Many parking systems today are set up to gather a significant amount of information from users through parking apps, monthly parking systems, beacon-based solutions, and more. But how can this information be used to help the operator enhance its operation and more effectively serve its patrons, while ensuring the safety and security of their private information?

Data can provide a great deal of insight into a customer’s behavior, preferences, and needs. Business Intelligence (BI) systems can give operators a better understanding of the user’s schedule, parking habits, interests, and more. BI can also help the operator develop targeted marketing programs to attract new customers and establish and maintain consumer loyalty. These programs can be used to provide discounts, benefits, and amenities based on each individual user’s habits and preferences. Further, BI can provide owners and operators with intelligence related to a variety of useful components including the practices and strategies of their competitors, changing industry trends, as well as local behaviors such as traffic patterns, seasonal issues, demographic changes, and more.

In addition, parking analytical data can give operators a better idea about how their individual facilities are operating, their efficiencies and performance, and implement necessary changes for those that may be underperforming. This data can also provide insights into trends by facility, dates, pricing models, locations, or regions to better understand both their client base and their resources and apply strategies that are working effectively across their portfolios. Let ParkEngage put BI technology to work for you to supercharge your marketing and operations today.

In the final of our three-part series of blogs looking ahead to communities and cities reopening in 2021, we focus on how operators will seek to increase their profits, attract new customers, and support their existing patrons. The 2020 COVID-19 lockdowns have had a significant impact on budgets and staffing levels. As we look forward to reopening, they will have a lot of ground to make up to increase profits and maintain a loyal customer base.

One way to accomplish this is through a comprehensive and integrated marketing program. Innovative promotional campaigns allow operators to offer unique and targeted discounts and benefits specifically to the individual customer needs, while providing comprehensive campaign analytics to enhance ROI. For instance, the ParkEngage Promotions Service enables you to launch personalized parking promotions, benefits, and discounts to targeted customers to generate brand loyalty, as well as attract new prospective customers.

Another strategy to help operators increase their profits is through effective inventory management and partnerships with aggregators. Aggregators offer special rates and bring in customers from outside the operator’s typical base. However, the ParkEngage Inventory Management service puts the operator in the driver’s seat and gives them greater control over their parking inventory, seamlessly integrating their operation with neighborhood businesses and allowing them to resell their reservable inventory to businesses outside of the aggregators like hotels, theaters, and event destinations. This solution helps the operator gain better negotiating power, as well as make the channel sales flow more dynamic, thus making the relationship more profitable for themselves and the channel partners. 

In recent years, marketing for parking operators has become a much more sophisticated affair. Customer analytics to understand customer behavior, and customer segmentation, have become essential so that more effective marketing campaigns can be launched. These innovative marketing solutions will be vital to helping operators get back on track in 2021 by streamlining their marketing programs, increasing profits, and expanding and solidifying their loyal customer base.