Most of us have taken advantage of a valet service at some point,, but if it’s been a long time since you’ve done this yourself, you might be surprised by the changes that are now a part of this industry. For one thing, gone are the days when you take a paper ticket so the attendant can park your vehicle and make sure that ticket is still in your possession when you pick up your car or truck later in the day. In other words, a lot has changed since the early days!
Major Changes Await You
The number of changes you’ll experience the next time you utilize a professional valet service can be summed up in one word: technology. Modern technology now allows these services to save people both time and money, and this includes both the customers and the attendants. While not all of the companies offering this service have adopted all of these technological advances, most of them have, which means it is easier than ever before to take advantage of it. If you’re curious about the major changes that promise to make any valet service even more efficient, below are a few of them:
- Window Stickers
Also called VIP window stickers, these are stickers that have an RFID chip in them and which work similarly to the one’s apartment tenants and people who work in certain buildings have on their vehicles. It makes it easy for the customer to utilize the valet service because the “ticket” is already on their vehicle and all the attendant has to do is scan it. As far as retrieving or parking your vehicle, the ticket doesn’t save much time, but it still has its advantages.
For one thing, there’s no need to worry about losing your ticket or where to keep it in-between visits. This is especially good for people who tend to lose paper documents, as well as people who use the same valet service regularly. It’s a super-convenient way to utilize the services without thinking about the tiny details. Instead, you just place the sticker on your vehicle and forget about it so you can concentrate on more important things.
- The Ability to Check in or Out Without Using a Phone App
Many times, older people either have no smartphone or are not efficient at using it. The software makes all steps of the valet process run more smoothly, but a lot of Creating Vision in Parking Systems (CVPS) software doesn’t require them to check in, check out, or pay for the system using a complicated app. In other words, the systems keep all of these tasks easy to do even for people who aren’t the most tech-savvy people on the planet.
Usually, the systems will send the customer emails letting them know what to do to proceed. Customers can usually just click on the email to respond or head out to the parking lot so their vehicle can be retrieved. Technology is great and usually makes things simpler for everyone involved, but you don’t want software that is too complicated for your older customers to understand.
- Player Cards
You can think of playing cards as a way to make the entire valet experience much less time-consuming. Customers can keep these cards just about anywhere, including in their purses or wallet. Once the player card comes within a certain distance of the valet company, the company is immediately notified. In practical terms, this means that once you arrive at the parking lot, your vehicle will be there ready for you to get in it and drive away.
There are a few flaws with the system, but they aren’t insurmountable. If you decide to stop at a store to buy a soda on the way to the parking lot, the timing of the retrieval may be off a bit. Nevertheless, these devices are huge time-savers and are true miracle workers for people who are in a hurry or on a strict schedule.
5. Smartphone Apps
Smartphone apps make utilizing a valet service even more convenient. In most cases, you simply tap a few icons on your phone to let the company know you’re on the way to drop off or pick up your vehicle. To complete any step of the process, you simply tap on the phone and wait for a reply. Communication between the parking lot and the customer is made much simpler and a lot faster with a smartphone app.
Do Valet Companies Utilize QR Codes?
QR codes are gaining in popularity among business owners, and this includes valet companies. Nevertheless, at this point, these codes are not being used as much as the other items mentioned earlier. Does that mean this won’t change in the future? Of course not, but since the basic purpose of a QR code is a tad different than that of a phone app, it might take a little longer than expected for more valet companies to catch onto this phenomenon.
If you’re interested in owning or managing a valet service, you might be surprised by the changes in the service that have occurred only in the last decade or so. Once you research these changes, you’ll realize that a more automated process is the reason it is now so simple and quick to reserve a spot in a parking lot. People utilize these services at restaurants, hospitals, entertainment centers, and so many others. They always need to be efficient, and the technological advances made recently make that happen.
Conclusion
Much like other businesses, the valet industry is always changing. Most of these changes are technology-driven, saving customers and the business itself both time and money. The fact that the process can operate without a paper ticket is important because it was so easy to lose track of these tickets in the past. The fact that most steps of the process can now be done via a smartphone or tablet is another huge step ahead for this industry, but these are certainly not the only steps that are bringing the industry into the future.
