Introducing VLT Apps

VLT Apps is a system of applications designated to fully cover the workflow of an entire valet department. Considering that Valet is an old service by itself, our goal is to make it IT friendly and suitable to the current standards for customer oriented services. We aim to reduce the input required by customers using valet services. Valet customers feel uncomfortable giving their vehicle to a complete stranger while at the same time having zero control over their vehicle for a long period of time. VLT will give them the tools to remotely control and manage each action related to their vehicle. This will increase the level of comfort in people otherwise hesitant to use this service.

Our primary goal is to make the service itself more appealing to customers. The industry has suffered greatly after the introduction of Rideshare and Carshare platforms, these platforms revolutionized the service industry and the parking industry has been unable to compete with them adequately because of outdated solutions. The effect on the community has not gone unnoticed either, it is believed that because of these services, and people not commuting to work, traffic congestion has gotten worse.

We strive to make it easier to find parking, and create a uniform experience at all parking locations so that the customers will know what to expect when they use valet in combination with our applications. We think this will have a direct positive effect on congestion in the urban areas. There are multiple studies that show the impact of cruising for parking on traffic congestion, one of which is the study conducted in 2017 in Zurich, Switzerland by Cao, J., Menendez, M. & Waraich, R.

The effect of a smarter parking solution on the environment will also be positive, especially considering the effects current alternatives have. Rideshare services have been found to cause more traffic in big cities, instead of alleviating it. A software solution can be a sustainable way to use personal vehicles for daily commutes that lessens the traffic time, cost and environmental footprint.

We aimed to create an environment where valet attendants would feel comfortable. Our applications are designed by a former valet manager, based on his input we have color coded each action so that each action would be recognizable by its design. We also used a familiar design, similar to the one of a conventional parking ticket so that there will be a minimal learning curve. Valet attendants would be able to use VLT Apps in less than one working day. The process of creating and pulling vehicles is easy to follow, only requiring the necessary information for a ticket to be created or requested.

VLT Hotel is our introductory application designed to address the needs of valet parking in a hotel. It focuses on expediting the procedure of parking and retrieving a vehicle. Features like online request and payment of valet fees would speed up the process significantly. VLT Hotel gives greater control over the vehicle to the customer, and an estimate of how much time each action performed by the valet will take.

VLT Hotel has a comprehensive billing system that includes both hourly and overnight pricing configurations that can be specific to each venue. There are also various discount scenarios that are taken into account when applying discounts on larger groups. We have a ticket validation system that can be customized to allow each venue to properly manage their outlet charges. Our payment processing system includes an option to pay the fees online, add gratuity and rate the service provided.

We believe that analyzing past data and actions can have a great effect on day-to-day operations, that is why we have built several analytical reports that are specifically designed to expedite and improve the valet service at the hotel. Our analysis is both on individual and on department level, so that the manager would be able to allocate tasks to team members best suitable to execute them.

We see labor as an investment rather than an expense, we have built the features to maximize the productivity of each team member and the department as a whole. We also created labor tracking and gross wage calculation that includes the tips received by team members. These reports coupled with our financial reports will help manage the financial aspect of the department and keep it profitable. Our financial reports are based on all charges, discounts and also on the labor expenses accrued in a certain period.

Our pricing model has four monthly subscription plans, each priced to fit the size of the hotel. Each subscription has features that we in consultation with a valet parking expert have determined to be suitable for their property size. However for the unique situations where our subscription plans are unsuitable to a property, we will build a custom subscription plan fitted to their needs. If a property is interested in signing a 2 year contract, we will be providing mobile devices and tablets for free, so that they can start operating with our software immediately.

VLT Basic is designed to accommodate the smallest properties and is focused on the essential responsibilities of the valet department. Properties using VLT Basic must have less than 100 rooms, fewer than 5 active employees and may receive up to 5,000 SMS requests in one month. VLT Basic includes all the actions related to a valet ticket, user management, property management, and archive of reporting up to one month back.

VLT Standard is the solution we have chosen for the majority of major brand hotels, these hotels in addition to the basic needs of a valet department will be well suited with advanced reporting pertaining to the effectiveness and profitability of their hotel. Properties using VLT Standard must have less than 350 rooms, fewer than 50 active employees and may receive up to 15,000 SMS requests in one month.

VLT Professional is created to cater to hotels larger than 350 rooms. We believe these hotels have the need to better manage their employees because they are prone to follow trends, bigger events and have more employees on each shift. Our analytic and prediction features will help with management of staff and resources available to the property. Properties using VLT Professional must have less than 1000 rooms, fewer than 100 active employees and may receive up to 50,000 SMS requests in one month.

VLT Unlimited is designed for properties that usually include an additional outlet such as a convention center or are a part of a resort. These properties have varying occupancy levels and require the flexibility to properly manage their department both on full occupancy as well as in times when the hotel is at 10% occupancy. Therefore we have decided to have an unlimited plan that has the features of VLT Professional, but does not have a cap on SMS Requests and Rooms. Out of precaution to ensure the smooth operation of our software the limit on active employees is limited to 500 employees.

¹ Cao, J., Menendez, M. & Waraich, R. Impats of the urban parking system on cruising traffic and policy development: the case of Zurich downtown area, Switzerland. Transportation 46, 883–908 (2019). https://doi-org.aurarialibrary.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s11116-017-9832-9

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