Not all parking management companies are the same, so choosing the right one for your car park is an important decision. The right partner won’t just manage parking, they’ll help protect your site, improve the experience for your visitors, and make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes.
With so many operators to choose from in the UK, how do you know which one is right for your business? Before you make your decision, it’s worth asking a few key questions. Does the company understand your aims? Do they have a strong and credible reputation? Will they provide clear communication, excellent customer service, and a bespoke solution that’s tailored to your site, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach?
If you can answer ‘yes’ to the 7 questions below, you’ll take a big step towards finding a parking management provider you can truly trust. At Creative Car Park (CCP), we believe that’s exactly what businesses deserve, and we’re here to help every step of the way.
1. Is their approach to parking enforcement fair and ethical?
This is paramount. If you’re experiencing issues with your car park, you’re seeking help to turn things around through the enforcement of your parking terms and conditions. The last thing you want to do is deter your valued customers from visiting, for fear of receiving a parking charge. You want a managed car park, not an empty one! To avoid this, ensure that the operator adopts a fair and ethical approach to enforcement, only issuing charges when it’s deemed there is clear and obvious misuse of your car park.
CCP always takes a proactive and measured approach to parking, providing a fair experience for your car park users. And don’t just take our word for it – results from POPLA, the independent parking industry ombudsman, show that we lead the industry in this regard. We get it right and this reflects positively on your business.
2. Do they employ cutting edge camera systems and automated technology?
This ties in closely with the first point. If parking charges are issued in error, then it’s often because the operator is using technology that’s simply not fit for purpose. ANPR cameras need to be able to capture registration plates at any time of day, in any weather, otherwise mis-detection may occur.
CCP is a technology-first business that utilises the very latest tech in its detection systems, to keep errors to an absolute minimum. In addition, our proprietary Polus system uses Microsoft Azure cloud-based technology and sophisticated AI to vastly reduce instances of mis-detection. Technology plays a central role in everything we do and Polus underlines our commitment to innovation and the crucial role it plays in ensuring we operate as fairly as possible.
3. Do they have sufficient experience and scale to manage your car park?
Ensure that your chosen operator has the ability, proficiency and know-how to oversee your parking area. The car park management industry is crowded and there are many start-ups who appear to tick all the boxes (and have a lovely-looking slide deck), but can they deliver on their promises? Do they have the years of industry experience required to identify and deal with common issues before they escalate?
CCP was founded in 2005 and has grown up with the parking management industry, continually responding to market shifts and adapting to new technologies. Indeed, we were the UK’s first car park operator to offer fully automated ANPR camera technology. We are also the UK’s leading provider of parking management services for small to medium-sized businesses, managing more than 2,300 sites across the country (that’s around 125,000 parking spaces!), so you can be sure that your car park is in the safest of hands.
4. Do they offer a fully-funded service, with no upfront costs?
This perhaps goes without saying, but avoid any operators that require payment to cover the cost of equipment and installation.
CCP offers a fully-funded service to all its clients, covering the cost of everything on your behalf. In addition, we do not require any kind of subscription or maintenance fee over the course of the contract.
5. Are they industry accredited and compliant?
Any legitimate operator will be accredited by one of the two recognised trade associations for the private parking industry: the BPA (British Parking Association) or the IPC (International Parking Community). They should work within the association’s Code of Practice in order to uphold standards across the industry.
CCP is fully accredited by the BPA and has a long and successful relationship with the association, being one of its founding members.
6. Do they offer a range of services and products to meet your needs?
Check that the parking operator has everything required to effectively address your parking aims and intentions. Often, ANPR technology alone is not enough.
CCP offers the full suite of parking services, designed to meet the most common parking challenges, from ANPR detection and paid parking, to permits and pre-book parking.
7. Are they a parking partner or a service provider?
Last but definitely not least – you’re not just looking for another service provider. What you want is a parking partner, someone credible who you can work with and trust to operate in your own interests, not theirs. This is absolutely key when choosing a parking operator.
CCP is the parking partner to thousands of businesses up and down the country. Our organisation is built on transparency, credibility and honesty. Once the contract has been signed and the system is up and running, we don’t just ‘set it and forget it’. We work closely with you and provide you with a personal UK-based account manager to help and support you throughout your entire journey with us, ensuring everything is working as it should and prioritising problem resolution. Exactly what you should expect, in other words.
If CCP ticks all the boxes and you’d like to find out more about our innovative, ethical and consultative parking solutions, complete the form below and one of our team will be in touch.
