Have you stopped for a minute to think about where your customers' shopping experience begins? If you said the parking lot, you are correct! The parking lot is the first and last impression of their shopping experience.

Many retailers have begun to realize the importance of making their parking lots more welcoming; thinking about remodels, safety, efficiency and more of a branded look to differentiate them from other stores. Retailers know the major impact a first impression can be for a customer and their goals is not only to attract customers but to deliver an excellent service creating an incredible experience for them. If your parking lot has become a battlefield creating a negative environment, then it’s time to consider new methods to change and improve the experience in your parking lot.

The Ugly Truth...

Many parking lots have been hit with poor maintenance or left unrepaired after been affected by weather conditions, creating a negative first impression of the store. Many retailers do not own their lot so the main focus has been turned to re-designing and renovating the interior and front of the store, changing and incorporating new features to enhance the appeal of the store but leaving the parking lot alone, ignoring the fact that it is one of the most important aspects of the store settings. A customers parking experience effects how they feel about that store. There’s nothing more inconvenient than arriving in a parking lot where stray carts are blocking parking spaces or just in the way. When was the last time you hesitated to park next to or return a shopping cart to a cart corral that was looked a little too rusty and dangerous? makes you wonder when was the last time you had a tetanus shot doesn't it?

Game Plan for Improvement

Think of better solutions that will actually work! Your parking lot deserves better, think of it as the welcoming center that it is for your customers. The benefits of having a well organized parking lot with customer friendly cart corrals in your parking lot can increase the number of customers voluntary returning shopping carts because of the easy visibility and the problem of having stray carts around will decrease. This is also beneficial for your employees whose time will be more productively used than chasing and gathering carts.

Incorporating the right equipment can make the difference in the improvement of your parking lot. Many cart corrals are purchased without careful consideration of how durable or how effective they are, in the long run this can create a negative impact in your parking lot. Your parking lot needs durable and strong units that aside from keeping your parking lot organized and free from unattended shopping carts, are also able to take minor impacts from cars. When it comes to protecting your parking lot unanchored cart corrals are ideal to prevent damages to your asphalt, vehicles and the cart corral. Don’t forget about quality too, units that are resistant to weather conditions and don’t rust or fade are beneficial for you and your customers.

Don’t stop there! cart corrals can be used for more than one purpose. If you are not sure of how to bring your brand into your parking center, the variety of designs available, from CartMagnets to Architectural Cart Corrals to all the other cart corralsthat can be personalize to match your store brand. From signature colors, graphics, panels that can help with weather conditions and other accessories can be added to personalize the units. If night is a reason for missing a return station a Solar Sign Lighting is a great option for easy visual, the options and possibilities are here, all you need to do is decide which best fits the visual appeal of your store. Increase customer positive feedback by implementing new features and new ideas that can make your parking lot more appealing and customer friendly as well.

Last But Not Least

You’re preventing stray carts and damages to property with well engineer cart corral units, you're implementing safer features and at the same time enhancing your look. If you want to be above the competition, consider these key factors that will also improve your new welcoming center and the shopping experience of your customers.

• Walkways are beneficial for everyone, seperating pedestrians from traffic, especially customers with kids.
• Parking sections reserved for family, expectant mothers and Veterans in addition to handicap parking spaces is a great feature too
•  Designate a specific parking space or areas just for pick-up orders
• Electric cars are becoming more popular and customers will appreciate convenient charging stations.

These are ways to show your customers that you're keeping them in mind. Increase customer positive feedback by implementing new features and ideas that can make your parking center more appealing and customer friendly. Just like friendly greetings at the entrance of the store make customers feel welcome, the parking lot should make them feel the same way. So, upgrade your parking center now, take advantage of the secret weapons to improve your store and show your customers they come first.