Exceptional customer service can transform a forgettable or negative experience into one that fosters loyalty. But what does exceptional customer service look like in parking, and how can car park owners ensure their operators are delivering it effectively?
The Importance of Customer Service in Parking
Customer satisfaction in parking facilities hinges on several factors, from ease of finding a spot to interactions with staff. Understanding these dynamics helps landlords ensure their parking facilities contribute positively to the overall visitor journey.
Parking is a critical touchpoint in daily journeys. Every interaction, from prepaying for a space online to leaving at the end of the day, is an opportunity to enhance the customer experience. Revealed in a Household Commuter Preferences survey conducted by Wilson Parking, 62% of drivers pay for parking in the CBD, with over half choosing the same facility regularly. The second biggest reason drivers avoid the CBD is the perceived difficulty in finding parking. This highlights a gap that enhanced customer service can fill.
Assessing Your Operator’s Customer Service
Regular assessment of your parking provider's approach to safety, customer support, and efficiency is crucial. Oversight promotes customer loyalty, strengthens your facility’s market position, and secures your investment’s value. Here’s what to consider:
Resource Capacity
- Ensure adequate on-ground and remote teams to support customers, providing reassurance and safety.
- Evaluate scalability, particularly with the rise of digital parking applications.
- Discuss available resources and the impact of emerging digital tools and AI with your operator.
Customer Service Channels
- Examine the diversity and usability of customer service channels, such as self-support tools (FAQs, chatbots), in-app, phone, and email support.
- Effective digital tools should streamline simple queries, allowing human resources to focus on complex customer needs.
Tools and Reporting
- Assess the reporting measures in place to keep you informed about your facility’s performance.
- Key metrics include transaction statistics, car park and product performance, and customer insights to help optimise operations and reveal growth opportunities.
Validation and Quality Assurance
- Ensure your operator has tools to monitor and improve service quality, such as secret shopper programs and customer surveys.
- Transparent communication of evaluation outcomes builds trust and aligns goals towards improving customer satisfaction and operations.
Creating a Long-Term View
As self-service tools increase, the definition of customer service expands, redefining human support's role. Embracing this shift can enhance the value of your parking facilities, prioritising the end user in every business decision.
By proactively managing and enhancing customer service, car park owners can turn parking facilities into integral components of a positive visitor journey, fostering long-term loyalty and satisfaction.
