In Raleigh, NC, shopping mall managers have noticed that during the holidays their lots begin to fill and people would like some help. One mall has instituted valet parking. If you eat at one of a couple of restaurants in the mall you can park for free, but if you don’t you can still use the valet, but the cost is $4.
Here’s the neat part. They cut a deal with the local Lexus dealership. If you drive a Lexus, you can park free at any of the valet stations. I’m sure that the dealership picks up the parking, and maybe more expense, for the great PR. Probably the Lexus dealer did a mailing to his customers, and made a lot of great customers from good ones.
This is the direction our industry needs to go. There is a lot of potential out there for this type of promotion. Clever people make a deal, everyone benefits.
JVH
2 Responses
Lexus has a valet stand at a theater here in Houston. Anyone driving a Lexus and tickets to a play/musical gets valet parking for free.
It seems that Lexus may have published the idea to their dealers. Smart marketing.