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Mobile parking payment apps and utilization

Rome wasn’t built in a day – at least that’s what history tells us. But what does the creation of Rome and a mobile parking payment app have in common? Neither were built in a day.

Successful mobile apps start with a strategy; one that takes times, patience, more time, and  more patience. Many mobile payment companies just push out a product to get it on the market. What many don’t realize is that to be successful – the app needs to add value to the user’s life. Whether the app is a mileage tracker for marathon trainers or a photo editing app – to be successful is the way they roll the app out. Is there a street team to help drive utilization and publicize the launch? What about digital ads to help lift awareness? These are just a few factors successful companies think about pre-mobile app launch.

Ready to launch your app? Take note.

Clear Signage Matters

For mobile parking apps, clear and effective signage plays a significant role in increasing utilization. According to 3M Corporation, 90% of all information submitted to the brain is visual and 40% of all people respond to visual content over text-based. Meaning, having signs that update parkers with how to sign up, how to use, and exactly how they can manage their parking session via the app. For parking apps, providing clear signage in parking lots, garages, off-street and on-street locations enhances the parker’s overall experience.

City Commitment

With parking apps, cities are the primary drivers in utilization. When Passport launched mobile parking app, ParkDetroit, the city served as the client. Therefore, they are the ones who are going to be the main point of contact for press concerns and building media relations amongst the community. For the city, being able to harness communication channels from media outlets throughout the surrounding areas is extremely significant in the execution of launching a mobile application, especially one that is city-wide. Although many might believe that digital ads are the number one contributor to successful launches,  their  main purpose is to target early adopters. Many residents still need traditional forms of advertisements to fully capture how to fully use the app. When a city has to let its residents know there’s a water shortage, they make sure that signage, emails, media outlets, press releases, etc. have been pushing the awareness city-wide; same goes for mobile apps. If the city backs the app, we’ll see a lift in awareness and in turn, utilization. For the City of Detroit, the city’s continuous support of the mobile parking app, ParkDetroit, has seen 40% utilization and still continues to climb.

Mobile parking technology is completely transforming the way we move; from paying for your parking session to being able to extend your parking session all through your mobile device. The way we move and how we move is shifting gears, as the Age of Convenience continues to innovate.