When talking to councils and asset owners, typically one of the reasons for installing a parking guidance system is to improve customer experience. This isn’t just lip service; customers often want the benefits a parking guidance system provides primarily because it makes finding a parking spot easy, reducing stress and frustration during peak periods.

The technology also helps users save time and fuel by directing them to available parking spaces quickly. This is particularly valuable in busy urban areas or retail car parks with high shopper traffic where finding parking can be time-consuming.

When drivers are being directed efficiently to available parking bays, congestion is reduced. This contributes to reducing the emissions that are sustained when cars crawl in circles searching for somewhere to stop, benefiting both users and the surrounding area by improving traffic flow. This assists with customer loyalty as drivers come back to retail centres that offer an efficient parking service.

These efficiencies can be maximised by facility operators who can optimise available spaces for specific categories of parker (disabled, pram, electric vehicles) to ensure these spaces are available and properly allocated. By using past data to predict surges in demand, facility management is improved and whilst customers may not be aware of this functionality, they benefit from the enhanced capacity these informed decisions create.

Parking technology that incorporates security features such as surveillance cameras and emergency call buttons can make users feel safer in parking facilities, particularly if they are entering or exiting in a remote area or in the dark. Those that can offer a modern and efficient parking experience gain a competitive advantage, being an attractive option for customers who know they will be safe and able to find a parking spot quickly on arrival.

Another element of building customer loyalty is by meeting specific requirements or integration needs, such as connecting to mobile apps or payment platforms that customers use. Parking technologies can often be tailored to meet these needs, piggybacking off the loyalty and convenience those apps and services generate.

As customers seek to go about their business efficiently, parking guidance systems can help them on their way – but only when the technology works as it should. Facility owners need to ensure the parking guidance system they choose to install is one that delivers accurate information in a timely manner. There is nothing more frustrating in a car park than following a green light only to find a bay occupied! When they do, parking guidance systems provide a high level of convenience that caters to the needs of a parking asset’s customers.

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