When you run a professional business, you know how important it is to make a great impression on your customers or clients. You know that keeping all aspects of your company looking good is crucial. When you run a business or manage several properties, it’s easy for parking lot maintenance to slip through the cracks. The appearance of your parking lot has a huge effect on the way your customers view your business.
If you have a lot that isn’t properly maintained, then this can negatively impact your reputation, or worse, it can even cause you to go out of business. For example, if you own a commercial property for rent than real estate developers can assess the condition of your parking lot and decide whether they would want to rent a space from you.
Regular maintenance will help keep your parking looking its best by protecting your lot from any damage and increasing its lifespan. By properly doing upkeep on your parking lot you can also save on maintenance costs. A nice-looking parking lot will keep your customers happy and can help you expand your customer base.
If you ever wondered why you need to maintain your parking lot, keep on reading to find out everything you need to know.
Raises the Curb Appeal of Your Business
Many business owners or commercial property owners understand just how valuable curb appeal truly is – especially when you are investing in commercial landscaping and signage to show off their business. But often, commercial parking lot maintenance is generally looked over.
Parking lots serve as more than just a place for customers to park their cars while they are at your establishment. Your parking lot is an aspect that has a huge influence on the way customers perceive your business, and it might even cause you to gain or lose business. And if you are trying to lease your commercial property to an office or store, then the appearance and overall quality of your parking lot can change the minds of any potential client.
Failing to maintain your parking lot properly can cause dirt and debris to pile up. Leaves and other plant matter will gather and puddles will form during the rainy seasons. Being under non-stop exposure to the elements will cause the lines on your parking lot to face, and they will also start to create potholes and cracks that are less than ideal to look at.
If your parking lot is in a state then your customers might end up perceiving your business as sloppy, unprofessional or untrustworthy. And that the establishment is owned by someone who does not care about their business to maintain it well. This perception can carry over to the business itself, even if you provide a top notch service or sell high quality products.
On the flip side, having a well-maintained parking lot shows the opposite about your business. It will show that you take good care of your business and that you care. Your customers and potential customers will see your business as more reliable with a good manager. Not only will your clients enjoy a smooth parking experience, they will have a great conception of your business before even stepping foot in your building. Your business can even attract additional customers because of its curb appeal.
Here are some examples of how parking lot maintenance can improve your curb appeal:
- Restores colour: After you reseal and restripe a parking lot it will look brand new. A fresh seal will help restore the pavement back to its original jet black color, and the newly painted stripes will shine bright yellow or white.
- Keeps the surface smooth: When you repair potholes and cracks in your parking lot it will create a smooth surface which is much more visually appealing and better for your customers to drive on.
- Gets rid of trash and debris: By sweeping your parking lot regularly, this will help keep the dirt and debris from piling up and becoming an eyesore. Your clients will appreciate a cleaner appearance, and they will perceive your business as maintained well.
- Landscaping features: A parking lot which is poorly maintained and is littered with potholes and debris will distract greatly from any landscaping you might have on site. By having a clean parking lot there will be nothing to distract from the islands, trees, lampposts, and other features you spent the time and money on to enhance your curb appeal.
In addition, having a clean parking lot will discourage people from littering compared to if they had stepped into a more dirty space. If the area is neat and managed well, then customers will take care to leave the space clean like how they found it.
Helps Increase Safety
Other than affecting the appearance of your parking lot, it also plays a big role in keeping and improving the safety for drivers and pedestrians alike. A neglected parking lot that has developed cracks and potholes over time will accumulate dirt, gravel or other debris. These potholes can cause flat tires, and any sharp debris in your parking lot could do a lot more damage.
These cracks and potholes can also put your customers at risk of falling injuries. Falls are one of the leading and most presentable nonfatal accidents in Canada. If your customers are harmed or their vehicles are damaged on your property, they most likely won’t come back in the future.
Having a poorly maintained parking lot can also have the safety hazard of puddles or pooling water. If your parking lot is not properly draining, or its drain system is not operating properly, then this can result in deep puddles or pooling water that can be slippery for customers and lead to injuries. These puddles and pooling also cause extra stress on your parking lot, causing even further damage to it.
Author’s Bio
Karthik Talwar is a content writer for BreezeMaxWeb that helps businesses showcase their brand through enticing copy. When he is not working, he enjoys exploring new places and trying new foods.