Businesses Caught With Dirty Asphalt – Sweep Your Parking Lots

“I am literally disgusted by this parking lot”-Erin G, via Yelp.
“DO NOT PARK HERE!!!!” –Barb B, via Yelp.
“The parking lot is dirty and smelly. It seems a little shady, but has acceptable parking if there really is no other choice.”-Hanny O via Yelp.
Wait really? Hundreds of people have written Yelp reviews on parking lots? Correct, and they even add pictures.

There is a general expectation of cleanliness when it comes to parking. Most people may not notice that a parking lot is clean, but it definitely stands out when it is dirty; even just a little dirty. But I thought all asphalt and stripes were created equal? You would be wrong. A dirty parking lot is an immediate red flag that you are in a place where you and your car might not be safe.

Parking Lot Sweeping Keeps Things Safe

At some point in time, parking lots became creepy. Maybe it was from the horror film P2, maybe people just feel lost in parking lots. I’m not sure when, but at some point, people just stopped feeling safe on striped asphalt. Fortunately few people experience any fear when exposed to a clean and well-maintained parking lot.

While there are few Yelp reviews raving about how an establishment’s parking lot is clean beyond the reviewer’s wildest dreams, studies have shown that a clean or well-landscaped parking area can have a significant effect on how people approach a business. A recent study from the University of Washington found that consumers respond 3 to 4 times more positively to well-landscaped strip malls. Shoppers at these malls are willing to pay 8.8% more at strip malls that have been beautifully landscaped. While landscaping may be a key factor to bringing in more customers and higher profits, guaranteeing a positive consumer experience begins with having a clean parking lot.

We have all seen the parking lots of businesses trying to cut costs by letting trash accumulate. As customers begin to notice a business cutting back on parking lot sweeping services, day porters and even basic pressure washing, they often do not hesitate to take their business elsewhere. Sometimes avoiding commercial parking lot sweeping turns into a nasty Yelp review, but more often it turns into something worse; a subconscious decision to shop somewhere safer, nicer, and cleaner.