Whenever I go shopping or to an appointment, I have a tendency to park in the same area as the last time I was there. But sometimes, my favorite parking spaces are taken, depending on the time of day.

It doesn’t take long for my mind to start wondering how fast I can find another parking spot—because aren’t we always rushed these days? Unfortunately, that usually means making several laps around the lot—while passing dozens of other vehicles—all on the same mission. Last year, I remember coming across an astonishing report that revealed we spend approximately 17 hours per year looking for parking. That’s quite a bit of time—and gas—we waste before we even get in the doors.

Rarely does it cross my mind to think about  how much it costs this business  for me to park there. How much does it cost for parking lot striping? Or how much of a beating this parking has taken just today from the traffic?

Recently, my perception changed after I came across a video of a Massachusetts’ mall parking lot. In this video, it’s an obvious representation of how much of an impact a parking lot takes during an 8:00am to 8:00pm business day.

As you’ll see, cars (that can weigh at least 4,000 pounds each) create a constant flow—and ultimately, wear-and-tear on the parking lot. That’s a lot of oil stains, dirt coming off tires, skid marks, and trash blowing in-and-out of cars. It can quickly build up.

That means business owners can’t afford to ignore what’s happening outside their doors—even if it’s the exterior side of their business. In fact, parking lot maintenance is just as important, if not more so, as the inside of a business. We’ve all heard of first impressions, right?

That’s why as a business owner, it’s important to keep an eye on what’s going on when you arrive and leave your property each day. The moment you start spotting an increase of trash, cracks, depressions, stripe fading, or oil stains, it’s time to call a property maintenance company.

At Crestview Property Maintenance  , we begin with a survey of your parking lot and exterior concrete structures like curbs and drains. Then, we create a long-term care plan that maximizes appearance and minimizes the parking lot maintenance costs. The best part is, we manage all of these services for you.

Contact us today for a complete parking lot maintenance and building assessment to ensure you won’t break the bank over time for repair work on your parking lot.