Long queues? 5 ways parking payment machines can solve your problem

Claire Small
Authored by Claire Small
Posted Thursday, January 17, 2019 - 7:13am

You live in a fast paced world and your customers are used to things happening at lightening speed. Have you checked whether your car park system lives up to consumers’ expectations? If not, perhaps you don’t realize how this impacts the rest of your business.

Whether you simply manage a car park or have one for your business customers you need to keep customers happy or they won’t return. Standing in queues won’t improve their opinion of you. Can you shorten those lines?

We’re going to show you how a simple parking payment machine can determine your success. Also, keep reading to find out how modern Advance Access technology can transform your car parking area and put more smiles on drivers’ faces.

Parking has been revolutionized and you’ll wish you discovered this article earlier. 

Why Should This be on Your Priority List?

Perhaps you don’t view a simple queue as a danger to your business. After all, everybody knows people queue at paying machines. 

Wrong.

In today’s world this is not necessary anymore, as you can do a lot to speed up the process (that’s what the rest of the article will show you). Motivation to invest a little more in a quality car park system and payment machines include:

 -  Preventing complaints: If your patrons queue longer than they actually use the parking itself, they’re likely to report it. 

 -  Helping more drivers: The longer the queues the longer it will take before a parking bay opens up. That means you’re also allowing unnecessary queues for those entering the lot.

 -  Be known as a fair vendor: If you don’t cater for the large crowds that use your facility they’ll easily opt to go somewhere else. Consumers are used to user friendly options and they won’t settle for less these days. 

Next important question: Who should heed these warnings? 

Who Needs These Plans?

Before you disqualify yourself from needing the information in this article, think carefully. In reality, any and all parking systems can benefit from an upgrade and you’ll be thankful you made the changes:

 -  Businesses: Your business will draw more clients if every aspect of your company is user friendly. 

 -  Retail industry: On a hot day someone will easily pick a different store if a parking system doesn’t allow quick service. And remember your parking payment machines determine your turn around time (see above).

 -  Hospitals: For concerned visitors and patients you should create a streamlined parking system. If visiting hours are short it’s not fair if someone queues for almost longer than the actual visit to a relative’s room.

 -  Parking lot owner: Your profit depends on your quality service, because other vendors in town may be using the modern approach already. Do drivers prefer your lot or your competitors’?

And this shows only a few scenarios that could have long term effects.

If you’re ready to make changes, this is how to do it.

How You Can Make it Work

1. Do You Have Enough Parking Payment Machines?    

Here’s an easy one: if your current setup has lines of people queueing at all times of the day, you need more machines. Of course you’ll have peak times with a few more people coming or leaving, but you should measure your flow and maintain a reasonable rating of how many people are helped in an hour.

While we’re on the topic: You need to obtain data and analyze it so you know exactly how big your challenge is. Today AI can help analyze Big Data so you can base your business decisions on sound calculations.

2. Use Modern Tech

Also relating to modern day technology is the ‘How’. Can you upgrade the methods you’re using to facilitate monitoring and payments?

Many lots scan number plates or use them as references, rather than giving tickets when drivers enter. This saves some time when cars drive in, but you also avoid the time consuming scenario of someone looking for a ticket they placed somewhere in a pocket or bag. If they know their number plate, they’re good to go.

3. Cater for All Payment Preferences

Another way someone at the head of the queue will hold up the line is if they realize they can’t pay with the resources they have on hand. Why operate a cash system if you know most people use their bank cards for almost all payments these days?

Adding more options can make your queues flow even better:

 -  QR codes

 -  Paypal

 -  Allow for notes as well as coins

4. Make the Design User Friendly

You’ll be surprised at how a design revamp can transform your flow. With the goal of being creative, many payment machine designers end up creating layouts consumers find confusing:

Numberedsteps, butarranged all over the console instead of in order from left to right.

Not providing a QWERTY keyboard which most people are familiar with.

Forgetting that tall individuals have unique vantage points from which they may not see the card slots located below other objects on the machine.

No clear description of how to use the machine. 

Navigating these design mistakes may take each driver a few seconds more than they really have to. That may seem like nothing, but seconds add up to minutes and that’s why your queues keep patrons frowning instead of smiling. 

5. Light it Up!

And how are you helping your customers at night? The few seconds or minutes they waste trying to make out the writing on your parking payment machinecan be prevented: Just give them enough light.

Apart from speeding up the process, this also makes it safer to use your lot.

Conclusion

If your car park isn’t up to standard yet, make sure you don’t have these same regrets in 2019. Partnering with the right vendor can boost your bottom line and keep your visitors happy. Take a poll and find out your customers’ biggest grievances. Then change and enjoy the benefits afterwards. 

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