THE INSIDE STORY OF THE MYPARK SYSTEM

January, 2017

‘Sweet Talk,’ and Preferred Parking

The “beautiful people” were really starting to annoy Ricardo Blanco. They would sweet-talk the security guards at his office building into letting them take his reserved parking space while they ran into the bank. Day after day he would arrive to find his spot occupied, with no more parking available.

Confronting people in a parking lot isn’t something a gentleman would do (and might get him arrested), and yelling at the guards wouldn’t solve the problem, so he decided to look for a solution.

Ricardo scoured catalogs and the Internet looking for a device or other tool that would allow him to block his spot, but still make it easy for him to park when he arrived, and couldn’t find anything that would work.

He wanted a solution that was easy-to-use and cost-effective, and that could be controlled remotely. He also needed something that didn’t require digging up a parking lot to install. Nothing existed. So, Ricardo did what any self-respecting inventor would do and created a solution to his parking problem.

Ricardo enlisted his nephew, Luis Mayendia, and together they went through the rigorous process of designing, redesigning and redesigning again a solution that goes far beyond preventing people from parking in his spot at the bank.

Their MyPark reserved parking system is designed to solve numerous problems for consumers and lot owners alike. Now, Luis is President and CEO of the company, Ricardo is its VP and COO, and I am VP for Business Development

It is intended to make on-demand parking a reality in any mall, garage or parking lot. It doesn’t require digging up the pavement or wiring installations; it is easy to install and manage; and it eliminates the hassles of parking for anyone who wants to give it a try.

The system consists of a device that raises to protect a parking spot and lowers to give customers access. It functions wirelessly from a mobile phone and is available for on iOS and android. Supporting the device are wireless nodes that send monitoring data back to a central administration panel, which any company can operate to manage their parking area’s availability.

Administrators can turn devices on and off from a simple control panel and manage all aspects of the system in an easy-to-use interface. Because the system is modular and doesn’t require construction in the existing parking system, it can be readily deployed in any configuration desired by a property manager or owner.

If tenants have existing reserved parking that is always being taken by others, then MyPark can provide a fast and effective way to enforce parking restrictions. Those allocated parking in a reserved area are added to the system and given their own login to easily access it with a touch of their smartphone screen.

In a strip mall or other similar configuration, a property owner can reserve parking for a specific business and provide coupon codes to pay for the reserved parking for that business only. Premium parking in these situations also means that MyPark can become a revenue stream for the mall, rather than just a way to reserve parking.

Premium parking works well in crowded malls where clients want to park close to their destination. In a large lot, mall managers can have any configuration they want.

As an alternative to valet parking, the system gives customers the assurance that no one is going to be driving their car or accessing their valuables while they are shopping and typical installations are less expensive for consumers than valet services.

The system’s primary components are the barrier devices; the networking equipment that relays the device status; and the software that controls the system and connects to the mobile apps that consumers use to park.

The backend also provides management detailed information about the status of every device, including temperature, battery and alarm status, and signal strength. Built-in transaction reporting and other valuable data include the use of promo codes so that managers always have a read on their parking situation.

The devices, manufactured in the U.S., have multiple safety controls built into them. They are smart enough to detect if anything is above the device before raising, and have alarms if being forced down or vandalized, and will sound in the control center as well.

Managing paid parking can be difficult. Employee turnover, theft and security issues make it difficult. With this system, an attended lot can become a fully automated lot without the need for constant staffing and worrying about theft. The company also provides ongoing maintenance and monitoring services, as well as all needed signage for installations.

Ricardo’s problem is one that is universal for almost all parking situations. Business owners are frustrated that they lose business because customers can’t park near their store. Lot and property owners are frustrated trying to enforce parking rules, and consumers are frustrated that they can’t get the space they need.

It is designed to solve all those problems and provide new revenue streams, potential cost savings, easier parking management, and a level of customization not seen before.

Howard Glazer, VP of Business Development at MyPark, can be reached at howard@usemypark.com.