We know how it works. People in the parking industry often tend to forget that our product isn’t really something the publics long for, or have you ever heard of someone who visits a shopping mall only because they enjoy parking there?
We are sure you haven’t.
People choose to go to malls to enjoy their free time, do window-shopping (or spend some money), go to the movies or restaurants. Parking is merely an extra we wouldn’t even care about – if we could forget about it.
Parking is part of the customer experience
But that doesn’t mean that parking isn’t an important part of the shopping experience. Customers who don’t like to depend on public transports and for whom the walk to the mall is too long, are very likely to get to the shopping center by car. So, what if the parking experience is not positive? Even the most patient and understanding customers will find long queues and waiting times annoying. Naturally, this affects the customer’s mood.
Do happy customers really spend more?
It’s widely believed that happy customers tend to spend more money in shopping malls. Different studies made throughout the years don’t seem to prove a direct relation between good mood and the money the customers spend. However, we might all agree that a happy customer is more likely to come back.
How to create a fulfilling Parking Experience?
So, now that we know that shopping malls should really try to keep their customers in a good mood, let’s see how we can make our Parking garage a key factor to achieve that.
- Make it quick. Long queues are bothersome in and outside the shopping center, but the drivers looking for a parking space are literally trapped in their car. A well-designed parking lot equipped with a reliable parking guidance system can solve this problem easily. If your queues form in front of the parking garage entrance, you might have a mobility problem.
- Make it easy. Is there anything worse than to enter a parking garage and not to know where to go? The best-working parking sensors are worth nothing if the wayfinding signage has been installed without common sense. Let your users know where they are and where they must go at one glance. ParkHelp can take care of the complete design of your parking guidance system and tell you where to place your signages.
- Make it safe. Indoor parking garages tend to be dark and gloomy. A well-installed lighting system will increase visibility and make your customers feel safer. A smart lighting system will not only reduce the energy consumption, it will also make the way to the parking space safer. LPR systems at the entrance will help identify vehicles, and camera-based PGS will even provide video surveillance on demand.
First, you have to understand your customers’ needs and how your parking garage might help you fulfill them. The ParkHelp team will be glad to help you analyze your facilities and provide the best possible parking experience.
