Parking Lot Maintenance
Part of running a business is ensuring each component is in good, working order. One of the most often overlooked aspects is properly maintaining your parking lot. It might seem like a non-issue, but it is your customers' and clients' first contact with your business. They must drive their cars and walk over it. A pristine parking lot probably won't be applauded because your customers will not think about it, but a poorly maintained lot surely will be on their minds.
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Parking Lot Maintenance
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Your first line of defense should be implementing a routine inspection of the parking lot. Decide whether you have the manpower to do this yourself or if you need to hire outside help. Whatever your decision, a periodic report should be provided that details the status of your parking lot. This could be done weekly, monthly, or quarterly. The reports should change depending on your location's climate; colder climates tend to wreak more havoc on parking lots than warmer climates. Once you have an inspection plan in place, deal with problems as they arise.
The next step is to seal cracks and patch potholes. Cracks are present in most parking lots; the lot will never be perfect. However, while smaller cracks can be ignored for a time, big, gaping cracks should be taken care of immediately. Use tar to patch cracks. Tar can also be used to cover up potholes. Potholes are dangerous not only to the cars that drive over them but also for the clients and employees who must walk the parking lot every day; they can trip and fall.
Finally, make sure the lines in the parking lot are clear and are not fading. Clear, bright lines will keep your parking lot organized and make it look inviting. Just as you would wear a dress shirt and a tie to meet new clients, your parking lot also should look the part.
To ensure the longevity of your maintenance and repairs, think about seal-coating the parking lot. Most paving companies offer this service. The disadvantage is having to wait for the coating to dry. If your business is not open on the weekends, the weekend would be a good time to seal-coat the lot.
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