Parket, a digital parking management platform, has successfully demonstrated how an efficient, planet-friendly, smart, ticketless parking management system can be integrated into high-volume, complex urban environments through its successful launch with Zenprop at mixed-use development Riverlands in Cape Town.
Combined with a smart, touch screen kiosk which can accept multiple payment options such as SnapScan, Zapper etc the solution ensures fast, efficient movement whether users have downloaded the app or not.
In an age where old-fashioned paper-based legacy parking systems represent big Capex and Opex expenditure, Parket simplifies and enhances operations at parking lots, delivering greater efficiency and profitability for operators.
It is a digital solution that includes remote management, payments, bay optimisation connecting drivers and vacant parking bays in real time via an app, access control, and bringing in income off vacant spaces and lots.
Joshua Raphael, Parket founder and CEO, says that in February this year, Parket processed more than 20000 visitors at the new Riverlands development.
Riverlands, a Zenprop development in Cape Town, is a pioneering mixed-use development that brings retail, commercial and residential into one precinct, and also celebrates the heritage of the First Nations collective.
“It has been a success. This project was built from the ground up, so to speak. In other words, the new development built ticketless parking into its design from day one, entering into an arrangement of no operational costs of standard parking from the day it opened its doors.”
He says that unlike legacy parking payment machines, the Smartkiosks don’t become outdated with a shelf-life, because they are designed with continually updated hardware and software that sees them become smarter over time.
“This is a great investment because there will never be a need for a legacy overall,” explains Raphael. “Beyond this, technology such as the integrated scanner to scan retail slips for discounted parking rates makes the Smartkiosks simple and smart, enabling users of all ages – even if they’re not comfortable with apps and technology – to use the service easily.”
Raphael says that the company’s other recent successful partnership and focus is at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, with Amdec Group, which is an order of magnitude more visitors each month and is their current focus to convert to completely ticketless.
Zenprop’s Rob Thomson says that the business recognised early on in the planning phase that the operation and management of the parking would be critical in the success of the precinct, and so the business assessed all available parking options in the market.
“Being a mixed use precinct, getting vehicles in and out of the parking areas efficiently was paramount. To complicate things further, we have a variety of parking scenarios due to our varied tenant mix, so we required a bespoke parking solution. The Parket ticketless proposition ensured the efficiency we were looking for, and the fact that Parket would provide a customised solution designed to meet our specific requirements were the differentiators,” says Thomson.
Raphael says that a smart ticketless system speeds up vehicle access and egress quicker than traditional parking solutions. Thomson agrees, adding that it becomes even more efficient with repeat customers who quickly become familiar with the modern system.
Modern businesses understand that customer-centricity is key, says Raphael. “This is how we approach the design of our solutions because the goal is efficient parking management, whether that’s speeding the flow of vehicles or providing businesses with the ability to monetise empty spaces efficiently,” he says.
This is likely behind Parket’s rapid growth among some of the most recognisable names in the commercial, hotel, airport, office park and mixed-use space.
“It’s been a great journey, since identifying a need in the market for taking parking well-and truly into the digital age, while placing sustainability and carbon-friendly practices front and centre. We have a solid base in Cape Town and Johannesburg and by all indications, the future of parking is bright,” he says.
