Making the Switch: Tips and Tricks to Implementing Digital Parking Software

Iman Sumi was once quoted as saying, “The most dangerous phrase in the English language is ‘we’ve always done it this way’.” In a world and society that is always changing and evolving, the people in it must follow suit or be left behind. In this digital age, everything is affected including the parking industry. People are using more digital platforms than ever before making switches from cash to card use, and cards have even switched to mobile pay applications such as Apple and Google pay services. These changes in how transactions occur, as well as all other platforms switching to digital formats means that all industries no matter the type need to make some form of digital change as well.

Digital Smart Parking

Smart parking is a new age term for digital parking applications that uses technology and other applications to fully operate a parking facility. These systems employ a variety of technologies to aid visitors with finding a vacant spot, payments, security, and more. These systems use sensors, weights, cameras, and other 21^st century technological devices. Smart parking facilities can improve parking capacity to almost 100 percent usage in comparison to traditional parking practices where facilities typically utilize 90 percent capacities. The better use of parking spaces means a better return on the investment, more revenue, and overall a happier client base. These systems can be employed in any setting where parking is involved from parking lots, office spaces, venues, shopping centers and malls, apartment complexes, and more.

Benefits of Smart Parking Applications in the Facility

The main goal of a parking operation should be to provide a space that is safe, secure, reliable, and easy to use for all involved regardless of the business of the client. This can be for employees, customers, tourists, and travelers. Parking facilities can ensure the safety and convenience of a vehicle storage facility using smart parking software and equipment. Smart parking software can digitally manage and enforce all applications of visitor parking very easily. There are many benefits of using visitor management software that benefit not only the owner of the facility, but the clients and the businesses surrounding it.

Incorporating Smart Digital Parking into a Facility

When incorporating digital parking software and equipment, there are several tips and tricks that can be applied to make the most of a system. This will ensure smooth transitions from the start of the smart software and beyond, keep clients happy, and make the transitions for the workers easy as well. The total percentage of digital applications placed in a facility is based on a facility’s use, client budget, and goals of the future. Any parking facility, lot, or space can have a digital aspect in some form so the location does not matter.

Recommended Equipment to Install

In the digital parking facility, there are several key pieces of equipment that are recommended and needed to fully integrate smart parking technology. This can range from cameras, scanners, signage, digital payment platform, and sensors.

Cameras:

By using cameras that can provide live monitoring, the facility can fully ensure proper monitoring and management of the facility. By having these tools for active monitoring, safety can be achieved for both clients and their property, as well as the safety of the facility. Cameras can also provide essential information to police and other law enforcement, as well as insurance agencies in the event of an incident or accident in the facility.

By having cameras that are both hidden and visible, customers can have a sense of security in using the facility, while potential crime can be deterred. Cameras can also be used as a means of recording license plates and allowing or denying access to a facility. The digital platform is able to be customized to allow for private parking through the registration of specific license plates. This allows for even more control over the use of the facility. This would be ideal for parking areas for housing, company only parking, and/ or event parking for employees and special guests.

Vehicle Detection Software

By installing vehicle sensors that are in-ground based, a facility can provide full vehicle visibility in the monitoring and control of a parking facility. By having sensors that show a non-available and available parking spaces, clients can see where parking is available, and management can view times spent in the parking space per vehicle to allow for enforcement and billing control. These in-ground sensors should be installed into each parking space and can relay live readings of occupancy into the ParkingBadge platform. This can be viewed in real time and on any device with an internet connection or signal. 

Signage and Guidance Lettering

It is recommended in larger spaces and facilities that see high-volume traffic and used to install some form of digital signage to track available spaces and guide visitors through a facility. Digital signage is an excellent way to immediately communicate the available spaces in a facility before a user enters the facility, available spaces in conjunction with vehicle sensors in the parking space for ease of finding a parking space after entering, and more. The use of these digital signs keeps minds at ease knowing the rates, available space counts, and procedures in the facility without the worry of poor lighting and weather conditions preventing seeing non-digital signs. The use of these digital applications has increased the usability of the parking facility substantially from the early versions of parking lots and garages. Communication is key in the success and overall customer satisfaction of a parking lot or garage.

ParkingBadge Digital Software

Every parking facility is different and has their own individual needs so an operator may need to do tweaks to adjust the facility to work of digital applications. This can include adding painted lines, signs, and more that is beyond a digital application. However, ParkingBadge offers a completely free application and services to customize a digital parking space and facility with ease. The entire set up process is quick and pain free in most situations. In other cases, where some extra steps may need taken such as multiple locations added to the system or customizing the application to fit the exact needs of the facilities that may be regarded as a ‘hybrid’ parking facility.

With smart parking technology, clients and management can better communicate and provide better services. ParkingBadge is available with some of these amazing features as well as, an apple store IOS parking app to better manage the parking for both management and clients.

Interested in finding out more information about ParkingBadge’s innovative free parking management software and parking enforcement software? Please visit- https://parkingbadge.com/request-demo/

Share on: