Parking software has seen something of an explosion of activity over the last ten years. Companies across the world are now queueing up in search of the right solution for their car parks.
This is leading to many big questions. What does the future hold for parking software companies? How can businesses make sure they are investing in the right solutions?
Let’s have a look.
1. The rise of the gold standard
For a long time a big issue in the world of parking management has been the lack of a gold standard. Every company is trying to solve parking problems in a silo.
This has led to a disjointed sector with many companies struggling to manage parking. Wayleadr’s State of Employee Parking 2021 shows that 47% of employers see parking as a problem.
Every company is tackling parking in a different way but it is often not pretty. Excel sheets, WhatsApp groups, Slack channels are all being used to manage onerous manual allocation. Luckily an easier way is emerging.
The growth of parking management software is a godsend for employers. Technology can manage employee parking in seconds with a complexity that would take humans months to replicate.
Obviously the team here at Wayleadr.com are delighted that we have emerged as the gold standard in the industry. We are the most popular parking management software on G2 & Capterra.
Wayleadr.com is becoming the new normal for companies across the globe. Using this parking software companies can:
- Increase parking availability at the office by up to 40%.
- Maximise occupancy ensuring all your parking spaces are being used all the time.
- Automate tedious administration associated with employee parking.
- Monitor and manage the carbon footprint of your employee’s commuter habits.
The rise of flexible working post-COVID is only going to increase the complexity of employee parking management. As a category parking software is here to stay. Early adopters are getting the chance to maximise value and shape growing products, so start your journey sooner rather than later.
2. Software first, hardware second
Traditionally parking software has been something of an afterthought for companies. They have bought expensive parking hardware systems. Somewhere along the way the hardware rep mentions they have a software product which is tagged on.
These software products are often clunky, hard to use and lack functionality. They have been built by hardware companies not software companies and it shows.
As the power of parking software to optimize parking lots outstrips the potential of hardware, this buyer journey is changing. Companies are now buying the parking software which best suits their needs.
They then are looking for to integrate with relevant hardware where necessary. This is a massive shift for employee parking management in particular.
3. DIY builds will only get you so far
It’s not fair to say that all companies managed car parks with Excel, WhatsApp etc.
Some employers recognized the value of parking software early doors. Many technology companies hosted company hackathons to solve the problem.
Some of them came up with cool solutions which initially helped the problem. However, when you build a solution you need to maintain it which is costly.
Secondly, once you start solving parking problems you realize the degree of complexity and expertise which is needed.
“I have to say I was surprised by just how much functionality you could pack into a parking app but once our business started using it in earnest, it was immediately clear it’s all absolutely necessary.”
Adam Cooke, Head of IT, The Interiors Group
A lot of companies who roll-out Wayleadr.com initially started with their own DIY style solution. As soon as they dipped their toe in the water, they realized they needed something to make the complexity simple. Parking problems are easy to solve but it can’t be done by a few developers over lunch.
4. It’s the end of the road for bespoke builds
Another section of employers realized that technology could be the answer. There response was to commission bespoke builds.
These are products which have been built for the specific needs of a particular employer. This might sound great but it has some serious drawbacks.
In the early days of parking software, there was a role for these products as no market leaders had emerged with powerful and adaptable products.
However, bespoke builds are expensive to build, very expensive to maintain and can cause all sorts of legacy issues.
As the industry has grown, market leading products like Wayleadr.com have developed a broad range of features to cover every eventuality.
Buyers are moving away from bespoke products and looking for customisable products. This means that every add-on won’t cost an arm and a leg. It’s simply a case of toggling a button.
Join industry leaders from companies like Sanofi, Indeed.com & CBRE, schedule a demo with Wayleadr.com today and solve your parking problems in the click of a button.
For a comprehensive feature-by-feature evaluation framework, see our ultimate guide to employee parking software.
Parking software is the brains; the technology stack is broader. Our guide to parking technology covers the full ecosystem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does parking software do?
It automates parking allocation, booking, access control, enforcement, and analytics. Employees book via app, the system enforces policy rules, and facilities teams get real-time data on utilization — replacing manual spreadsheets and ad-hoc management.
Is parking software different from a parking app?
Yes. A parking app is the employee-facing interface (book a spot, see availability). Parking software is the full platform — including the admin dashboard, policy engine, hardware integrations, analytics, and visitor management. The app is one component.
How much does parking software cost?
Typically $5-15 per space per month, depending on features and integrations. Enterprise deployments with access control, SSO, and multiple sites are at the higher end. Most organizations see ROI within the first quarter.
