Lateness
In the parking profession, we often have to deal with stressed patrons. Lateness, an impact of our increasingly congested roadways, increases stress levels for drivers as they struggle to arrive to their destinations on time. Whether it’s a hospital appointment, flight, movie, or math class, being late creates a negative experience. It also starts the relationship between patrons and parking lot owners/managers on the wrong track.
Lateness has an even more profound impact on the business economy. In a 2012 study in Britain, it was estimated that employees being late to work costs the economy nearly 14 billion dollars annually, with over 20% of staff saying they perform badly in meetings after arriving late, and 48% saying it caused negative effects on performance. As parking professionals, by controlling building access we are directly managing patron experiences. We have a unique opportunity to proactively manage stress levels and achieve greater service.
Stress Management
One of the simplest ways to reduce customer stress is to manage their expectations. By simply providing the right information, current occupancy patrons can see space occupancy prior to entering a facility and make a critical parking decision. Should an individual have adequate time prior to his/her appointment, they may decide to search for one of the few remaining spaces. Alternatively, if time is scarce, a full occupancy sign properly redirects the parker to alternative sites so they can arrive to their appointment on time and in a better frame of mind. In 2014, Peter Kriss discussed his study in The Harvard Business Review on shopping behaviours of satisfied customers, The research identified that “customers who had the best past experiences spend 140% more compared to those who had the poorest past experience.”
Real Time Data
Web integration of parking occupancy from parking counting and guidance systems can also play an integral role in managing customer stress. Staying on top of real time occupancy through the convenience of in-car navigation systems, integrated phone apps, or even via desktop PC prior to leaving for a meeting, drivers can set their time-based expectations and arrive happy.
When we started Parking Logix, we developed our parking counting technology to accomplish a simple task -> Get drivers the most accurate information to make the best possible parking decisions. Whether your customer is an early planner and mapped their route weeks ahead, or is a last minute shopper or movie theatre patron circling to find the closest spot, occupancy data broadcast through signs and apps will help alleviate hassle and stress and give customers peace of mind.
