Calgary’s 249-room International Hotel is located in the heart of the city’s business district and close to attractions such as Eau Claire Market and Calgary Convention Centre. An Impark client since 1995, the Hotel’s 200-car garage had always been operated with an attendant who was typically on site for 12 hours a day.

This changed in November of 2004. Upon Impark’s recommendation, the Hotel’s General Manager, Tony Arevalo, agreed to replace the existing process with an automated parking control system. The new system consists of 2 electronic paystations that are located at convenient access points in the garage, plus the Impark Wireless Hotel-Pass.

“With the old process, there were inevitably line-ups at some point in the day at the attendant booth,” explains Arevalo. “Customers and hotel guests often complained about having to wait to get out of the garage.”

Issues also arose around lost hotel guest passes. “With a paper-based system, it’s inevitable that some guests will lose their passes which causes an additional delay at the attendant booth,” admits Arevalo.

With the Impark Wireless Hotel-Pass and the electronic paystations, these problems no longer exist.

Now, guest parking is tracked without any paper. Guests provide their license plate number upon check-in. The number is entered into the Impark Wireless System, which immediately informs the Impark patrol department that the vehicle belongs to an authorized hotel guest.

“Guests are still amazed by the new system,” says Arevalo. “You wouldn’t believe how many still say ‘That’s it?--you mean I don’t have to have a pass?’ when we check them in.”

With the introduction of conveniently located electronic paystations, non-guests also have it easier. Instead of paying on the way out or on the way in (and often waiting in line to do so), non-guests just free-flow into the garage, park, and pay on foot as they head to their destination.

Arevalo admits, “Since the changeover to Impark Wireless and electronic paystations, I am pleased to say that the service has been excellent, our customers are happier and we are also pleased to report our revenues have increased substantially.”

For more information on Impark Wireless, please visit www.imparkwireless.com.