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How Planet and Flowbird transformed Newcastle City Council’s parking operations
How Planet and Flowbird transformed Newcastle City Council’s parking operations
At a glance
- Supports high volume of up to 120,000 transactions a month
- 95% adoption rate of cashless payments in key locations alongside Pay By Phone
- 5-10 hours per month saved on reconciliation
“We’ve processed over two million transactions since going live, and the system just works. It has streamlined our operations, made refunds easier, and given our customers real flexibility. Working with Planet and Flowbird has transformed our parking experience.”
Russell Nelson
Newcastle City Council, Service Development Lead
The challenge
Newcastle City Council was relying on outdated parking infrastructure, with coin-only operated parking machines, manual operations and outdated reconciliation processes. There were limited payment options for customers, as well as costly and time-consuming cash collection and reconciliation processes for staff.
Plus, a lack of flexibility with refunds, reporting and fixed payment structures caused inefficiencies and negatively impacted the customer experience. The Council also needed a check-in/check-out system that allowed customers to pay on exit, but without having to install barriers due to the structure of the city’s car parks.
Plus, a lack of flexibility with refunds, reporting and fixed payment structures caused inefficiencies and negatively impacted the customer experience. The Council also needed a check-in/check-out system that allowed customers to pay on exit, but without having to install barriers due to the structure of the city’s car parks.
The solution
Newcastle City Council implemented a collaborative solution that brought together trusted suppliers to deliver a modernised parking experience, underpinned by Flowbird’s latest generation terminal infrastructure. With Planet payments on Flowbird parking terminals, the Council now offers seamless check-in/check-out at the majority of car parks and pre-pay options at all on and off parking locations for parking customers, plus a Blue Badge charge option on the terminals that enables them to get the first hour free.
The result
Newcastle City Council has now worked with Planet since 2016. Since then, the Council has processed over two million transactions, with up to 120,000 transactions per month. With Flowbird’s terminals and Planet’s integrated payment systems, the Council saw a 95% adoption of cashless payments in key locations alongside PayByPhone. This helped make the decision for the Council to go fully cashless across the city. This cuts the operational and time costs needed to manage the coin operated ticket machines.
The payment solution has also reduced operational strain, saving staff 5-10 hours per month on reconciliation. Operationally, refunds have also been made easier, with direct refunds replacing Pay Point vouchers that the customer would have to go and collect. Now, the Council can easily refund back to the payment card.
Newcastle City Council has also seen an increase in the length of time customers park in the city due to the more convenient check-in/check-out payment experience, as well as a minimal number of chargebacks, with smooth resolutions when they occur.
Newcastle City Council has also seen an increase in the length of time customers park in the city due to the more convenient check-in/check-out payment experience, as well as a minimal number of chargebacks, with smooth resolutions when they occur.
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