Reserved Parking Spaces – Good Idea or Bad!

I am conflicted about this one. I know that there are issues. Reserved spaces mean that you have enforcement issues. It also means that you can’t oversell. You must keep those spaces free for the person that paid the premium for them. Often they cause headaches. What happens when someone parks in the reserved space and isn’t authorized. The space owner comes by is instantly ticked off, usually at the operator, and parks somewhere else, thus starting a cascade effect of issues, problems, and complaints.

Rudi Tech at Designated Parking, along with others, has a gizmo to keep unauthorized people out of the space. Fair Enough. But that, too complicates your life.

Ahh, for the days when you had a parking garage and people just parked in it.

There is the issue, brought up by our Amateur Parker last month and our Pop Culture guys this month about the prestige of commanding a reserved space with you name on it. Let’s face it. Having your personal space is a rush. It means you have arrived. You are a winner. You da man (or woman).

I love Robert Townsend’s comment about reserved parking spaces. When he came to head up Avis, he removed all reserved spaces, including his own. When the senior managers complained he simply commented that if they wanted to park close, they should get in early. “Besides,” he said. “You meet the nicest people in your company’s parking lot.”

Barbara thinks that having your name on a space could be like painting a target on your car. If you have a problem with an employee or maybe an ex spouse, your car could get keyed, or worse.

Egalitarianism is wonderful – we are all the same when it comes to parking. Baloney. We may be the same in the eyes of God, but when I drive my Belchfire 12 up and park in a space with “Van Horn” on it, I know that all the work I have put in made a difference. The few bucks I get are OK, but that parking space, well…

JVH

By the way, if you think you lose money because you can’t oversell, you aren’t charging enough for them. I doubt that for many CEO’s there is a level or pricing pain.