3 minute read
Driving your digital future
Digital innovations can be of huge benefit to parking operators, helping them to streamline operations and incentivize customers so that ultimately space is used more efficiently and revenue is boosted
Words | Florian Schneeberger, Skidata AG, Austria
Skidata’s web-based services and businessenabling platform offer parking operators multiple advantages on top of the standard PARCS (parking and revenue control system) solutions in the areas of centralization, reservations and validations.
With advances in digitization, new business models are emerging and technology is revitalizing the way we organize and run our companies. Digitization is making it possible for parking operators to optimize systems and processes through the seamless integration of system solutions. Under the motto ‘Driving Your Digital Future’, Skidata offers a broad portfolio of software solutions that will enable you to reap the full benefits of digitization: from a cloud-based multichannel sales platform enabling online reservation and contract parking, to web-based reporting and centralized monitoring of facilities, online validation management, and customer loyalty programs.
Driving efficiency with Swebs
Sweb (Skidata’s web-based services) extend parking management solutions to include web-based services for greater control, visibility, convenience and independence. They use individual Software-as-a-Service modules that can be combined precisely to a customer’s needs. From the remote management of facilities and multisite reporting, to validation management and access to web-based operating information, for the dedicated operator, data is available anywhere and at any time using a cell phone, tablet or PC.
Skidata’s new cloud-based Business Enabling Platform raises the effective management of multichannel sales to a new level. Parking operators can use the Skidata portfolio of e-commerce Swebs to create online channels for parking space reservations or to sell contract products on a fixed contract or pay-per-use basis. Or, it can be used to connect a variety of other pre-integrated service providers such as parking sales aggregators, counters and apps. With this platform, it is possible to sell through chosen channels, everywhere a parking operator wants, in order to maintain control and gain momentum with loyal customers.
Centralized monitoring and control
Sweb.Control helps to reduce staff costs in garages by centralizing operations in control rooms, while still managing devices, customer issues and incident workflows in real time. This web-based service with its optimized user interface provides data availability online at any time and everywhere, without extra hardware or software requirements. Investment costs and maintenance overheads are also reduced, as Skidata also takes care of continuous software updates.
Web-based reports and statistics
Sweb.Report is a centralized reporting solution for parking facilities – whether they are distributed throughout a single country or the entire world. With Sweb.Report, users can manage and optimize their business efficiently by consolidating data from multiple parking lots, and over several years, into informative, graphical and instantly usable reports. It offers flexibility, with the ability to create customized reports tailored to particular business needs. Operators can
access data at any time and from anywhere by web browser.
Online validations management
With the web-based service Sweb.Validate, it is possible to increase garage utilization and turnover through online sales and marketing of parking validations by partnering with surrounding businesses. Shops, offices or hotels can provide convenient electronic discounts to parking customers. Sweb.Validate offers full transparency and traceability with validations and prevents fraudulent use. More than 100 validation solutions have already been implemented in the USA alone through Skidata.
Customer loyalty programs
Loyalty.Logic highlights positive relationships between parking operators and customers. It enables the development of customer loyalty programs. Through increased interaction with customers, parking operators can understand their purchasing habits while gathering data for marketing purposes.
Guests register on the platform and collect points – online or on-site – for interactions such as online reservations or the use of a charging station. The loyalty points can be exchanged for predefined offers. In this way, loyal guests enjoy special incentives that cannot be bought with money and which incur minimal cost: a VIP parking space upon their next visit, for example, or having their car parked for them.
Loyalty scheme benefits
Parking operators can get to know their customers and generate valuable data for targeted marketing that could include special email promotions or birthday vouchers. Additionally rewards can be used to help steer the behavior of customers. Offering bonus loyalty points can put specific additional offers and services in the spotlight to increase revenue while reducing advertising costs.
Customers can interact with the loyalty program by using an app or over the internet. Mobile plug-ins can be efficiently integrated to match the look and feel of a company’s branding. n
Left: Skidata’s loyalty scheme
mobile app
Above: Skidata’s Sweb.Control
