Tuesday’s outage: Google lost a third of London, Hozah kept going
10 servers down in one go, and not one parking transaction lost. Here’s how Hozah’s systems recovered from Tuesday’s Google Cloud outage
6 days ago
Urban mobility and car park management are evolving, and Grosvenor Shopping Centre is leading by example. When the site’s barrier-controlled parking system began failing drivers and staff alike, a smarter, scalable solution was urgently needed. Hozah stepped in with a full deployment of its barrierless AutoPay and ecosystem technology, delivered and installed in just three weeks, to significantly improve reliability, reduce operational burden, and increase revenue.
From manual bottlenecks to seamless automation
Grosvenor faced major challenges with its existing setup:
- Barrier equipment frequently broke down, with replacement parts taking months, sometimes up to a year, to source.
- Drivers were often stuck at the barriers due to camera misreads or underpayments, leading to long queues and frustrated customers.
- Staff were constantly fielding intercom requests, manually releasing vehicles, and losing revenue in the process.
- Following the withdrawal of their parking operator, Grosvenor urgently needed a cost-effective alternative that could be implemented quickly and run reliably.
Hozah’s solution was to modernise the site using its AutoPay system, upgrade ANPR cameras, and deliver a barrierless, free-flow environment while maintaining optional manual override control for security purposes.
Ample signage was installed throughout the car park to explain the new process. Although barriers now opened for all vehicles, this signage and user flow design ensured drivers still understood they needed to pay, dramatically improving compliance.
Smart upgrades without the disruption
By integrating Hozah’s software with existing infrastructure, there was no need for a costly rip-and-replace. Instead, the site was converted into a fully digital environment, featuring:
- AutoPay: a register-once solution allowing drivers to be automatically billed after leaving.
- PayByWeb: enabling one-off mobile payments without the need for accounts or app downloads.
- Remote barrier control: allowing staff to override as needed via smartphone.
- Advanced ANPR read rates: reducing entry/exit errors and improving billing accuracy.
The new system also enabled smarter features such as automated permits, season ticket integration, and future options for emissions-based pricing and dynamic tariffs, forming part of the wider Hozah Ecosystem.
Reliable performance, measurable success
From the first month, Grosvenor saw immediate improvements in operational performance, user satisfaction, and revenue recovery.
Key results:
- +21% increase in tariff revenue
- +15% increase in dwell time
- +8% rise in footfall
- Lower operational costs due to reduced manual interventions and equipment failures
- Faster transactions and smoother customer journeys
- Higher repeat visits due to improved driver experience
These benefits were reinforced by robust analytics tools built into the Hozah platform, providing the management team with real-time data on occupancy, compliance, user types, dwell time, and more.
We are very impressed by the Hozah team’s ability to complete a full site install within just a few weeks! Our drivers now have different methods of payment available to them, making their journey easier. This shows on the bottom line too, revenue has seen very healthy increases in a relatively short time.
A long-term solution with short-term impact
Grosvenor’s rapid deployment of Hozah AutoPay and the broader Hozah Ecosystem delivered meaningful results from day one, increased revenue, reduced staff time, and greater driver satisfaction. Most importantly, it set the foundation for a scalable, cost-efficient parking experience that can adapt and grow with the site’s future needs.
Want to learn more about this project? Email us directly at sales@hozah.com for a full case study…
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