5 ways to better understand your demand partners

For airport commercial teams and car park operators, understanding customers goes far beyond tracking completed bookings. Transaction data tells you who bought what and when, but it doesn’t reveal why they made those decisions, why others didn’t convert, or how you can better serve both groups to maximise revenue potential.

Whether you’re managing non-aeronautical revenue at a medium-sized airport or operating car parks across multiple airport locations, gaining deeper insight into passenger behaviour can transform both revenue performance and operational efficiency. However, the challenge lies in knowing where to look, what questions to ask, and how to turn insights into actionable strategies that justify investment to senior management.

To help address this challenge, here are five practical approaches for building a more complete picture of your demand patterns and customer behaviour.

1) Look beyond transaction data to understand the complete customer journey

While your booking system captures successful transactions, it represents only a fraction of your potential market. For commercial directors accountable for revenue growth and car park operators seeking to maximise conversion rates, the customers who didn’t complete their purchase often provide the most valuable insights for improving commercial performance.

For instance, website behaviour analysis reveals critical conversion barriers that impact your bottom line. How many visitors view your parking options versus how many actually book? If 1,000 people browse your offerings but only 100 complete purchases, this may indicate a fundamental disconnect between your pricing structure and perceived value, or technical barriers in your booking process that particularly affect the growing online booking segment.

In the same way, search pattern analysis helps identify what customers prioritise when evaluating your services. Are they comparing prices across different parking products, checking availability for specific dates, or seeking detailed information about location and shuttle services? By understanding these search behaviours, commercial teams can identify which value propositions resonate most with different customer segments and where marketing messages should focus.

Equally important, booking abandonment point analysis pinpoints exactly where potential revenue is lost in your conversion funnel. High abandonment at the payment stage might indicate technical issues or payment method limitations, whilst early exit during product selection could suggest confusing pricing structures or inadequate product descriptions. For car park operators managing multiple sites, these insights become crucial for identifying system-wide improvement opportunities.

Moreover, return visitor pattern tracking reveals customer decision-making processes that affect your pricing strategy. Multiple return visits before booking might indicate comparison shopping behaviour, price sensitivity, or uncertainty about value propositions. This intelligence suggests opportunities for targeted remarketing campaigns or clearer value communication that could capture these hesitant prospects.

As Mathilde Burtin-Bell, Head of Commercial Services – Ancillaries and Marketplace at CAVU, explains:

Transaction data is useful, but it doesn’t show the full picture. You also need to track customer behaviour. For example, how many people are searching, viewing, or abandoning a price?

If 1,000 people view an offer but only 100 book, something may be wrong with the pricing. Layering in CRM data and other touchpoints helps build a complete view of customer behaviour and improves your ability to tailor offers.

2) Segment customers by trip purpose and operational behaviour patterns

Not all passengers demonstrate identical needs, budget constraints, or price sensitivity levels. Therefore, for airport commercial teams managing diverse revenue streams and car park operators serving varied customer bases, creating clear customer segments enables targeted approaches that optimise revenue across different market segments.

Consider, for example, the differences between business and leisure travellers. Business passengers often book closer to departure dates, prioritise convenience and proximity to terminals over cost considerations, and demonstrate higher tolerance for premium pricing during peak periods.

Leisure travellers, by contrast, typically plan further ahead, show greater price sensitivity, and may accept longer transfer times for better rates. By recognising these distinct behaviours, commercial teams can develop pricing strategies that capture value from both segments without alienating either.

Segmentation also applies to stay duration. Short-stay customers typically demonstrate different price sensitivity levels and product preferences than extended-stay parkers. Business travellers on day trips behave differently from families on week-long holidays. Each segment requires tailored pricing approaches and service offerings that match their specific needs and willingness to pay.

Travel frequency analysis further deepens this picture by helping identify your most valuable customer segments and loyalty programme opportunities. Regular business travellers from your catchment area develop different expectations and demonstrate different loyalty patterns compared to occasional holiday travellers. Understanding these groups informs both pricing strategies and service investment decisions that maximise lifetime customer value.

In addition, geographic segmentation based on customer origin reveals important market dynamics for strategic planning. Passengers from your immediate catchment area may have different ground transport alternatives and price expectations compared to those travelling longer distances to reach your airport. This intelligence becomes particularly valuable for car park operators considering expansion into new airport markets or commercial teams evaluating competitive positioning.

Finally, booking timing behaviour patterns often correlate directly with price sensitivity and service priorities. Customers who consistently book months in advance typically demonstrate different value priorities than those who book last-minute. Taken together, these patterns provide crucial intelligence for dynamic pricing strategies and capacity management decisions.

3) Analyse seasonal and event-driven demand variations

Your demand patterns reflect complex interactions between airline schedules, local events, and broader economic factors. By understanding these external influences, commercial teams managing budget forecasts and car park operators planning capacity investments can identify opportunities for strategic pricing optimisation and resource allocation.

Take the school holiday impact analysis as an example. These periods reveal predictable but significant demand variations that require specific operational responses. Family travel patterns create sustained demand surges with characteristics distinctly different from business travel periods. Families often book further in advance but demonstrate greater price sensitivity, whilst simultaneously valuing convenient, family-friendly facilities. Understanding these patterns helps optimise both pricing strategies and facility investment priorities.

Similarly, local event and conference impact assessment can dramatically affect demand forecasting and pricing strategies. Major sporting events, concerts, or business conferences bring customers with different needs, budgets, and booking patterns than typical airline passengers. For medium-sized airports, these events can represent significant revenue opportunities when properly anticipated and priced, whilst car park operators can optimise capacity allocation across their portfolio based on event calendars.

Seasonal airline schedule variations add another layer of complexity. They affect not just passenger volume but also the fundamental mix of business versus leisure customers using your facilities. These shifts impact optimal pricing strategies, facility utilisation patterns, and staffing requirements. Commercial teams need this intelligence for accurate revenue forecasting, whilst car park operators can use it for strategic capacity management across multiple airport locations.

Weather-related demand patterns also come into play. Seasonal variations in weather conditions can significantly affect customer willingness to pay for premium services such as covered parking or proximity to terminals. This presents pricing optimisation opportunities that many operators overlook.

Finally, broader economic cycles influence your specific catchment area, affecting both travel frequency and price sensitivity among local customers. By understanding these economic influences, commercial teams can develop pricing strategies that remain competitive during downturns whilst maximising revenue during growth periods.

4) Map your competitive landscape and modal share

Your parking revenue operates within a broader transport ecosystem that continues to evolve rapidly. For commercial directors developing long-term strategies and car park operators planning business expansion, understanding competitive dynamics and transport trends provides crucial intelligence for sustainable growth.

Ground transport alternative analysis helps quantify the competitive pressure facing your parking business. Ride-sharing service expansion, public transport improvements, and new taxi services all affect passenger transport choices and price sensitivity. As modal share evolves, parking demand patterns and optimal pricing strategies must adapt accordingly.

Competitor pricing and positioning analysis extends beyond simple rate comparisons. It involves understanding value propositions and market positioning strategies. Nearby airports, off-site parking providers, and alternative transport options each offer different combinations that attract specific customer segments. Analysing these dynamics helps identify market gaps and positioning opportunities for your services.

At the same time, catchment area demographic and economic analysis reveals potential growth opportunities and competitive threats. Understanding where your customers originate highlights underserved areas for targeted marketing whilst pointing to regions facing increased competitive pressure. This intelligence becomes particularly valuable for car park operators evaluating expansion opportunities or commercial teams developing partnership strategies.

Infrastructure development monitoring is another critical factor. New road connections, public transport links, or commercial development in your area can shift customer behaviour patterns and competitive dynamics. Proactive monitoring enables strategic preparation rather than reactive responses to market changes.

Finally, evaluating future transport trends ensures you can anticipate longer-term pressures and opportunities. Electric vehicle adoption, evolving work practices, and emerging transport technologies will all influence parking demand. Those who prepare early will position their businesses advantageously for future market conditions.

5) Use systematic customer feedback and market research

While data analysis reveals behaviour patterns, direct customer feedback explains the motivations and decision-making processes behind those patterns. For commercial teams accountable for customer satisfaction metrics and car park operators building long-term relationships, systematic research provides context that pure data analysis cannot deliver.

Post-booking satisfaction surveys, for example, provide actionable insights into customer priorities and service improvement opportunities. Simple questions about booking experience, product expectations, and satisfaction levels reveal gaps between customer expectations and service delivery that directly impact repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendations. For medium-sized airports with limited marketing budgets, positive customer experiences become crucial for organic growth.

Customer service interaction analysis also captures pain points and unmet needs that may not appear in booking data. Your customer service team handles questions, complaints, and requests that can highlight common operational issues. Analysing these interactions systematically provides valuable intelligence for both service improvement and pricing strategy development.

In addition, price sensitivity and value perception research helps optimise pricing strategies and product development priorities. Understanding what customers value most enables more targeted service investments. Some prioritise convenience, others focus on value for money, and many seek specific combinations of features and pricing that create compelling propositions.

Competitive comparison feedback provides another layer of insight by showing your market position from the customer’s perspective rather than internal assumptions. Understanding what alternatives customers considered and why they chose your services informs competitive positioning and value proposition development. This becomes particularly valuable for car park operators competing across multiple airport markets.

Finally, future needs assessment helps anticipate changing customer requirements and identify new revenue opportunities. Understanding how expectations evolve enables proactive service development rather than reactive responses, creating competitive advantages through early positioning.

Transform customer intelligence into commercial results

Customer insight only creates value when it informs strategic and operational decision-making. By analysing behaviour, segmenting customers, and acting on feedback, commercial teams and car park operators can optimise pricing, focus investment where it delivers the most value, and enhance operational efficiency.

Building these capabilities consistently allows your team to make data-driven decisions that capture revenue opportunities, improve customer experiences, and create a sustainable competitive advantage.

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