Managing paid parking can be complex. Will you pay an attendant to check tickets and take payments? Have someone periodically check for vehicles that shouldn’t have access to fine them or tow them? And if you’re going to have a barrier to regulate traffic flow, how can you make sure paying customers can get in without inconvenience?
Boom gates are the perfect solution for paid car parks. Typically made of a long arm that moves up and down, connected to a mechanism that links to a sensor or other system, this type of gate makes sure access is granted to those with permission while blocking entry from others.
This kind of seamless paid parking decreases costs for owners, reduces the risk of unwanted activity in the area, and makes the experience more favourable for paying customers. This means an increase in revenue and convenience – something every business owner wants!
Are Boom Gates the Perfect Addition to Your Paid Car Park?
How do Boom Gates Know Who to Let In?
There are lots of ways that sensors, security systems, and payment systems can be integrated with boom gates, meaning no matter what kind of car park you have – and how you want to run it – there’s going to be an option that perfectly suits your needs. Some car parks may grant access with ID cards that can be scanned or swiped, or even QR or barcodes. Others use license plate recognition to identify users with access. Some car parks may be entered with the simplest tap of a smartphone, while others may offer individual users a PIN code.
Do Boom Gates Help with Traffic Flow and Congestion?
Limiting access and letting people in one at a time is a great way to reduce congestion within a car park. Boom gates also help with the flow of traffic by controlling entry points. With the added ability to track how many cars are in the car park at any time, a boom gate system can ensure there’s never an overflow and that access becomes limited when the car park is full, while still letting in vehicles that need access, such as ambulances. They can also ensure that car parks for people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant people, or others who require larger car parks closer to the entrance aren’t filled by people who shouldn’t be there.
How do Users Pay for Boom Gate Car Park Access?
While paid car parks of the past may have relied on an attendant to take cash and present vehicle owners with a ticket, today’s car parks are more high-tech. Some boom gate machines will take cash, but many are card-only and paperless. This simplifies the process for everyone involved.
With the tap of a credit card, or Apple or Google Pay, users can be let into the car park, and then be charged upon exit depending on how long they stayed. Many car parks also allow pre-paying online, so access is made even easier with the scanning of a ticket on the user’s phone.
There are many ways to pay, but commonly car park owners will ask for an hourly or half-hourly rate, paid upon exit by card. This rate is typically calculated based on the area and how sought-after car parking is.
Tips for Increasing Paid Car Park Revenue
With your boom gate and payment system installed, it’s time to start thinking of ways to encourage customers to use your car park and keep them coming back, consistently increasing the revenue of your business.
- Promotions: There are lots of great ways to offer promotions to your customers. Early bird promotions give discounts to customers who enter early in the morning or book in advance. Long stay promotions offer lower fees for people who will be parking all day or longer. Meanwhile, subscription passes offer discounts to people who book for access over weeks, months, or even a full year, like people who are parking to work nearby five days a week. This is a great way to thank and reward regular customers, ensuring they keep coming back.
- Seasonally Adjusting Fees: Some car parks will be extremely busy at some times and very quiet at others. For example, shopping centres can be busier on weekends, while beaches are busier in the summer. A great way to encourage new customers while increasing revenue is to adjust the pricing seasonally or by days of the week. When the car park is busy and spots are highly sought after, a premium can be charged. On the other hand, cheaper deals for quiet times can encourage people to use the car park when business is slow.
- Convenience: Make sure your car park is the most convenient in your area. Having several footpaths to enter and exit the car park helps people get in and out faster, no matter their destination, while an elevator is a great investment for a multi-story car park. Partner with vending machine companies to offer drinks and snacks, or collab with a local coffee shop for discounts on drinks for car park users.
- Appearance: A car park that looks both is attractive to potential users. Make sure lines are regularly repainted and paintwork is clean. Pressure wash the flooring to keep concrete looking fresh, and make sure someone clears up litter, spills, or other unwanted objects regularly. Adding murals to walls can increase attractiveness and encourage new users.
Chat to Brisbane Automatic Gate Systems
We work with paid car park businesses across South East Queensland to provide the best bespoke solutions for every owner’s needs. Whether you want a boom gate with a simple sensor, or a high-tech payment system with security that protects access, we’ll make sure you have the perfect system. We offer consultation, design, installation, and even maintenance to keep your gate system running in top shape, increasing your business revenue by looking smart, and being a convenient experience for users.
Give us a call today and we’ll discuss the future of your paid car park.
