ABSA headquarters in Main Street, Johannesburg, comprises various buildings each with different parking facilities and arrangements.
Management experienced traffic flow and parking difficulties in the various buildings and the situation was deteriorating.
Essentially, a severe lack of parking arose on the previous system where parking bays were allocated to individual employees. This meant that certain bays stood vacant when employees were out to meetings, travelling, on leave or absent from work. At any given time at least 30% of the parking bays stood empty while many employees were either being denied parking or being forced to park elsewhere.
Consequently management approached IDtek Solutions to propose a parking management solution. The suggested solution required that bays were not allocated to specific employees but rather that bays were available for use on a first come first served basis. Using ground loops as vehicle counters and digital LED displays IDtek has implemented a solution where the employee is informed upon arrival both at the main entrance and at each parking level how many parking bays are available and in which location.
Under the new system, employees no longer waste time looking for parking bays and more employees are able to use the parking facilities.
What attracted management to the proposed solutions was the company's willingness to visit and spend time at the facility to ensure the suitability of the solution. IDtek presented surprising detail and a responsible project plan.
Julian Thorrold, managing director of IDtek explains: "The solution has merit in circumstances where management is unable to cater for additional parking requirements. By adopting a parking system where bays are not specifically allocated management has effectively managed to cater for the needs of an additional 20% of employees. The alternative would have been to hire or erect additional parking facilities at a far greater cost. In addition, parking for visitors can be managed more responsibly. Furthermore, the solution is PC-based and management can access reports as to historical usage trends for any given time of day."
The ABSA Towers North facility was selected as a pilot site. The implementation of that solution was completed and management is impressed with the results. One of the main difficulties in this facility arose with traffic flowing in two directions over a single point. To cater for this the proposed parking system traffic is now channelled to move in a single anti-clockwise direction throughout the facility. Traffic flow is more organised and upon arrival at any given level the driver is informed where he/she can expect to find parking. Management is so impressed with the pilot that they awarded IDtek the mandate to roll out the solution for all seven ABSA parking facilities in the CDB. A further two of these facilities have been completed to date with four remaining. The end objective is to connect all seven facilities over a wireless network such that at any single point in time the facilities manager is able to see a graphical representation of current and historical trends in each facility and determine an appropriate allocation.
IDtek has recently provided various IP-based integrated electronic solutions at OR Tambo International Airport, Fraser Alexander, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Nationwide Airlines, Ster Kinekor Head Office and Union Tiles. More recently the company has been awarded mandates for fully integrated security and fire solutions for various large logistical facilities worth in excess of R5 million.
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