New agreements for paying for parking and charging with the phone
New agreements for paying for parking and charging with the phone
As of October 15, we have new agreements regarding paying for parking and charging by phone. In the future, you can choose to pay for your parking and recharge with: Easypark, E-park, Mobill or Parkster. Choose the app you think is best.
The background is that our agreements with the current suppliers expire and we have procured them again. The procurement has resulted in the two suppliers we had previously: Easypark and Parkster being supplemented by two more: E-park and Mobill. So you will get four apps to choose from.
The reason we bring in more suppliers is so that you, as Borås residents and visitors to the city, can choose the app you find best. A clear customer wish is that the same app should apply everywhere, and we hope that in this way you can use your favorite app and that visitors will not have to download a new app. Another reason we are increasing the number of app providers is to increase competition between apps. We want the suppliers to focus on developing their services to improve simplicity and the service to you who park.
In the procurement, we had a requirement that parking should continue to be cost-neutral. This means that the apps do not have the right to charge any extra fees when paying the parking fee. We compensate the suppliers for maintaining this service. We do this so that you as a customer will not be hit with extra charges when you park. For the apps Parkster, E-park and Mobill, it is controlled by which area code you park in and you can automatically park without extra charge in places managed by Borås kommuns Parkerings AB. For Easypark, you must choose the “Borås Lokal” package to be able to park without extra fees. You will also have to choose back to it if you chose Easypark-Standard in another car park. For more questions about Easypark’s solution, we refer to their customer service on phone: 0770 – 11 22 00 email: support@easypark.net.
However, the suppliers may offer you as a customer additional services and charge for this, such as e.g. paper invoice, company account, family account, etc. A requirement from our side there, however, is that it must be preceded by an active choice from you who park to opt for an extra service.
We do this so that you as a customer do not have to pay more to park and that you can choose the app that suits you best. We have collected some of our most frequently asked questions and answers about what this means for you as a customer. You are also always welcome to contact us if you have any further questions.
Questions and answers
It seems complicated with four apps. Can’t it just be one?
–Of course it would be good to have only one app that everyone likes! We know that our customers think so and we have really tried to listen to it and take it with us in the work. It’s just that all customers who want an app have individual preferences about what that particular app should be. And everyone thinks differently. With four apps, we think you should be able to choose the one you like best. We don’t think it matters to you that other people use other apps. Everyone chooses as they wish and can choose the app they find best. Should you be disappointed with an app, you can also switch. We want you as an individual to be able to simply decide what suits you best.
How did the procurement go? And why are there just four apps?
– As a municipal company, we fall within the Public Procurement Act (Lagen om offentlig upphandling, LOU). Internet services have traditionally been procured through LOU procurements or service concession procurements. Now a new type of procurement has become possible in a so-called authorization system. An authorization system means that we who buy a service set requirements and all those who apply and meet the requirements are granted entry. Unlike an LOU procurement, it enables control of quality and faster development as we can change the requirements on an ongoing basis. We are also strengthening the competition between the suppliers, something that we hope will affect that they all work focused on customer satisfaction.
Won’t it be expensive for you with four apps? Wouldn’t it be better to just have one app?
– We compensate the app providers based on the payments that go through their app. This means that our total costs are independent of how many apps we have. Our internal administrative management and control increases slightly with several apps, but our goal of customer satisfaction weighs more heavily.
How should I park without extra charges? Do I need to do anything?
– For the apps Parkster, E-park and Mobill, it is controlled by which area code you park in and you can automatically park without extra charge in places managed by Borås kommuns Parkerings AB. For Easypark, you must choose the “Borås Lokal” package to be able to park without extra fees. You will also have to choose back to it if you chose Easypark-Standard in another car park. For more questions about Easypark’s solution, we refer to their customer service on phone: 0770 – 11 22 00 email: support@easypark.net.
Is it common for municipalities to have this arrangement?
– Both yes and no. It is common to have multiple apps. Some municipalities, however, leave it free to the app providers to charge optional extra fees.