WPS installs Parkadvance at Cascades Shopping Centre in Portsmouth city centre

WPS has installed its pay-on-Foot parking technology, Parkadvance, at Cascades Shopping Centre in Portsmouth city centre. It is designed with the intention of enhancing customer experience, and to use an IP-based system that could be more easily updated to incorporate new functionality as and when it becomes available and required.

The system accommodates multiple payment options including contactless, chip and pin and cash, and is set up to include card-in/card-out and online pre-paid functionality when timing is appropriate for the shopping centre.

ParkAdvance's reporting functionality provides access to information on the car park’s performance, usage patterns and turnover.

Andrew Philip, Centre Manager at Cascades Shopping Centre, said: “Parking is no longer considered a simple provision, but rather the first vital touch point in the customer journey, and as such it is our responsibility to ensure it is a positive experience. We therefore decided to take the parking provision in-house and see where enhancements could be made.

Issues around lost tickets was one area where Andrew was keen to improve the overall experience: “Previously lost tickets incurred a flat day-rate charge because it was not possible to verify when the customer had entered the car park,” Andrew says. “The ParkAdvance system, however, incorporates ANPR, meaning we are usually able to verify when the customer arrived and solve lost ticket situations efficiently, and to a greater customer satisfaction.”