The True Cost of Empty Spaces: Rethinking Parking as an Underutilised Asset

Written by
KERB
Published on
October 15, 2025

When most organisations think about parking, they think about convenience or necessity. A car park is simply there to support staff, customers, or residents. But what is often overlooked is the cost of underused spaces. Every empty bay represents wasted opportunity, whether measured in lost revenue, reduced customer satisfaction, or operational inefficiency.

Parking, when managed well, is more than a utility. It is a strategic asset. The problem is that too many organisations treat it as static, leaving value on the table every single day.

The Hidden Financial Drain

An empty parking space might not feel like a loss until you start doing the maths. A mid-sized hotel or office could have dozens of spaces sitting idle at any given time. Multiply those empty bays by a daily or hourly rate, and the numbers add up quickly.

  • Lost revenue: Spaces that could be sold or reserved go unused.
  • Opportunity costs: Customers who can’t find parking may turn to competitors.
  • Maintenance waste: Organisations still pay to clean, light, and secure underutilised areas.

This is not just about short-term earnings. Over time, poor utilisation reduces the return on investment of the entire property.

The Customer Experience Factor

Parking plays a bigger role in customer experience than many businesses realise. When spaces are poorly managed, it creates confusion and frustration long before someone reaches the front door. Guests who cannot easily find a suitable spot may start their visit feeling stressed, while staff who spend time searching for parking arrive distracted and frustrated.

When availability is unclear or allocation is inconsistent, people quickly form the impression that parking is scarce, even when spaces are sitting idle. This erodes trust and makes the entire arrival experience feel disorganised, which can have a lasting impact on satisfaction and loyalty.

Parking as a Dynamic Asset

To get the most out of their car parks, organisations need to rethink parking as more than static infrastructure. With the right digital tools, parking can become a managed, revenue-generating asset rather than an overlooked necessity.

KERB gives operators greater visibility and control over how spaces are used. By digitising access, allocation, and payment, it becomes easier to identify underutilised areas, make informed decisions about how spaces are assigned, and open up new revenue streams.

Instead of leaving spaces idle, operators can manage them more strategically and deliver a fairer, more consistent experience for everyone who uses the site.

Wider Business Impacts

The ripple effects of smarter space management go beyond parking:

  • Higher occupancy equals stronger revenue streams.
  • Improved satisfaction builds loyalty. Guests, staff, and visitors appreciate consistency and fairness.
  • Operational efficiency reduces friction. Less time is wasted managing disputes or confusion.
  • Strategic flexibility increases resilience. Spaces can be adapted for EV charging, car-share, or logistics when required.

Ultimately, empty parking spaces don’t just cost money, they cost opportunity, trust, and future growth.

The Takeaway

Every square metre of a property has value. Treating parking as an afterthought leads to empty spaces, lost revenue, and frustrated users.

By transforming parking into a managed, dynamic asset, organisations can unlock financial, operational, and customer benefits that reach far beyond the car park.

KERB gives businesses the tools to do exactly this, ensuring that no space sits idle when it could be working harder. Parking may once have been overlooked, but today it is a cornerstone of operational success and customer satisfaction.

See what KERB can do for your organization…
… and why KERB is one of the the most powerful parking technology platforms in the world. Book a demo, and we’ll show you exactly what it can do for your team (hint: you’re going to be really impressed).
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