Asset or eyesore: shopping centre car parks clean up their act

A grimy, litter-strewn car park is a real turn-off for shoppers. If a customer’s first introduction to a shopping centre is a poorly maintained parking facility, what incentive is there for that shopper to linger, let alone repeat the experience?

Recognising how important first impressions are, shopping centres are paying more attention to the image their car parks project and the effect it might have on their revenues. “It’s no longer enough just to provide a parking facility – take it or leave it. Shoppers are more discerning than that,” says Ian Langdon, Director of Operations at CP Plus, the car park management specialist.

“With the growth of so many out-of-town shopping centres, many of them containing the same retail outlets, providing a superior parking experience can become a real differentiator, enhancing the shopping experience for the customer and tempting them to come back again and again.

“Today’s shoppers have plenty of choice. If they don’t like what’s on offer at one shopping centre, they can transfer their allegiance to another one a few miles down the road. We believe the standard of the parking facilities on offer can play a big part when shoppers are deciding where they want to spend their money.”

To help shopping centres raise the bar when it comes to the parking facilities they provide, CP Plus has launched a new, combined parking and facilities management service. Alongside core car park management skills, the new service includes steam cleaning, litter picking, sweeping and general maintenance, as well as a range of security services.
Heavy usage takes its toll on busy parking facilities. It doesn’t take long for oil, petrol and tire marks to stain the floors, stairwells and landings to become dirty, graffiti to spoil the walls and litter bins to overflow. The secret of keeping a clean and tidy car park is constant vigilance and regular maintenance, according to Mr Langden.

“We have operatives on the ground at all the sites we manage. Because they are on hand to flag up when a site needs to be spruced up, we can be onto any problems quickly. So, without the client having to worry about it, graffiti is cleaned off, rubbish picked up and smelly lifts dealt with.”

The CP Plus facilities management service has already been rolled out at seven sites throughout the UK, from Borehamwood and Colne Valley Retail Parks in the South East to West Cornwall Retail Park in Hayle.
“A safe, clean and tidy car park is a huge asset to any shopping centre,” said Langdon. “Many centres are aware of this but until now had to look to multi-agencies for these services and then manage the co-ordination of the various separate services.

“That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive package of services to make it simple for shopping centres to brush up their tired and neglected car parks, making them more attractive to customers and improving the revenue they can bring in.”

For more information about any car parking solutions visit www.cp-plus.co.uk