Players often arrive just before their booking or want a quick drink as soon as their match finishes. The system follows that rhythm without someone having to process every sale by hand.
From trust to a reliable system
Before the installation, Smash used an honesty bar. Members could take a drink and pay for it themselves. It suited the friendly atmosphere of the club, but in practice not every drink was paid for.
The owners wanted to keep the convenience of self-service while making sure each purchase was recorded correctly. Smart Fridges offered exactly that combination: members still help themselves, while payment is handled automatically.
Quickly accepted by members
New technology can raise questions at first. Smash also had to see how its members would respond, but the uncertainty disappeared quickly. According to the owners, players found the Smart Fridges very easy to use.
Around 300 transactions were registered in the first two weeks. During the same period, the owners reported a revenue increase of almost 25 percent. Their experience shows how much difference a smooth payment process can make in a location where many people want to buy something during short peak periods.
A practical solution for sports clubs
A Smart Fridge is a useful option for padel and tennis clubs that want to offer refreshments beyond normal bar hours. The product range can be adapted to the location, from water and soft drinks to sports drinks and other chilled products.
For Smash, the change mainly brought greater control without losing the club atmosphere. Players still serve themselves, while the administration behind every purchase happens automatically.
Interested in a Smart Fridge for your sports club or company? Explore our Smart Fridges or contact us for a proposal tailored to your location.
