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Managed Waitlist

The Managed Waitlist system automates the process of assigning available permits to waitlisted users. Its primary purpose is to reserve available permits, notify designated administrators, and allow them to manually assign the permit to a user within a specific timeframe before it is released back to the waitlist. This article is intended for OPS-COM administrators responsible for managing parking inventory and waitlists.

Setup and Configuration

Before utilizing the managed waitlist, administrators must enable the core system settings and configure waitlists for individual lots.

Admin Side:

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

  2. Click the Permits tab.

  3. Enable the Enable Managed Waitlist checkbox.

  4. Enter admin emails into the Waitlist Email Managers field. Multiple email addresses can be separated by commas. These email addresses will be notified when a permit becomes available for waitlisted users.

  5. Enter the amount of time that is being given to users to purchase permits in the Waitlist Reservation Duration box. This value is measured in days.

Enabling the Managed Waitlist setting makes the core waitlist system active, but you must still explicitly enable waitlists on individual lots for them to be used.

Enabling Waitlists on Individual Lots:

Instructions for enabling waitlists for specific lots can be found on the Pricing & Lot Admin page, under the Standard Permits section. Waitlists can be set up for individual lots or configured as grouped waitlists that cover multiple locations. Configure the Only Allow Waitlist after lot is Full setting to determine whether users will see the option to join a waitlist even before all permits for a designated lot are sold out, or only once the lot reaches full capacity.

Waitlist Email Templates:

There is a standard email template you can configure for communicating with your users. To learn more about working with email templates, refer to the Waitlist Email Templates article.

User Side:

Administrators can configure the option to allow users to see their rank on the waitlist via the public portal.

  1. Hover over System Configuration and click System Settings.

  2. Navigate to the Permits tab and enable the Show Waitlist Rank checkbox.

To see exactly how this appears to the end-user, refer to the User Experience page.

The Managed Waitlist emails sent to users automatically include both the exact purchase deadline date and time to prevent users from losing their spot due to confusion.

Using this Feature

Administrators can use the following instructions to manage waitlist assignments, process extensions, and communicate with users.

Assigning a User a Permit from the Waitlist

When a permit becomes available in a lot with a waitlist, the admin will be notified via the email addresses set up in the Waitlist Email Managers field. The permit will be actively reserved for assignment to users on the waitlist.

  1. Hover over Parking Management, hover over Waitlists, and click Waitlist.

  2. Click the Assign button to associate the selected user to the permit you wish them to have on the Waitlist screen.

Releasing or Extending an Assigned Permit

If the amount of time you set in the Waitlist Reservation Duration passes and the user has not purchased a permit, the admin will be sent an automated email. The admin then has the option to release the permit so it can be assigned again, or to extend the user's time to pay.

  1. Return to the Waitlist page and click the Permit icon beside the target username.

  2. Click the Release Permit button to remove the association, or click the Extend button to add 10 more days directly from the Parking Permit Information page.

Available Actions and Buttons

Administrators can utilize the following buttons from the main Waitlist screen:

  • Remove Selected From Waitlist: Click this button to completely remove individual or multiple records from the waitlist.

  • Email All Listed Users: Click this button to send a single, bulk email message to all users currently displayed in the table.

  • Email Selected Users: Click this button to send an email only to those specific users you have individually selected.

  • Export to Excel: Click this button to export the entire waitlist table as an Excel spreadsheet for further analysis or external record-keeping.

Best Practices and Considerations

  • Establish clear communication: Customize the Waitlist Selected email template to clearly inform users about the permit offer, the purchase deadline, and next steps.

  • Create a defined process: Establish internal procedures for managing permit offers, extensions, and removals from the waitlist to ensure consistency and fairness.

  • Monitor admin inboxes: Ensure the email addresses defined in Waitlist Email Managers are actively monitored by the appropriate staff to facilitate prompt assignment and follow-up.

  • Set a realistic reservation duration: Set a realistic and fair reservation duration, balancing user convenience with the administrative need to quickly reassign permits if offers are not taken up.

  • Leverage reporting tools: Use the Waitlist Report and export features to analyze demand, identify trends, and accurately refine your permit allocation strategies.

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