Welp MagazineParking software automates tasks related to enforcing, issuing, and facilitating parking for garages, municipal authorities, and educational organizations that provide on-premises parking facilities.
Why do you need a Parking Management System?
Parking management generally solves one or more of the following problems:
Improving customer experience: Offering valet service, real-time enforcement, multi-day parking, and payment methods in addition to traditional garages and/or metered parking.
Offering valet service, real-time enforcement, multi-day parking, and payment methods in addition to traditional garages and/or metered parking. Increasing revenue: Automatic enforcement via license plate recognition devices, scanning of license plates, and lot monitoring with connected cameras.
Automatic enforcement via license plate recognition devices, scanning of license plates, and lot monitoring with connected cameras. Reducing parking usage: Uninsured or non-reportable parking, metered parking, and valet service.
Uninsured or non-reportable parking, metered parking, and valet service. Improving operational efficiency: Reporting operational data within a dashboard system, tracking maintenance and repair jobs, and employee clock in and out.
Parking software is an example of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) application, which integrates all major business processes for an organization. It combines systems for payroll, accounting, warehouse management, shipping, purchasing, and several other operations.
Parking Management system uses a combination of hardware and software to manage the operation of parking facilities.
The first step in developing Parking Management System is to identify the goals and objectives of the organization. These can be classified into 3 categories as follows:
Regulatory Support
Regulatory Support is usually concerned with the management of the following:
Enforcement of specific parking regulations (parking permits required, employee parking, Handicap parking, etc.)
Enforcement of specific parking regulations (parking permits required, employee parking, Handicap parking, etc.) User-specific parking benefits such as: Permits, Reserved spaces (special parking permit or assigned space for the use of the employees), Parking Fees Invoicing Incurred fees via printed ticket/invoice
User-specific parking benefits such as:
A regulatory support system is essentially a system that allows the manager to enforce rules related to parking.
In some cases, the system is part of a bigger ticketing system. In such cases, the software has the capacity to create detailed reports related to citations issued, revenue earned, and other related data.
The primary purpose of enforcement is to ensure adherence to the rules that govern parking spaces. It is important to differentiate enforcement from management or administration as the aim of administration is to perform functions such as determining total parking capacity, detecting overcrowding, and space availability.
Administration also organizes the utilization of the parking spaces. Therefore, it controls the parking parameters by changing them as per the demand.
User Management
User Management is concerned with several functions involving the detection and management of parking users related to:
Space Occupancy Detection: Parking spaces are occupied by vehicles with appropriate authorization; in other cases, the vehicles are violating parking protocols and are issued citations.
Parking spaces are occupied by vehicles with appropriate authorization; in other cases, the vehicles are violating parking protocols and are issued citations. User Registers: Every authorized vehicle user must register prior to parking. In other cases, the system has the capacity to record the number of days a vehicle is parked, the number of times a car is parked, and the parking duration.
Every authorized vehicle user must register prior to parking. In other cases, the system has the capacity to record the number of days a vehicle is parked, the number of times a car is parked, and the parking duration. User Invocation: Parking users can log into the system to get information on parking space availability and purchase of additional parking authority.
Parking users can log into the system to get information on parking space availability and purchase of additional parking authority. Payment Management: Paying for parking is a complex process as the user has to pay for the database where all the information related to payments is maintained.
Payment Management is essentially concerned with the management of parking fees and payments associated with parking; parking facilities are primarily used by entities that generate revenue. Examples of these entities include government offices, commercial establishments, and non-profit businesses.
Enforcement
Enforcement features are concerned with devices employed to automatically detect violations related to:
- Using restricted parking areas
- Using restricted parking areas Parking registration
- Parking registration Parking fees
- Vehicle tracking
- Vehicle tracking Improper use of space
- Suspended parking
Enforcement is primary goal of any parking facility management software. As an example, an automated surveillance system is used to detect improper parking. It takes pictures of parking offenders and captures license plate information. This is then uploaded into a parking facility software for enforcement via the internet.
The sensors send uninterrupted data to a central server in real time. All sensors can be connected to the server through wired or wireless networks.When a vehicle places a trigger on the sensor, it sends an alert to the server that the sensor has been activated. This is done to determine the exact space occupied by the vehicle.
Parking Management Software Data Infrastructure
The data infrastructure is composed of interconnected components responsible for data storage and retrieval. It consists of several database servers, and a unified application development platform (e.g. Java or .NET). Some of the most commonly used back-end database servers include:
- C/C++
- Java
- .NET
A programming language is used to create software programs that manage and access the data. It is used to develop the application component of a parking management system. The back-end of a parking management system consists of regularly used records. Examples of such records include revenue generated from parking, number of parking space used, number of vehicles parked, and number of violations.
Data can be accessed from anywhere, and at any time by parking management software installed on devices. This software is used to monitor the status of parking spaces and then control the parking management system. It also monitors the number of vehicles and their parking duration.
How to pick the right Parking Management System?
The decision of picking the right parking management system should be based on the need of the organization, the available budget, and the duration required by the system. A parking management system purely depends on the services and functionalities it offers. Some of the functionalities that it must provide include:
- Accessibility
- Accessibility Spatial Awareness
- Enhance Security
- Enhance Security Cost Optimization
Parking management software works as a back-end management system for such parking systems. Parking management software costs depend on the services offered and are determined by the number of records, parking spaces, and other variables such as the number of users, capacity of the database, and the configurations required. The systems are priced based on upgrades and customization requirements.
Parking management Software is an enterprise-wide system that enables effective management of parking operations. It enables parking facility operators to:
- Control unregistered vehicles
- Plan parking spaces
- Distribute information to drivers
- Generate customized reports
The software is able to manage parking facility operations using a coherent set of tools. The system features in-built analytics that enables operators to use historical data to ensure more accurate forecasts of future occupancy rates. This helps cut costs by making more efficient use of parking space.
The system also provides real-time parking space updates. It captures more revenues by empowering operators to pre-empt occupancy trends and parking management issues.
The availability of parking spaces directly impacts the number of customers willing to visit the parking lot. Parking management software sends automated alerts that inform drivers where the available parking spaces are located. This improves the odds of customers visiting the parking lot. This also contributes to increased revenues.
The system provides in-depth analysis of the operational status of each parking lot. This helps operators identify ways to reduce costs and other investment options. For example, the system helps identify parking space configuration that optimizes parking capacity. It also provides real-time data on number of car parkers per parking area.
Parking management software enables users to improve operational efficiencies by monitoring and analyzing parking lot activities. They can create custom reports that help operators allocate available parking spaces according to their business requirements. The software generates reports on current parking space utilization, car parker movement, and revenues generated.
This parking management system improves the effectiveness of an organization’s parking space utilization and increases revenue generation. It makes use of real-time vehicle and parking lot occupancy data to create customized parking management reports and business intelligence.
Parking management systems are capable of reducing vehicles parked beyond allowed limits. This is because they can monitor the number of hours a vehicle has been parked on a spot. This is a big reduction to the number of vehicles parking in a hurry to avoid traffic tickets.
The system is also responsible for the enforcement of traffic regulations. It monitors and records vehicle movements to identify and send automated tickets to drivers who have violated traffic rules.
The future of Parking Management Systems
With the increasing use of smart technology and mobile applications, automated parking management systems will be convenient for people. They will be able to access these systems from anywhere and from any device. These parking management systems will not only help parking administrators reduce traffic congestion and waste but will also enable them to generate higher revenues.
Conclusion
The parking lot business sector is unique in that there is no single company offering all the services or products needed. It is a highly fragmented market. Currently, customers are not able to access all the important information about parking lots. Their opportunity to do so is through local municipality websites, Google and other external websites.
If you are planning to invest in modern parking management systems, contact an accomplished parking services company. It understands the requirements of modern parking management systems. It will give you the best service.
