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The protection of data from unauthorized access is known as data security. But what does this mean in relation to parking management? How crucial is data security to the parking business and what kind of data needs to be secured?

Data Security in Parking 

The parking business today doesn’t just involve management, organization and the physical security of the vehicles and cash stores. Thanks to smart parking systems generating data, new dimensions have sprung. Modern parking lots give their users options like online bookings, payment through credit or debit cards, and maintaining e-wallets. But these functions require the user to fill out their personal information and financial details online. This data is stored with the parking company for current and future transactions. This kind of information is very valuable and can be used by fraudsters in various ways. Therefore it becomes crucial for parking companies to protect their customers’ data.

Also Read: The Importance of Data in Smart Parking

Why Invest in Data Security

There are many reasons why parking companies should want to invest in data security services. These may range from building trust to comply with laws. Ensuring safety measures in the organization can provide the following benefits.

1. Customer Trust – Customers provide their relevant financial details and other information so that they do not have to enter it for every subsequent transaction. The trust that the customer places in the organization in doing so should be repaid by preventing the unauthorized access of this personal data.
2. Security Concerns – As innovation happens in the field of information technology each passing day, the chances of a data breach and getting hacked are also increasing. Thus, one of the main aspects for customers in choosing service providers is data security.
3. Legal Compliance – Many local and central authorities have strict laws on unauthorized use and breach of customer data. Failure to comply with the laws can attract strict fines which are neither good for the finances nor for the reputation of the organization.

How to Ensure Data Security

It may be argued that the hassles of data security can be avoided if one refuses to upgrade to match the contemporary business scenario. But that is not the ideal solution, as smart parking technology is reaching a new pinnacle it would be ignorant to not invest in its advances. Thus it is better to opt for measures to secure information.

Data security can be ensured with the following measures-

1. Develop Secure Policies: It is necessary to develop security policies that match the business style of the organization while ensuring the privacy of information. You must keep in mind the size of your organization’s workforce. For example, it may be easy to store customer information in spreadsheets or local files, but it creates a chink in the armor, and thus, secure payment gateway services should be engaged.

2. Hire Experts: Handling the parking business and ensuring data protection at the same time can burden you, and may result in the deterioration of the quality of both objectives. Thus it is recommended to hire a company whose primary job is data protection. This way you can focus on your business while ensuring parking data safety.

3. Documentation: Even if you do fall victim to a data breach, a proper step-by-step documentation process will help you to trace back to the origin of the fraud. Proper documentation and audit can also save the organization’s reputation and help in the court’s proceedings.

4. Enquiry: Enquire about your customers’ data and its protection from the hired data protection company. Staying in the loop always helps in the long run and can bring effective results. There should be transparency about the storage, protection and transmission of parking data.

Data security in parking should be your proactive approach and not a reactive measure. Ensuring data security can not only help in legal situations but can also give you an edge over your competition.