The digital industry that we are moving into brings with it many opportunities and also many challenges. It is vital that we, all of us in parking, understand that we are on the cusp of a transformational movement that will impact all of us.  It will change how we do business, the tools we use to conduct business, and how our customers will view us in the future.  One of the most fascinating challenges (at least I think so) is that we have the information to get to know our customers so much better, and they have the information to know us and what we have available for them.  

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Historically, we have a great deal of experience with corporations that did not handle the move into a new age with dignity.  They continued doing what they were doing and doing a great job while the customers moved on to a new age.  Studying the past can provide some valuable lessons in the importance of adaptability and innovation. Looking at the names listed below, we must understand that moving through this transition for us individually and for the service we provide is win or lose. 

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• Blockbuster: failed to embrace the shift to digital distribution and streaming. 

• Kodak: A company with a long history in providing personal cameras and the inventor of the digital camera was reluctant to embrace digital photography because of their concern for their existing highly profitable film business. 

• Nokia: once a leader in the mobile phone market, struggled to adapt to the rise of smartphones. 

• Blackberry: Like Nokia, struggled to keep up with the ever-advancing smartphone revolution.   

• And the list goes on, like Sears, Borders, Xerox, AOL, MySpace, Pan Am 

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If you believe it can’t happen to you or your business, you may not take these transformations seriously.   

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Our industry is going through a strong transformational time, so we at TPN felt it might be helpful to discuss the impact of some of the key issues. First, customer understanding and communication are becoming the core principles of being a great parking manager. Second, the digital information we get today from our PARCS records can, and should, change the way we do business.  If you manage one location, a prominent location, or many locations, it is imperative in today's time to develop communication chains with your customers. 

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Up to just the last few years, communication between our customers and us was a skill that was not highly valued in parking management.  Not to make excuses for our industry, but our customers were just a ticket pull and a payment at the booth or at a POF.  Our systems did not allow us to understand who they were or why they parked with us. That has all changed now, and it is up to us to take it seriously. 

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Digitization gives us a great deal of ability to understand our customers and what they need individually.  Using this information can significantly improve the service we provide every day to move our customers through our facilities.  Today, having and using customer information to drive operational decisions is one of those skills that we look for in our parking revenue financial reviews.  Communications with our customers is potentially a very large revenue producer, so we value it greatly in our review process. Every operation is different, so like everything in parking, the level and skill of communication may vary greatly between locations. The locations where customer communications have value are locations where one of the differences between success and failure may be not just that you can communicate with the customer, but that you are obvious to the customer, ready to supply what the customer needs. 

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As we watch this industry move into the future, we have become acutely aware of this new opportunity and responsibility to communicate with and understand customers. Further, as we look at companies like Blockbuster and Nokia, we realize that understanding your customers and their needs is the knowledge that will usher you into the future of your business. Do you know who is parking in your facility? Do you know why they are there and what they’re looking for today?  TPN can help you build a communications model for your operation, glean relevant information to make operational decisions that will increase customer service and maximize revenue. If you have questions about your parking asset or the many people who park in it, give us a call. We can help!