Technology Details Are Sometimes Optional, But Benefits are Essential

Striking the Right Balance: Technology Speak & Customer Value

By Shelly Carrick

This article originally appeared on Parking Today.com and is republished here with permission.

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Joining the parking tech world has reinforced a personal marketing mantra I developed after almost 20 years in telecom marketing: Technology details are sometimes optional, but benefits are essential.

As marketers, we all know it's important to connect the dots between a product’s features and the value it brings to customers. But in technical industries like telecom and parking, it’s easy to slip into emphasizing how smart or capable a product is, without always clarifying why it matters.

It’s not just about showing off features: It’s about communicating in a way that resonates. For me, that means regularly stepping into the customer’s shoes and asking, “So what? What does this actually do for them?”

Technical-speak isn’t the villain, but clarity is king

One common pitfall, especially when marketing to industries outside traditional parking operations, is assuming everyone speaks the same language as we do. For many of our customers, like universities, residential communities, or municipalities, parking is just one part of a much bigger picture. They’re not all parking experts, and they shouldn’t have to be. So, when we toss around terms like “sensors” or “frictionless systems,” we need to be aware that not everyone will know what these terms mean.

In fact, even within the parking industry, we can muddy the message. We often use terms interchangeably, assuming a shared understanding when there isn’t one. One person’s “sensor” is another’s “camera,” and “frictionless” might mean anything from mobile payment to a gateless environment, depending on who you ask.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of describing what a product is instead of what it does. Saying “our platform integrates with your existing tools” might be technically correct, but it doesn’t hit the mark like, “we help your systems talk to each other, so your team doesn’t have to waste time re-entering info.” Instead of “real-time occupancy analytics,” we can say, “you’ll know how many spots are open before guests arrive.” It's not about dumbing it down: It’s about clarity, relevance, and meeting people where they are.

‍Teaching, not telling

I see technical marketing as an opportunity to inform and empower. That means understanding how busy people process information: quickly and between meetings. It’s not about watering things down: It’s about making them clear.

When we communicate in a way that’s grounded in real-world value, people are more likely to trust us, understand what we’re offering, and see how it fits into their day-to-day lives. That’s when the connection really happens.

‍Final thought

Attention spans are short, and in tech-heavy industries, every second counts. That’s why clear, benefit-driven communication isn’t just a good habit; it’s essential. Since joining the parking industry a few months ago, I’ve worked to bring this mindset into our materials and messaging. It’s a work in progress, but I believe that when we focus on what our technology empowers people to do, rather than just what it is, we create real, lasting value.

SHELLY CARRICK is the marketing manager for Parking Base and a contributing member of the Parketing Collective. She can be reached at shelly.carrick@parkingbase.com, while the collective can be reached at hello@parketingcollective.org.

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