High-Tech Parking: What to Look For in a Parking Deck Payment Machine

Did you know there are more than 40,000 parking garages and paid parking lots scattered throughout the U.S.?

And the parking industry is booming right now as a result of it. It’s reportedly worth upwards of $100 billion. 

On the surface, that sounds like it would be great news for you if you’re the owner of a parking garage. But the success of the parking industry has created a lot of competition among parking garage owners and forced them to work hard to earn their customers. 

One way you can do it is by adding the right parking deck payment machines to your garages. They’ll allow people to pay for parking in your garage easily and make sure they’re satisfied with the payment process.

Check out some things that you should look for in a parking deck payment machine before you invest in one for your business.

Decide How Big You Want Your Parking Deck Payment Machine to Be

Where are you going to put your parking deck payment machine once you welcome it into your garage?

Are you going to try and position it right at the entrance so people see it when they drive in? Or is your plan to put it near your elevator bank so people see it as they’re walking back to their cars later?

You can find payment machines for parking garages in all different shapes and sizes these days. From compact machines that you can cram near your entrance to bigger machines that will be impossible to miss, you’ll have options.

It’s a good idea to find out exactly where you’re going to put your payment machine before buying it. It’ll ensure that your payment machine is a good fit for your garage.

Figure Out If You Want It to Have a Gate or Not

When you purchase a parking deck payment machine, you’ll have the option of getting one with or without a gate.

If you choose one with a gate, your customers will be able to control it by taking tickets when they arrive at your garage and making payments as they exit. The gate will help control the flow of traffic and prevent people from driving in and out of your garage without paying.

If you choose one without a gate, you’ll need to rely on parking lot attendants to monitor your garage and keep people honest. Those who park in a garage without a gate will usually be asked to punch in their parking spot or license plate number after parking. Attendants can then keep track of who paid to park and who didn’t.

There are pros and cons that come along with using parking machines with gates and parking machines without gates. You should learn more about what sets them apart before picking one over the other.

Think About If You’re Going to Have Parking Lot Attendants

Are you going to have parking lot attendants working in your garage at all times?

If you are, you’ll have the option of using parking machines with gates as well as those without gates. Your parking lot attendants will have different roles with each type of machine, but both machines will be options.

If you’re not going to have parking lot attendants, though, you’re probably going to want to purchase a parking deck payment machine with a gate. It’ll keep your garage safer and discourage people from trying to sneak in and out of it.

Make Sure a Payment Machine Is Easy to Use

Prior to purchasing a parking deck payment machine for your garage, either you or one of your most trusted employees should spend some time using it.

Stand in front of the machine and pretend that you’re going to use it to park. See how difficult it is to navigate through the steps that people will need to take to pay for parking.

Are you finding that it’s very challenging to figure out how to make a payment? This is obviously not a good sign as it could mean your customers will find it challenging, too.

Ideally, you should test out a handful of different parking payment machines before landing on the one you like best. It should be as simple as possible to pay for parking when you’re using it.

Make Sure It’s Easy to Maintain, Too

A parking deck payment machine might not necessarily seem like the most high-tech piece of equipment. But in reality, there are tons of electronic components inside of a payment machine.

Most payment machines these days have scanners in them that allow people to scan a card to park. Payment machines are also equipped to offer a wide range of payment options.

You should inquire as to how often a parking payment machine will need to be serviced once you set it up. That could be an extra expense that you’ll need to consider.

Work With a Trusted Payment Machine Manufacturer

With the parking industry growing as quickly as it is today, there are all kinds of companies trying to cash in on it.

Steer clear of working with a payment machine manufacturer that just set up shop. You want a company that has been making and maintaining payment machines for years. 

The last thing you want to do is spend a bunch of money on a parking payment machine only to have the company that manufactured it go out of business a short time later. You want a trusted name that you know will be around when you need them for service and new products.

Buy a Payment Machine For Your Parking Garage Today

By choosing the right parking deck payment machines, you’ll set your garage up for long-term success. 

People will appreciate how easy it is to use your machines. They’ll also trust you to process their parking payments quickly without any hassle. 

This will be great for your parking garage as you move forward. It’ll be full all the time with people making payments to you to park.

If you would like to learn about some of the other great technology making an impact on the business world, check out our blog now.