Many businesses debate the worth of offering valet parking to guests. In most cases, the business incurs the expense of the valet service. Yet, the payoff can make offering complimentary services well worth it. Businesses with complimentary valet parking experience the following advantages.
Increase in customer satisfaction
A customers evening can quickly go bad after they have driven around the parking lot numerous time, only to find a completely full lot. At this point, customers are already having a bad night and a single problem with their service on the inside is often much worse. Additionally, many customers will choose to leave if they are unable to find a close enough parking space. This alone can cost businesses thousands of dollars per year.
In New York, the average driver spends 107 hours each year looking for parking, compared to the national average of 17. Drivers in Los Angeles spend 85 hours, people in San Francisco spend 83 hours, and those in Washington D.C. spend 65 hours. Customers are much more likely to choose another business if parking is easier or if they have the option to valet park.
A safer parking lot
Parking lots tend to be unsafe for drivers and pedestrians. The same attention that is used when on the roads is minimized while parking. Drivers are paying more attention to finding a parking space than they are to other vehicles or people in the parking lot. Approximately 66% of drivers report allowing themselves to be distracted while driving through a parking lot. Accidents on a business lot can be a liability to the business and can cause even more chaos among a busy lot. Valet tickets can solve this problem of safety.
Cater to a different market
There are some people that prefer to only visit businesses with valet parking. They find the extra fee or the expectation of tipping to be worth the convenience. Businesses that offer valet parking tickets can reach this new target market. These are often people with additional expendable income and they are more likely to spend more in the business. However, it is important to have reputable valet parking tickets in order to create a sense of trust and reliability with the business. Customers are entrusting their vehicle to a stranger, after all. This is also why it is so important for businesses to carry a reliable insurance policy.
Meet the needs of those with mobility issues
Some people find it difficult to get around public businesses. These people are less likely to visit if the business is not set up for optimal movement. When you offer valet parking, these guests do not have to travel as far to the entrance. They can also easily get in and out of their vehicle with the assistance of the valet parking tag attendants. The ability to reach this target market can easily make up for the costs of the valet parking tickets.
The average cost of hiring a valet parking specialist in 2017 was $330. Most businesses will easily recoup that cost every single day by reaching a new market of customers, increasing the safety of the parking lot, and improving the customer?s overall experience. Businesses can foolproof the valet parking process with valet parking tickets customized to the location and the guest and by using valet ticket printing or valet tags. Valet parking tickets can also help guests remember the specific valet area they entered into.
