Parket unleashes parking innovation in Jozi

Proptech start-up Parket has officially launched in Johannesburg, offering a promising solution to the city’s parking challenges. Founder and CEO Joshua Raphael shares his vision for transforming parking management with modern technologies.

Raphael emphasises the need for a better way to manage parking in South African cities, stating, “Parking is once again becoming a nightmare as parking lots around the city edge closer to pre-pandemic levels. Motorists waste time and fuel driving around looking for parking while nearby buildings have vacant bays that could be used instead.”

He highlights the urgency of adopting a more efficient and digitized approach to managing parking spaces.

Raphael recognises the growing demand for mobile applications in daily life and believes that parking should be no exception. He states, “People use mobile apps daily to do almost everything – why not for parking too?”

He advocates for the transition to a cashless, ticketless system that offers robust parking management features and contributes to a more sustainable environment by eliminating paper tickets. He adds humorously, “Why are we still using paper tickets (how many trees per day is that?) and having to run around to find parking pay-points that actually work?”

Regarding the current state of the parking industry, Raphael highlights the fragmentation in available parking systems as a major obstacle. “Solutions either focus on access control, or short-term parking solutions, or long-term parking solutions, but are not capable of doing it all.”

He emphasises the need for a comprehensive, turnkey digital parking solution that provides real-time management of the full parking ecosystem.

Describing the features of Parket’s IoT-based solution, Raphael explains, “Our platform utilises mobile applications, cloud-based management dashboards, and contactless technology, including automatic license plate recognition. This ensures seamless communication between parking lots and managers while creating an up-to-date directory accessible to the public for finding the nearest parking spaces.”

He highlights the convenience and user-friendly nature of Parket’s solution.

Raphael emphasises the customer-centric approach of Parket, acknowledging that not all users may want to download an app. He states, “Motorists at a parking lot or retail center can pay through scanning a QR code, while once-off visitors can receive the QR access code via text or instant messaging for ease of access.”

This flexibility caters to the preferences of a wide range of users.

Discussing the benefits of Parket’s cloud-based management dashboard, Raphael explains, “Those managing and operating parking lots can easily manage their inventory, monetize parking spaces, and fill previously empty bays to generate additional revenue.”

He stresses the value of data analysis in identifying usage trends and enabling overselling, noting, “Vacant parking lots don’t make money.” The system also streamlines processes for landlords and tenants, reducing administrative requirements and eliminating manual errors.

Highlighting the success of Parket’s solution, Raphael shares a customer’s experience: “The Christiaan Barnard Memorial Hospital doubled its parking revenue within six months, demonstrating how IoT technology can bridge the supply and demand for parking bays while generating revenue for customers.”

He underscores the significance of Parket’s contribution to Johannesburg’s development as it strives to become a smart city.

Raphael concludes by emphasising the cost-saving potential of Parket’s turnkey IoT parking solution, stating, “Legacy parking is not only inefficient but also incurs exorbitant costs for ticket issuing and reading machines, traditional payment machines, and maintenance.”

He affirms that Parket’s solution offers a more affordable alternative while providing a digital, cashless, paperless, and contactless interface that enhances the overall parking experience.

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