Smart Parking and Asda

BigZig

Hi

First time poster here. Just wanted to say that I got my first 'parking charge notice' from Smart Parking last week after parking in an Asda store car park for 30 minutes longer than the 'free time'. I wasn't sure what to do at first, but a quick google search got me here.

Following the advice given to others, I found out who the store manager was for that particular Asda and kept on ringing until I could speak to him. Once on the phone, I complained about the harassment of Smart Parking and that I thought it was disgusting that they treat paying customers like this. At first, the Store Manager mentioned that it was a deterrent for people using the local high street and that customers supported the decision.

He then stated that, if I could show my receipt from that day, he would cancel it for me. I asked if he kept the receipts for his grocery shopping from two weeks ago (the length of time since the 'incident') and he asked me to see him in store the next day. I went in and asked for him and the customer service attendant phoned him. Although didn't come out to see me personally, he told the customer services guy to take my ticket and my phone number (and didn't check for a receipt) and said he would 'sort it out'.

So, hopefully, that is it now. I just wanted to say thanks for indirect advice on here and to share my success story (on the assumption that he does actually go through with cancelling it!). I found that confidently asking for the store manager's name (which can be found on the Asda website), rather than simply 'the store manager', meant that I wasn't fobbed off/lied to by lower level employees.

nigelbb

BigZig wrote: »

I found that confidently asking for the store manager's name (which can be found on the Asda website), rather than simply 'the store manager', meant that I wasn't fobbed off/lied to by lower level employees.

Great tip! The website provides the local telephone number too.

t's a pity that ALDI don't offer the same degree of accountability to their customers as their website provides neither the manager's name nor even a local telephone number for their stores.