Help! My Parking Lot is an Eyesore!

The quality and condition of your parking lot has a significant impact on whether customers want to stop by and/or whether companies want to rent retail or office space in your properties. The following are a number of ways that a clean and well-maintained parking lot can affect your business. 

• Boost positive branding: Branding is about impressing your customers and shaping their perception of your business. A poorly maintained parking lot may cause customers to perceive your business as unprofessional or sloppy. A well-designed and maintained parking lot improves the curb appeal of your establishment and implies smart management. It tells people that the owners are mindful, responsible, reliable, take pride in their business and care about their customers.

• Increase safety: Cracks and potholes cause flat tires while gravel and sharp debris damage vehicles. Fractures and holes put customers at risk of falls and injuries. Pooling water is dangerous to drive through and slippery for pedestrians. Faded pavement markers make lane lines and parking spots unclear, backing up traffic and increasing the number of accidents. Maintaining your parking lot increases safety.
• Maximize parking space: Without parking lot maintenance your lot can become crowded, disorganized and inefficient. Clearly marked parking spots help customers know where to park and reduce the tendency to occupy more than one parking space. Restriping your lot may allow you to create a more efficient layout and increase the number of available spaces. A parking lot free of trash, debris and puddles allows patrons to occupy all parking spots. 
• Reduce liability: Potholes, cracks, puddles, debris and patches of ice cause falls and injuries. A clean and well-maintained parking lot protects your customers and their vehicles, reducing lawsuits and minimizing liability issues. 
• Comply with regulations: Parking lot maintenance helps business owners and property managers ensure they comply with laws regarding accessibility (the number and location of handicapped parking spots, accessible routes to your business, passenger loading zones, slope and size of ramps and curbs). 
• Increase longevity: A parking lot is exposed to the elements, the stress of changing seasons and the constant pressure of vehicles. Friction from dirt, sand and other rubble works as an abrasive. Standing water deteriorates asphalt. Small cracks and holes expand and spread quickly. Repairing grooves and cracks regularly, applying seal coating every few years, and following asphalt parking lot maintenance guidelines protects your parking lot. A well-tended lot can last several decades! 
• Minimize waterway pollution: Regularly sweeping your parking lots prevents dirt, metal particles and chemicals from leaching into nearby water systems protecting the water supply, wildlife and natural habitats.
• Save money: Regular parking lot maintenance increases the longevity of your lot surface saving your business from an expensive parking lot replacement or significant repair.
• Discourage littering: A clean and well-maintained parking lot discourages littering.
• Limit the presence of pests: Garbage and debris attract pests (cats, dogs, mice, raccoons). Keeping your parking lot clean will limit the presence of rodents. 

Turn that run-down, debris-ridden parking lot into a safe, convenient and attractive place to park.  Undertake maintenance and timely repair. It’ll save you money, make a good impression on patrons, increase customer safety, maximize space, increase longevity, reduce liability, protect the environment and raise the value of your property. Contact a commercial cleaning company for help with your parking lot maintenance.