Regardless of where you sit in the automotive lifecycle, the right parking solutions can be a strategic advantage, offering desirable locations for consumer testing, cost-efficient options for excess inventory, and secure holding areas for vehicles in transition. Navigating the complexities of fleet parking is hard. From storage to deployment, the location impacts not only cost strategies but also customer experiences and service quality. 

Mobility Places simplifies automotive parking challenges, providing tailored solutions that enhance your fleet's operational efficiency and strategic positioning.

Over 500 million square feet of U.S. parking remains underutilized. Why does this matter for the automotive industry?

With so many empty spaces, the automotive industry can turn parking inefficiencies into strategic opportunities. These opportunities span a wide spectrum, from optimizing logistics to revolutionizing customer engagement. Here are a few examples of how innovative thinking can unlock significant value from its existing infrastructure:

• Dealers can strategically expand their inventory acquisition. By utilizing available parking, dealers can purchase more vehicles from auctions without concerns about overcrowding their primary lots. This eliminates the need for costly secondary locations, allowing for a more flexible and efficient satellite operation. This could include using a large, underutilized parking garage for overflow inventory, or even a section of an abandoned retail complex transformed into a temporary vehicle display area.
• OEMs can leverage parking locations as accessible showrooms. This approach significantly enhances the appeal and pervasiveness of their inventory. While shopping centers are often used for this use case today, when services are managed for you and the right technology is in place, there are so many more opportunities for pop-up showrooms in busy city parking lots, allowing consumers to test drive vehicles on the spot without staff. 
• Automotive service centers can expand their capacity and offer mobile services. Underutilized parking lots could be converted into temporary overflow areas for vehicles awaiting service, or even serve as a base for mobile maintenance units. For example, a mobile tire installation service could operate out of a large retail parking lot, offering on-the-spot tire changes for shoppers.

Let’s go deeper into the use cases…

Use cases for automotive fleet parking

Inventory Management and Storage

One of the most immediate and impactful uses for surplus parking is as flexible storage for excess vehicle inventory. This is particularly valuable during periods of fluctuating demand or supply chain disruptions. Instead of paying for costly off-site warehousing, dealerships and manufacturers can leverage their own or accessible parking areas. This not only reduces operational costs but also allows for quicker access to vehicles when market conditions shift. Furthermore, these spaces can be utilized for temporary storage of vehicles awaiting transport or customization, streamlining the logistical flow.

Temporary Retail and Showroom Extensions

Empty parking lots can be ingeniously repurposed as temporary retail spaces or extensions of existing showrooms. Imagine a pop-up car show, a specialized vehicle launch event, or even a seasonal sales tent set up directly on a parking lot. This offers a dynamic and cost-effective way to engage with customers, showcase new models, and create memorable brand experiences without the overhead of permanent construction. Dealerships can also use these spaces for “overflow” display, allowing them to present a wider range of vehicles than their showroom might typically accommodate.

Service and Maintenance Hubs

For service centers experiencing high demand, underutilized parking areas can be transformed into temporary service bays or express maintenance stations. This can involve setting up mobile service units or designated areas for quick oil changes, tire rotations, or minor diagnostic checks. This not only improves service efficiency and reduces customer waiting times but also diversifies revenue streams by catering to quick-turnaround needs.

Vehicle Preparation and Detailing Zones

Before vehicles are delivered to customers or displayed on the lot, they often require extensive cleaning, detailing, and final preparation. Large, empty parking areas can be dedicated as zones for these activities, allowing for a more streamlined and efficient workflow. This reduces congestion in traditional service areas and ensures that vehicles are pristine for handover.

Accessible Pick-Up Centers

The customer experience can be improved by providing dedicated pickup locations within large commercial parking structures. This allows customers to conveniently collect their pre-ordered vehicles, significantly streamlining the delivery process. Such a system enhances customer experience by reducing wait times and providing a clear, efficient handover point.

Logistics and Fleet Staging

For fleet operators or logistics companies, unused parking areas can serve as vital staging grounds for vehicle fleets. This allows for efficient organization, loading, and dispatching of vehicles, reducing delays and optimizing operational flow. It can also provide a secure location for overnight parking of commercial vehicles.

Tailored solutions to optimize every stage of your automotive fleet’s lifecycle

Mobility Places offers specialized parking solutions that go beyond the conventional. By partnering with Mobility Places, you gain access to a network of secure, strategically located parking spaces optimized for storage, staging, and promotional activities. Our approach is not just about providing parking spaces; it's about delivering strategic locations that enhance the readiness and accessibility of your fleet, thereby supporting your operational goals and enhancing customer satisfaction.

Custom Site Selection

Tailored recommendations and sourcing to help you secure safe, suitable, parking.

Dynamic Parking Solutions

Flexible models that allow you to operate many vehicles from single spots.

Easy To Use Software

A unified view of vehicle storage and deployment across locations.

On-Site Operations

Your one-stop shop for sign installation and technology integration.