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PARKING TECH 40 airportbusiness August/September 2014 95 percent full so patrons don't have to drive around for 10 minutes to find a space." Flanagan says a guidance system is a way to attract customers and steer them away from other parking competitors, as well as maintain accurate numbers on the use of the garage. "It is critical for airports to not make the assumption their parking volumes are going to increase over the next decade," he notes. "They need to make sure they are anticipating what might happen to their volumes and understand the usages of their garages." Newer technologies make this easier by using heat maps to show when stalls are open, how long they are occupied, etc. Flanagan says the price for technology is coming down, but the improvements it gives to the user experi- ence continues to rise. Per garage level, a guidance system can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 depend- ing on the facility, Maglothin says, and notes it is hard to numerically calculate the return on investment as it is intangible. Again, it boils down to market share and capturing customers' attention from the compe- tition, in and out of the parking garage. He says the faster the person is in the terminal, the more time they have to spend money on concessions and shopping. "They also may be less stressed, more relaxed and have the willingness to ease into some of the other buying opportunities," he adds. A guidance system is a win/win in that dream airport parking garage. OFFER EXTRAS Everyone likes that something extra which makes them feel special and welcome. Airports are catching onto this mentality and bringing a level of service to their customers in ways unheard of before in this industry. With the competition offering to-terminal shuttles, free water and newspapers, the air- ports have to find a better way to sell their product's value, Maglothin says. The No. 1 advantage the air- port still has over most of the off- site competitors is proximity to the terminal. Premium spaces general- ly are located the closest, and offer the highest level of technology and places to add perks. Online reservations and loyal- ty programs are two such perks. Loyalty programs are a big deal for the airlines, but Flanagan says they are being offered for airport park- ing at only a few facilities. They are catching on, though. At Hartsfield Jackson Inter- national Airport, a gold parking lot allows members to pay an annual fee, guaranteeing them a spot in a premium location. Also, they are assigned a transponder tag which calculates the duration of their stay in the parking garage and automat- ically charges the account on file. With many airports located near interstate tollways, working with the toll agencies has proven to be a good move for airports, such as the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Visitors with current TollTags can use that at the airport to charge parking transactions. Designated lanes are used for this exit method. Technology in general is a perk and while the smartphone isn't going away anytime soon, it is getting "smarter" every year. Flanagan says as the 20- to 30-year-old crowd becomes the 30- to 40-year-old crowd in the next decade, "that group will expect to use their cell phones for everything at an airport, from entering, nav- igating parking, getting through security as quickly as possible and boarding the plane." The smartphone also will be used in a retail setting, and Flanagan says this crowd expects transactions to be transparent and as easy as online shopping, even in a parking garage. "I think you're going to see more applications of using a smartphone as a mobile wallet," says Maglothin. "It will become a more accepted form of payment." GET AN EXIT STRATEGY While guidance systems allow visitors to eas- ily make their way into the airport, the exit Not just a... It's a... 1190 S.E. Flightline Drive Warrenton, Oregon 97146 USA 503-861-2288 www.lektro.com • sales@lektro.com tug LEKTRO The ultimate aircraft tug... LEKTRO Since 1945 800-535-8767 www.aviationpros.com/10017532 Online parking survey for the Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.