Where you Lead, Your Users will Follow

Mobile is taking over– there’s no doubt about that. And in the parking and transportation industries, it has no longer become a question of whether you’ll offer mobile payments, but when. As more companies like Passport continue to innovate in the mobile payment space, agencies are provided with more options than ever when it comes to this type of technology.

For many agencies, this means seeing possible gaps in their current provider. It’s time to make a switch, they think to themselves. But then quickly worry– how will our users adjust to the switch? Will they download a new app?

Trust us, they will.

According to Google, the average app user has 36 apps installed on their smartphone. As mobile continues to take over, users are more willing to download apps now than ever before, especially if they’re free.

In this same study, Google found that the biggest attribute associated with downloads and frequent usage is if the app “makes my life easier”. This may sound pretty obvious, but it’s something important to consider.

Take Disney’s My Disney Experience app, for example. When guests book their Disney park trips, they’re prompted to download the app to help them plan their upcoming vacation. This includes everything from dining reservations, FastPass times, itineraries, park hours, and more. Disney even has a separate mobile app for guests to download on-site that provides real-time park hours, ride wait times, parade and Disney character locations, and interactive park maps.

These two mobile apps have become widely popular for park visitors because it makes their trip experience easier. It connects users to their Disney experience before and during their vacation, eliminating the stress of planning and giving park-goers all of the information they need in the palm of their hands. Users download these apps strictly during the time of their stay because they know it will simplify their trip.

The same can be said for Passport’s mobile apps for parking and transit. Our apps reduce stress by giving users an additional method of payment as well as the information they need to get around their city seamlessly.

However, it all goes back to following the keys for a successful mobile app launch.

It’s crucial that your agency is actively involved in this new launch, you’re displaying clear and numerous signage, and if you can, providing incentives for your users to make the switch. When you follow these steps, the technology will speak for itself.

The City of White Plains, NY, is a great example of this. Before Passport, the city had 9% app utilization and issues with functionalities, leading them to look at other providers. White Plains chose Passport to provide a custom mobile parking app, which the city took a hands-on role in from development to post-launch. After two months, Passport’s platform surpassed their previous utilization and the city saw a 16% increase in revenue.

Download the White Plains Case Study here.

If you’re feeling the disconnect with your current provider, you can be sure that your users are feeling it too.

There’s no need to fear switching mobile payment providers. If you invest in its success, your users will download and use the app because of its improved features and the fact that it makes their daily lives easier.

Your users are waiting for an easier mobile payment solution, but it’s up to you to give it to them.