Our business is running a hotel. Our staff are trained to run a hotel and they are very good at that. They are not here to be car parking attendants or running cash machines. So we were looking for a system that really minimised the amount of administration that was required by staff when introducing this system – and I think we have achieved that.
The Arden Hotel
Opened in 1968
216 Bedrooms
280 car parking spaces
Solving an Issue
Car parking had become a key issue for the Arden Hotel with their 280-space car park regularly being full to capacity due to unauthorised parkers. Dave Gardner, Manager at the Arden Hotel felt that the Xparc barrier-controlled system would be the most effective method to manage the hotel’s car park and additionally, would improve security and create a revenue stream.
Value for Money
Crucially important to the Arden Hotel is offering their customers value for money; as an independent hotel they have the freedom to set their own parking charges, and choose not to charge their hotel residents and visitors for parking.
The Xparc system allows the hotel the flexibility to offer differing levels of free parking for different types of guests and visitors.
A Dramatic Improvement
The system went live in January 2016 and with no previous method of enforcement, the result was “a dramatic improvement – within a week it was quite clear how much unauthorised parking we were having”.
For the Arden, the system comprises of the Xparc Entry and Exit Terminals with Barrier Gates and ANPR cameras, Dave knew that they needed a smart system that was more than just a simple barrier and they “chose to have ANPR to minimise the administration in using the system”.
There has been a dramatic improvement – within a week it was quite clear how much unauthorised parking we were having. Having the Xparc system has really achieved the goal.
Four Ways to Validate Parking
Validators
The Arden has two validators, one located in the bar and one which can be moved between function rooms or to the dining hall for added convenience for visitors. The validators have pre-set values to discount parking for a few hours to all day.
Point of Sale (Cashier) system
At the reception desk, the Point Of Sale system allows the front-of-house team to set the end date and time of the free parking.
Whitelist
Using the Xoffice back office system to manage whitelists, which work with the ANPR system to trigger the barriers with no need to collect a ticket or validate the visit.
Paystation
The paystation located in the reception foyer accepts coin, banknotes, chip & pin and contactless payments for car park users that do not meet the criteria for free parking.
Seamless Integration
A key factor for the Arden Hotel is that the barrier system should integrate into the day-to-day running of the hotel without causing too much additional administration: “Our business is running a hotel. Our staff are trained to run a hotel and they are very good at that. They are not here to be car parking attendants or running cash machines. So we were looking for a system that really minimised the amount of administration that was required by staff when introducing this system – and I think we have achieved that. We knew there would be some increase in managing such a system but it’s been at an acceptable level. So it has been very good from that point of view”.
Insightful Data
With the Xparc system in place, the Arden is now in the position to monitor the car parking levels and usage. The goal of reducing unauthorised parking has been realised and as the system becomes further embedded into the hotel’s practice, it will provide insight into busy periods and help with planning for parking capacity (e.g. Park&Fly).