Siemens supplies visionary technology for NCP Control Centre

Using state-of-the-art command and control technology supplied by Siemens, NCP’s National Operations Centre (NOC) oversees security, payment and customer services for 200,000 NCP car parking spaces in 25 cities across the UK – all from a single room.

The starting point for the project was an NCP review of parking operations. Working exclusively with Siemens as its technology partner of choice, NCP addressed commercial objectives, business processes and how new technology could be used to improve the customer experience and deliver further operating efficiencies.

The ultimate aim? A future-proof car park management system that would meet commercial goals and clearly identify NCP as the true innovator in the market place.

Satellite Control Centres in the UK

Prior to the NOC, NCP had operated seven satellite Control Centres around the UK. Each managed car parking services, maintained the car park infrastructure and monitored customer security systems on a local level.

Centralisation of these services has enabled NCP to implement a visionary command and control environment, saving manpower and resources while vastly improving the customer experience.

Talking to SMT Online about the project, Peter Hawksworth – managing director at Siemens Building Technologies Security Solutions – explains: “It was a complex job requiring focused delivery to ensure the effective integration of over 1,500 disparate camera types, 1,360 digital recorders, 1,500 barrier entrance points and 2,000 Help Points. We had to contend with a legacy spanning ten years of accumulated products and software combinations.”

Siemens devised a customised finance agreement that proved fundamental to the project’s realisation. The company purchased existing NCP assets across 150 car parks, and then allowed NCP to rent them back at a fixed price for the duration of the contract. This has enabled NCP to reduce its cost of ownership over the contract period by more than 20%.

State-of-the-art Customer Services Centre

At the heart of the operation is a state-of-the-art Customer Service Centre which, on average, deals with 3,000 enquires every day. Each control desk has a bank of six screens displaying real-time audio and visual information including CCTV footage which is relayed back from each of the car parks.

The new technology allows operators to connect directly to each entry and exit system, CCTV camera or pay station in any NCP car park across the UK, enabling 95% of customer problems to be resolved quickly and efficiently within minutes.

Speaking from an NCP perspective, Neil Robson explained: “The majority of customer calls involve getting into or out of a car park, or they’re queries over payment. A typical problem would be the incorrect use of a pay station resulting in a machine jamming. In this situation, the operator can view live CCTV footage and assist the customer, even opening the exit barrier if required.”

Robson added: “Another scenario could be a customer reporting that a machine is unable to issue a receipt. The operator can check if the correct payment has been made, and then issue the appropriate receipt directly to the customer via the pay station.”

Mobile response solves problems

The remaining 5% of customer queries are resolved by NCP’s mobile response team which can be called upon to offer on the ground assistance if the NOC are not able to reach resolution over the telephone. Their responsibilities include routine equipment maintenance such as replenishing machines with change and stocking up receipt rolls. In turn, this helps reduce customer calls to the NOC.

Robson explained: “A surprising by-product of the new CCTV system is the footage showing the number of customers that illegally leave the car park by either tailgating or forcing their way through the barriers. One clip showed up to six cars, including a Porsche, tailgating out of an NCP car park.”

The CCTV cameras are positioned at barriers to capture high definition footage of registration plates. Members of the NCP revenue protection team view footage from all the car parks and, in addition to accessing data showing flow of traffic, yield analysis and trend analysis can also view contravention reports.

“When a non-payer is identified,” said Robson, “we’re able to issue a notice of contravention to the DVLA along with evidential CCTV footage showing the number plates of the vehicle concerned. The DVLA will then notify the driver that they have committed a parking offence, and that individual may then be liable for a fine of up to GB pound 200. The system has been live for a few months now, and has resulted in a significant number of successful prosecutions.”

‘Next generation’ car parking model

Siemens is already working on the ‘next generation’ car parking model. A live trial of the Virtua system is currently assessing the concept of a ticketless, barrier-free car park where customers pay online to negate the need for pay stations. As well as improving the customer experience, Siemens Virtua will reduce car park crime while also significantly cutting back on hardware, maintenance and service costs.

Robson concluded: “The NOC provides a showcase for the future of car parking technology. We’re delighted that, following visits to the NOC, our system has subsequently been adopted by operators in Australasia, the United States of America, Asia and Europe. Having said that, we’re not content to rest on our laurels, and we’re working with NCP to constantly evolve the NOC offer.”