News - Magazine Article

Specialization the New Trend in Valet Technology

In the contest to provide the best, specialization is becoming more and more advantageous.  Every valet location requires a different set of hardware, technology and operation protocols. The entire layout of a parking facility must be taken into consideration, as well as the guests’ intended destination.

Airports, hotels, casinos, resorts and residences all need valet operations that cater to their guests. Increasingly, operators are customizing their approaches at individual operations and valet operating technology is evolving to accommodate this new tactic. NPA member Automated Valet has created customized operating profiles for valet operations at major venues, such as hotels, casinos and airports, with considerations for the differences in staffing, revenue control, geography and overall function.

Technology at hotels, casinos, and residences

At a resort/casino or hotel site, valet operators need options and control mechanisms to accommodate guests, visitors, repeat customers, complicated rate schedules, high volume and large numbers of staff.

 Automated Valet offers several hospitality-specific applications with its operating system. First, AVPM is completely compatible with hotel management systems, meaning guests can use their room keys or a Player’s Card to keep track of their vehicle. On the flip side, the hotel uses this integration to keep track of guests’ room charges and parking charges and offer only one bill at check out.

 Player’s Cards are given to guests at the casino’s discretion to provide VIPs with discounts, incentive points for prizes and services, and premiere valet parking status—meaning they don’t have to wait in line for their car. Whenever a VIP enters the system, recognized by the VIN number on their vehicle, hotel staff members are immediately alerted by e-mail. The technology provides better service for the customer and more opportunities for the casino or hotel to offer incentives.

 Similarly, at a residence with multi-use parking, visitors can be distinguished from residents and rates applied accordingly. As residents arrive, they are recognized by their VIN number and provided with access or service that is appropriate for their status.

 Seminole Exchange has installed AVPM at several of its valet operations, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Fla., and has seen major changes in its business.

 Mike Stewart, Seminole Exchange’s chief operating officer, says the system has increased the speed of their operation and improved revenue control.

 Stewart’s operation is also set up with AVPM Enterprise, giving him and other executives the technology to create reports, observe payroll and claims, and make programming adjustments to rates and scheduling in real time from any place in the world.

 “Our facilities are spread out across the country, but I can be in San Diego and check on the operation in Florida. In this age of technology, remote access is essential,” he says.

 As people come and go at a casino or hotel, there are different rates covering the length of stay, status of the visitor and discounts to be addressed. The AVPM Validation App or AVPM VATS system and the ticket inventory system will keep track of every validation, coupon, discount, and valet ticket. Barcodes prevent the duplication of validations and tickets and daily ticket inventory prevents revenue loss.

 “Our technology gives us excellent revenue control, remote management and reporting capabilities, and many advantages over the competition,” Stewart says. “Being able to recognize VIPs the moment they enter the property is a tool we value highly, especially in the casino business.”

Airport technology

Automated Valet’s airport valet technology eliminates guesswork for customers and staff. Airport parking can be complicated whether the traveler chooses to park in short- or long-term parking, self-serve, offsite or valet. Making the process of dropping off and retrieving a vehicle straightforward and simple is a difficult task—making the process positive and pleasant for the customer is even more challenging.

Automated Valet has installed its operating system, AVPM, at quite a few airports including Dallas/ Fort Worth International and off airport location near Los Angeles International. It has created airport-specific technology that streamlines valet service and gives valet operators the power to organize service, keep pace with air travelers and create loyal patrons.

 The valet customer at an operation equipped with this system steps off the plane, collects his luggage and arrives at the curb to his waiting car. The ease of transfer occurs thanks to an application called the Staging Board that includes Flight Data Base Integration.

 Customer details including name, vehicle make and model and arrival times are kept front and center through the Staging Board feature.

 Jay Protenic, general manager of Parking Concepts, which operates valet service at Dallas/Fort Worth International, says the Staging Board is his operation’s eye in the sky.

 “We have 14 service delivery points so the Staging Board becomes an exceptional traffic management tool as it notes the time the vehicle left the garage, the time it arrived at its designated podium, the duration it’s been at the podium and finally, when the ticket closed,” he says. “At DFW, each valet position has limited stalls and we can quickly determine how many vehicles are at each location, and which cars are still in storage waiting to be moved to a specific podium, based on returning flight information at the time. All this information is from one screen, very efficient.”

Airport valet operations with AVPM have online reservation capabilities that let the traveler  set up parking before arriving at the airport, including payment details, arrival and departure times, and special requests like car washes. The reservation system provides a Valet Boarding Pass to make the process easy for customers when they are dropping off their cars. The Valet Boarding Pass includes all the information and is transferred to the system with just one scan at drop off. The entire online feature and operating system are fully integrated with the flight database keeping all pertinent information current and at hand for valet staff. This feature has been implemented at all of Automated Valet’s locations including LAX Park at Los Angeles International.

 “Being able to provide customers with a pass that holds all their information makes check in and check out better for everyone. We’ve seen our service speed increase and our errors decrease,” says Ali Shayan, president, LAX Park.

Because specifics change quickly when air travel is involved, the Staging Board alerts valet staff when there are updates on flight times or changes in travel made by the customer. With information available well in advance, the customer’s car can be made ready while she is landing. When the customer arrives, her vehicle is already waiting for her at the baggage claim where her luggage has been directed. This saves the customer time and the trouble of finding valet kiosks or a lobby phone. Any special services requested are taken care of the day before or the day of the customer’s return. Having information from the flight database is what makes this process so exceptional because it eliminates guesswork for the customer and the valet staff. Flight times are provided exactly regardless of delay or early arrival and any last-minute change of baggage claim location is available immediately.

“Whether you’ve been to the airport once or a hundred times, air travel is still stressful,” says Automated Valet Founder and CEO Ken Gulec. “Travelers are rushed in and out of lines, under pressure to make tight deadlines, and have a million things on their minds already. Parking should be as easy as possible.

 ” The newest application that is going to be offered to all airport valet operations is Automated Valet’s Frequent Parker/Customer Loyalty Program. This program makes the process easier for travelers and offers an incentive program for repeat customers. The Frequent Parker card tracks and rewards frequent airport valet parkers for their patronage.

 The card comes in two formats one for the wallet and one or the key chain. Customers who qualify for a card earn bonus points when they sign up for the program and accrue additional points every time they park. Points accumulated can be used to pay for parking or for special services like car washes. Frequent parkers can also leave a credit card on file and use the card to pay on account. This reward program makes it even easier for customers to navigate the facility saving them the need to interface with valet staff on their way out of the airport.

 Different valet customers qualify for different cards with designations of gold and platinum and each card level offers specific incentives. AVPM easily accommodates the valet operation’s choices on what rewards are offered and how many points are given to card holders. Updates and revisions are fast and easy.

 “These applications not only make the process easier for the valet customer, they also make the customer more likely to return,” Gulec says. “We cultivate real loyalty with good service and efficient drop off and delivery.”

 Mine Gulec is Automated Valet’s director of Sales and Marketing. She has been a consultant for the company since it was founded five years ago. For more information, call Mine at 866.446.0024. On the Web, visit www.automatedvalet.com and www.valetsolutions.com.

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