If you don't understand how your customers live, work and play, you will make dumb mistakes. It's crucial to get into their environment and into their frame of mind. Because we tend to assume things are the same everywhere, and they just aren't.
I had the pleasure of a short trip to Manhattan to speak at an industry event, and was just overwhelmed with observations.
Here's one for you -- check out the photos below -- parking:
Bicycle parking
I have never seen paid bicycle parking before. In most cities, the bicycles are just chained up here and there. In my own city, we have cleverly designed things to chain them to. But I did not see this on the streets of Manhattan, which made me wonder if the rules are different there.
Segmenting your parking customers - bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, cars and limos
The price segmentation is pretty interesting too. $1 a day or $20 per month for a bicycle is probably what you can charge when the alternative is taking it up to your office. Much more, and people would figure out something else. And the bikes can go on the walls, so it's an easy expansion to make to utilize some wasted space.
Motorcycles take up more room than scooters, so they pay more.
But limos paying more than other cars is interesting. Is it because they can? Because they are a business, not a just someone's personal car? After all, there's only so much you can learn from a sign, and I didn't talk to the parking attendant.
Customer experience in a parking garage
I have never seen a parking special quite like the one in the second photo.All the signage looks great doesn't it?
And just look at how beautiful and bright and nice this place is. Parking in urban centres may come at a premium, but it is still very competitive. In a place like this, you want maximum occupancy all the time, so it makes sense to make the place nice.
