Could your parking lot give your business a competitive edge?

January 28, 2019 8

You might not think that your business’s parking facilities would make all that much difference to your overall competitiveness. But you’d be surprised by the effect that it could have. Adequately-managed parking lots can put your company at a competitive advantage, ensuring that you get that all-importance edge over the competition.

To see why parking lots are so important, it’s often useful to draw comparisons with your website landing pages. All digitally-savvy business know that landing pages are crucial. Landing pages are the first thing that your customers see when they arrive at your site, and so they have to meet their needs there and then. Firms spend thousands of dollars and countless hours customizing landing pages to successfully appeal to people, boosting conversions.

In many ways, parking lots are analogous to landing pages. For brick-and-mortar businesses, they’re among the first things that the customer sees and an essential part of creating a good impression. Customers who have a pleasant parking experience will feel more relaxed in store, and are more likely to spend money – that is, convert.

If you’re struggling to manage your parking lot effectively, you can find out more at this link. Third-party companies can provide expertise to ensure that you get the most out of your parking facilities and better meet your customer’s needs.

Be better than your competitors

Drivers hate circling, looking for spaces. Furthermore, they dislike having to pay for parking just to visit your store or office. Don’t be like your competitors. Provide ample free parking time to your customers: two hours minimum. And make sure that you have enough space to accommodate customers, even during peak hours.

Not enough space on regular tarmac? Not to worry: customers would rather you opened up an adjacent field for their vehicles than have to abandon their visit because they can’t find a space.

Reduce unauthorized parking

Some motorists abuse company parking facilities, parking their vehicles in company lots for weeks at a time without paying any money. Companies that permit this kind of behavior put themselves at a disadvantage. Over time, their car parks become filled by free-riders, ruining the experience for paying customers. Again, you can rely on third-party parking-management companies. These firms periodically patrol your parking facilities, clocking when vehicles check-in, and issuing fines for breaking the rules.

You can also reduce unauthorized parking by using camera technology. Modern cameras can recognize number plates and automatically log length of stay. If a car stays too long, the cameras send the details to a third-party agency which then collects the fine.

Use parking as a customer funnel

Online marketing gurus often talk about the benefit of marketing funnels: devices which feed customers towards your sales process. Although usually referring to online strategies, there’s no reason why your parking lot can’t become a funnel too.

Customers want parking lots that are expansive, safe and secure. If your parking lot fits the bill, then they’re more likely to choose you over another business with less-than-ideal facilities.