The summer is sizzling on, and the weeks are flying by. Store promotions soon will announce that, indeed, it’s time to go back to school. Whether you personally love the Fall routines or not, they bring changes to your parking lot. The ebb and flow of traffic, the changes in pedestrian movement, the sales and events: they all affect the needs of your parking lot. So, adjust with back-to-school sweeps! Let’s take a few minutes to strategize.
Schedule Changes
If your parking lot is not right near a school, back-to-school sweeping changes may seem irrelevant. However, your parking lot will see a shift in traffic this time of year. If your lot is typically slower in the morning hours, you can expect that to change. Commuters will begin fueling up earlier to beat the morning rush. Patrons will be in the drive-thrus before sunrise. And students will be grabbing those gas station coffees before that dreaded 8am class. Adjust your schedule with your sweeping company so your lot is clean and pristine for the early crowd.
Let’s explore the other side of the spectrum. Is your parking lot located in a tourism town? If so, you may actually want to remove a sweep or two from your schedule. Or, you may need to move a sweep from the weekend to a weekday. Talk to your local parking lot advisor about this tricky situation. They will help you analyze your flow of traffic to determine a sweeping schedule that will meet your off-season needs.
Second Adjustment
Once you have determined that new Fall schedule, be ready to adjust! Scheduling parking lot sweeping is a bit of an art. You may have had a perfect Fall sweeping schedule last year. You could plug and play and hope for the best. But if you regularly monitor your needs and maintain flexibility, you will want to fine tune your schedule. A new smoothie shop in your outparcel two doors down from the public library may increase morning trash. Possibly, you need to add midday day portering to this lot, rather than an extra sweep. Many scenarios could affect your sweeping and cleaning needs. Be sure to keep a monitoring eye and a flexible mind. Your parking lot will be at its best when you are willing to make that second adjustment.
Sales, Sales, Sales
Last, but certainly not least: the back-to-school sales events for which this article is named. Oh, sure, it’s all a marketing ploy. But it still affects your parking lot in a big way! Students must buy backpacks, clothes, supplies, and more! They will descend upon your department stores over the next 4 weeks. In their rush to be on time and in fashion, they will drop straw wrappers, receipts, and plastic bags. Avoid an unsightly, unhealthy parking lot, paved with litter. Prepare for this increase in traffic now; schedule extra sweeps each week leading up to the start of school in your area. These sweeps won’t indicate a permanent schedule change. They will just carry you through until the sale traffic dies down; your parking lot will then settle into a new schedule for Fall.
So that’s it! Back-to-school sweeps will vary from region to region, town to town, and lot to lot. Your trusted parking lot advisor will be your go-to help when determining your needs. Be ready for this season with a good schedule, willingness to adjust, and extra sweeps for sales.
