Is Your Car Park Costing You Customers? The Link Between Parking and Customer Experience

Drawing people to your business depends on a mix of elements. Reputation, products, services and marketing all combine to create an attractive prospect.

But what if you’re succeeding on all of this and falling at the final hurdle because your car park is letting you down?

We’re examining the impact of poor car park management and how ANPR can serve as a strong first line of defence.

An all-important first impression

People driving into a car park for a shopping trip, to get something to eat, or to visit an attraction all want to feel welcome.

Random obstacles like a confusing car park layout, congestion, people parking where they shouldn’t, or clunky systems for paying for their stay are all barriers to creating the right first impression and getting their visit off on the right foot.

More space = more customers

Deciding to make more of your parking and taking control of the site is an important step for a business to take.

Opting for an ANPR system gives you access to a wealth of tools that can dramatically alter how a car park performs. Whether that’s putting tools in place to combat poor parking behaviour or introducing more flexibility and choice with paid parking.

Giving customers more choice is only part of the equation; for your car park to fully thrive, there needs to be enough space for visitors and a steady flow of traffic throughout the day.

Congestion and overstaying are two of the biggest damaging factors in a car park (especially when coupled with people not paying for parking), and eliminating them can dramatically improve your space turnover.

This means more space, more free-flowing traffic, better footfall, fewer complaints, positive impressions and a potential boost to sales – all because a car park is working to your advantage.

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A nicer place to visit

Car parks are often targets for behaviour that’s less than ideal for your legitimate customers. From overstaying and taking up space, to people parking in bays they aren’t entitled to, like Blue Badge or parent & child spaces. Sites can also see more drastic antisocial behaviour that deters customers and has a lasting impact on reputation.

ANPR works as a deterrent, helping your business to put rules in place that correct the poor behaviours that impact your car park.

This helps prevent additional damage to your reputation and can reverse the perception of your car park if these issues have been longstanding. It doesn’t take long for ANPR to transform how a car park performs, which in turn can cause a major lift in footfall.

The impact on revenue

Changing how your car park operates, even in simple ways, like protecting priority spaces, does wonders for how people interact with it.

Once you’re able to accommodate people and help them move around with more efficiency, you see an increase in potential customers.

While a better car park alone won’t lift sales. But it does create a better mindset for people to buy, makes them more receptive to dealing with your staff and gives you more opportunities to sell.

Think back to that idea of first impression, it’s more than that initial arrival, it sets the tone and the foundation for someone’s entire visit.

Transform your car park into a powerful asset

A car park is the first and last thing a customer interacts with. Making sure those interactions leave a positive impression is crucial. We’re able to empower your car park with a range of solutions that enhance the way people move through and interact with your site.

To find out more about how car park management could take your parking to the next level, get in touch with our parking experts using our form.