Our Best Tips for Using Data to Develop and Optimize Your Parking Business

Reserved vs. Unreserved Parking Spaces: A Quick Primer

Before we dive into business development, here’s how we distinguish between reserved and unreserved parking:

• Reserved spaces work best when parking spots differ significantly (size, layout, accessibility, obstacles).
• Unreserved spaces are ideal when the parking area is homogeneous — similar dimensions, similar layout, similar customer value.

Unreserved spaces offer maximal optimisation opportunities, especially when combined with accurate data.

Business Development Strategies for Reserved Parking Spaces

1. Dynamic Pricing Based on Real Attributes

Use data to classify parking spaces based on variables such as:

• Size
• Proximity to exits
• Floor level
• Convenience or visibility

Then set price tiers like small, standard, premium. A premium space should logically cost more.

This allows tenants to choose exactly what they want — and pay accordingly.

2. Automated Queue Management & Space Allocation

Once you’ve set up dynamic pricing, your digital system can automate:

• Queue registration
• Space matching
• Availability notifications

A customer looking for a large space can join the correct queue instantly and see real-time pricing and availability. The result:

• Reduced administration
• Better occupancy rates
• Clear data insights on demand for different space types

3. Convert Reserved Spaces Into Unreserved Spaces

Many reserved spaces do not truly require dedicated ownership — they just appear that way due to analogue administration.

With digitalisation, reserved spaces can be gradually converted into unreserved categories as tenant needs evolve:

• Someone may want a cheaper option
• Someone buys a bigger car
• Someone only needs evenings or weekends

With automation, this transition becomes seamless.

Benefits:

• More flexibility for tenants
• More efficient use of parking assets
• Higher occupancy and revenue potential

Business Development Strategies for Unreserved Parking Spaces

1. Time-Based Access Rights

Unreserved spaces allow you to offer flexible products such as:

• Daytime parking passes (for office workers)
• Evening/weekend passes (for residents)

This maximises utilisation across the entire day — and increases revenue without adding more physical spaces.

2. Dynamic EV Charging Access

EV drivers don’t need to charge every day. With dynamic charging access:

• Some sessions are EV charging
• Other sessions use regular parking
• No fixed “charger ownership” required

This makes charging more cost-efficient and space-efficient — for everyone.

3. Controlled Overbooking

Reserved spaces can't be overbooked — but unreserved spaces can.

Because most vehicles are not parked at the same time, a 10% overbooking rate is generally very safe. In practice, it’s not overbooking — it’s optimisation of underutilised space.

4. Camera-Based (ANPR) Visitor Parking

Once you understand your utilisation patterns, you can introduce dynamic visitor parking using ANPR:

• Cameras register entry/exit
• System calculates availability in real time
• When visitor quota is filled, gates close automatically

This enables maximum occupancy while maintaining control and fairness.

Business Development Strategies for Both Reserved & Unreserved Parking

1. Organic Contract Migration

If you want to change pricing or restructure your offering:

• Add new products to your digital queue
• Remove the old ones
• Let natural contract turnover drive the transition

Your system will automatically phase out the old offering and replace it with the new one — without mass renegotiations or customer confusion.

2. Offer an EV Car-Sharing Service

Many tenants keep a car (and a parking space) “just in case.” Introducing an EV car-sharing option allows:

• Occasional drivers to give up their parking space
• You to free up premium real estate
• More sustainable mobility within your property

A win-win for tenants and property owners.

Powerful Insights You Can Gain From Parking Data

1. Understand How Many Time-Based Contracts You Can Offer

A digital system lets you test different time-based models and see:

• Peak hours
• Day/night utilisation
• Work-from-home behaviour
• Demand patterns across seasons

Data ensures you never oversell — and always maximise occupancy.

2. Understand Inflow and Outflow Patterns

With accurate utilisation data, you can adjust:

• Pricing
• Space allocation
• EV charging capacity
• Visitor mix

Data-driven decisions replace guesswork, increasing revenue and customer satisfaction.

3. Ensure All Tenants Are Paying the Correct Price

In analogue systems, it's common for:

• Old pricing to linger
• Tenants to pay for the wrong category
• Underpriced spaces to remain unnoticed

Digitalisation standardises pricing and ensures everyone pays the correct amount.

4. Use Queue Data to Test New Offerings

Want to launch:

• A new space class?
• A new EV charging tier?
• A time-based contract?

Add it to your digital queue and measure interest. Demand data tells you instantly whether the market wants it.

So What Are You Waiting For? Start Developing Your Parking Business Today!

Data is a key enabler for modern, profitable, customer-centric parking management.

Some improvements are low-hanging fruit — others require more planning. But all of them contribute to:

• Better utilisation
• Higher revenues
• Happier tenants

To get started, you need a digital Parking Management System.

Read more here: “The Digital Parking Revolution Starts Now.”