A&A Lot in downtown Hartford serves business employees during the day and customers enjoying the city’s nightlife in the evening. The 88-space lot, which successfully utilized payment kiosks, needed to update their system’s technology. In their search for a new payment system, the client had two goals: to avoid the costly replacement and maintenance of Parking Access and Revenue Control Systems (PARCS) equipment, and to simplify the payment experience for the customer. The latter was integral, as patrons often chose not to leave their destinations to return to the kiosks and extend their stays when time expired, which resulted in lost revenue opportunities.

Propark Mobility proposed implementing the company’s proprietary mobile payment system, Lightning Pay. The innovative technology only required the installation of signage, which featured clear instructions and a QR code directing parkers to a secure mobile payment site. This platform allowed patrons to pay for parking with ease using credit cards, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Lightning Pay also sent text message alerts to parkers as their parking time approached expiration. This alert enabled them to seamlessly extend their stay directly from their phones, eliminating the need to interrupt their evening, return to their vehicle, or interact with a traditional payment kiosk.

With the introduction of Lightning Pay, A&A Lot was able to implement a new payment system without installing new PARCS equipment or incurring the equipment’s ongoing maintenance fees. Additionally, by simplifying the customer experience and removing the inconvenience associated with traditional payment methods, the system ensured that the client captured all available revenue opportunities. This resulted in an 8% increase in revenue. The introduction of Apple Pay and Google Pay further enhanced the customer experience, as well. Previously unavailable with the payment kiosk system, these digital wallet options now accounted for 50% of all transactions.