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Contactless Parking During COVID-19

Contactless Parking During COVID-19
Contactless Parking During COVID-19

Vehicle owners and parking space managers have been forced to look for the safest ways for parking in the face of the pandemic. For this reason, contactless parking has become a top option to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Parking lots are high-traffic areas for people, and this is why touching anything around the area must be avoided. This way, the rate of spread through surface contamination is minimal or non-existent.

Since the rise of the pandemic, social distancing has been a common adopted by society at large. People have been advised to always keep a considerable distance during social interaction and be conscious of how they engage with everything around them.

Covid-19 has forced drastic changes in several aspects of society, from businesses to basic interaction. Society now has to promote new habits to help curb the spread of the virus. Online shopping, movie streaming platforms rather than cinemas, and ordering food online, are among the fast-rising habits in the face of the pandemic.

Is Contactless Parking New?

Contactless parking is not a new concept and it has been adopted for some time now. However, the rise of the pandemic means motorists now more than ever, need effective and safe methods to pay for parking their vehicles. Also, contactless parking helps to keep the staff and customers safe as there will be no need for physical exchange.

If you haven’t been thinking about contactless parking, now is the time to start. It is not only going to protect you immediately, but it will also set up your parking site for the digital future.

We realize that this might be new to certain people, while their others that do are informed but do not have enough information about contactless parking. We have offered to help you with everything you need on contactless parking.

How can Contactless Parking benefit everyone during these times and in the future?

Contactless parking benefits both the motorists and the business in many ways. The advantages of contactless parking are not limited to the pandemic period, as it also offers much for the future.

Security against COVID-19

An immediate benefit of contactless parking is the security it offers during the pandemic. The need for physical contact will reduce to the minimum, as people will not need to gather at ticketing machines. Social distancing is one of the ways to stop the spread of the Covid-19, an act promoted by contactless parking.

The anxiety that comes with being in crowded places and high-traffic spots, is erased as there will be no need for one. It might take some time before motorists get used to the process but they will be willing and have an open mind. Everyone is looking for the best ways to do things to stop the spread of the virus and contactless parking offers that.

It promotes comfort in the long run

The good part of contactless parking is the relevance beyond the pandemic. The seamless process that promotes individual payment and ease of access, offers comfort as well as protection. Because the process of contactless parking is faster, promotes forward-thinking and ease of payment – motorists will inevitably adopt this comfort with time.

Flexibility improves customer experience, a factor that is important to a business. When the customer is satisfied through a great experience, it ultimately leads to better loyalty for the brand.

It is built for the future

The mode of operation for contactless parking means that parking payments will move away from paper-based to digital-based. The future is about digital solutions and contactless parking has come to stay.

The need to be cashless is also a future that is being promoted. Contactless parking erases the need for cash, which automatically means it is the future. The process also promotes efficiency and reduced workload for the workers.

The future is based on working technological systems, and the solutions offered by contactless parking promote a simple and working system of parking. Another point to note is the positive impact it will have on your website, by bringing traffic that can translate into added revenue.

It is cost-effective

Traditional parking systems require the staff to receive money directly, which means there is a chance of deliberate and indeliberate mishandling of money. There is also a chance of customers making a payment with counterfeit currency. These problems are solved with contactless parking as there is no need for cash.

Contactless parking will save the business from losses and save human errors that could arise. The system doesn’t need to take breaks, rather will it get affected by a lack of motivation or emotional baggage.

It will boost the brand

Whether your business is large or small, it can always benefit from a better brand image. You can improve your brand image by creating a smooth parking experience for your customers.

It optimizes available parking space

With contactless parking, a working technological system will assign parking spaces and eliminate human error from miscalculation. This reduces the effort and resources that a parking space owner will invest.

Ability to access data

Because contactless parking is technology-based, the system can gather real-time data involving parking spaces and motorists. These data points can provide insight and help in decision-making, ultimately leading to smarter decisions.

What are the options?

The demand for contactless technology has been on the rise in the last few years. This demand has further grown as a result of the pandemic which has brought the need for fewer social contacts.

A major feature of contactless parking is the flexibility that it offers. A customer can choose different options depending on what suits their needs. There is a technological provision that serves the need of a broad audience, offering comfort through flexibility and experience.

Some of the options available for contactless parking payment include booking ahead, auto charging, QR codes, and paying through the phone.

Motorists can book parking spaces ahead of time. With the booking, the motorist doesn’t have to use the machine for payment. Setting this up on a website is quite straightforward when you employ the right people to execute the job. It is also important to have the right platform for payment. An additional perk is an opportunity to offer unoccupied parking spaces to motorists via your website.

Another option is setting up an auto-charge system. With this method, you can adopt a platform that seamlessly identifies registered drivers and auto-charges them for using the parking space. No need for physical contact through purchasing parking tickets, as it also helps to save both the customers and company some valuable time.

Other ways to promote contactless parking are through scanning QR codes for payment or registration. Motorists can also pay through codes on their phones. For motorists that are not tech-savvy, paying through codes will be a great option.

The options available for contactless parking payment all work to achieve the same goal, which is to minimize contact and promote ease of access. The speed and efficiency of running this process will also improve drastically.

How can you switch to contactless parking?

Having a good understanding of how contactless parking will benefit you is only a start. Several platforms offer contactless parking solutions but you have to make the right choice for yourself. The right system must benefit the business, the customers, and the staff.

OperationsCommander is one of such platforms that can offer you effective solutions for your contactless parking.

OPS-COM is a parking and security management platform with over 20 years of experience in providing parking solutions.  Innovation, development, and a seamless user experience are core principles of OPS-COM.

The basic features such as online permit management and virtual payments are only a small part of what OPS-COM offers. They also offer advanced solutions like managing parking violations, resolving disputes, choosing between virtual or physical permits, among other features.

What gives OPS-COM the edge over its competitors is how they put the customer’s needs first. This is evident in every new installation as it is fully customizable to meet the client’s needs. If a client already has parking management technology installed on location and it is important to keep using it, the OPS-COM platform can be modified to integrate with it. If a client wants an internal reprimand process instead of a violation citation that results in a fine, the platform provides such a solution.

Switching to the OPS-COM is as seamless as it can get, as they not only design a working system but also train parking administrators and patrol staff. They will not leave you dealing with customers by yourself as they offer top customer support with every install.

OPS-COM goes the extra mile

OPS-COM is a cloud-based platform that offers four different modules, which are:

The database records every information inputted into any of the four modules, making it easy to access information. The platform also offers extra features like Locker Management, Ticket Type Categorization, Alarm Dispatch Management, and Text2ParkMe (a feature for metered parking users).

Here are some of the features to enjoy on the OPS-COM platform

Built-in mobile parking payment options

This feature allows users to add, remove, and update their payment methods online. This feature reduces the workload on the administrators.

Permits, violations, and incidents managed in one place

Parking users can choose and update the type of permit they have, track violations associated with the permit, and resolve incident disputes with linked evidence, all without standing in line or stepping foot in an office. If a user feels like a violation report has been made in error, they can appeal the decision online as well.

Print your hangtags, or choose a virtual permit

OPS-COM provides the option for parkers to use either a physical or virtual permit.

Text2ParkMe

For the people who are using metered parking, this is another quick and easy option for contactless parking.

Complete customer database with email notifications

 Not only can the parkers view and manage their permits 24/7, but the administrators can as well, via a comprehensive database. If there’s an issue with an account, the parking user will get an email letting them know.

Customizable permit types, lot definition, waiting lists, and pricing

Administrators can choose the parameters of the permits they offer, categorize certain lots for specific purposes, manage demand with waiting lists, and set their pricing for each permit.

License plate recognition technology

Getting the OPS-COM platform means that you’ll have everything you need for contactless parking.

Full dispatch logging, alarm, and alert process

If there’s ever a security incident, OPS-COM helps security personnel keep accurate records during and after the event.

Handheld patrol units with LPR and GPS mapping, along with real-time data – Security personnel can easily track which vehicles are in which lots, ensuring that parkers are using their permits correctly.

Easy payment provider integration

OPS-COM is built to integrate seamlessly with whichever payment provider the client chooses.

Technical support for training, customizations, and integrations

The OPS-COM parking management platform is intuitive, but there’s still a learning curve for new users. With every install, OPS-COM provides expert assistance with every step of the way. Administrators learn their way around the database, and the patrol staff is taught how to log incidents and use the handheld patrol units. Any customizations are developed and tweaked until they work perfectly, and integrations are completed without second-guessing or complications.

OPS-COM manages every aspect of your parking needs

Control is an essential part of having a good parking experience. If the motorist feels in control, they will enjoy the experience. The importance of control is not only relevant to the motorists but also the parking space management. It is vital to always stay in control regardless of the volume of vehicles.

With smart solutions offered by OPS-COM, you can always optimize the resources at your disposal, and reduce running expenses while maximizing profit.

More than ever, the need for contactless parking is rising and the time to adopt it is now. While the pandemic has played a major role in accelerating adaptability, it is inevitably the future. Finding a platform that can provide these solutions to maximize customer experience is also important.

Find out more about the experience you can enjoy with the OperationsCommander platform by requesting a demo.