4A-Forming An Opportunity Belief

Beginning Point:

There is an opportunity to find free and accessible parking. How many times have you or your family traveled to a large city or gone to an event and searched for a parking spot close to where you need to be and doesn’t cost much? You’ve looked for hours to park your car and still can’t find a spot. Frustrated, you park your vehicle wherever there is space, but then you come back, and you have a ticket. There should be an app to tell drivers about all available parking spots and at what times these spots usually fill up. The individuals I think would have this unmet need are college students or people who live in large cities. However, for right now, we will focus on college students residing in Gainesville. This need has come from the lack of parking during certain hours on and around campus. Currently, students are either parking illegally or park in garages and paying a fee. I am about 60% sure that an opportunity exists.

Prototypical customer 1: a college student that lives on campus (Ex: Beaty Towers)

1. If you have had an issue with finding parking in Gainesville, when did you notice?

I started noticing that parking was difficult to find parking within the first month of Freshman year.  

2. How many days, on average, do you look for parking on and off-campus?

I believe that I typically look for parking at least three times a week. There are certain times when parking on campus is worse, even with a decal. Usually, after 5, parking by the dorms gets packed. The parking situation is the worst when events are being held on campus because you have to fight other students and visitors. I don’t go off campus too much for me to talk about parking outside the university.  

3. Has the parking situation caused you to avoid certain activities?

Yes and no. I try to be back before specific times. Parking gets pretty bad in the afternoon and at night, so I try to avoid leaving during those times. 

4. How you currently finding parking on and off-campus? On average how long does it take

Now, I drive around until there is parking. Sometimes I find parking quickly and sometimes it’s a while. I’ve had times where I have looked for an hour and had to park far away from my dorm. 

5. Would an app indicating where open parking spots help, and would you use it? 

I think an app would help, but I think I would have to be really frustrated to download it.

Reflection: The student has had trouble with parking but not enough for them to download an app. I was correct; there was a problem, but maybe not big enough for it to be an opportunity. 

Prototypical customer 2: a student that leaves near campus (Ex: The Standard)

1. If you have had an issue with finding parking in Gainesville, when did you notice?

Freshman year

2. How many days, on average, do you look for parking on and off-campus?

Maybe two days a week. My apartment has a garage that I park in, and I usually walk to campus 

3. Has the parking situation caused you to avoid certain activities?

Only on days when there is an event on campus, driving and parking become annoying then. 

4. How you currently finding parking on and off-campus? On average, how long does it take?

If I need to find parking, I drive around until I see one. Maybe 30 minutes at most 

5. Would an app indicating where open parking spots help, and would you use it?

I would personally not download the app because I haven’t really had any issues finding parking.

Reflection: Since this person’s apartment complex has a garage, they already have a spot available. Plus, they live close to campus. It is good to realize that some apartment complexes offer parking spots to the residents, but those close to campus typically have to pay a monthly fee. 

Prototypical customer 3: a student that lives off Archer (Ex: The Enclave)

1. If you have had an issue with finding parking in Gainesville, when did you notice?

I probably noticed my freshman year 

2. How many days, on average, do you look for parking on and off-campus?

I have to drive campus every day, so I have to look for parking almost daily. I have to go to my sorority, so around dinner time is the worst time to find parking. Also, with living so far off campus, it is frustrating that I can’t drive to campus during the day.  

3. Has the parking situation caused you to avoid certain activities?

I haven’t necessarily avoided activities, but I make sure to leave earlier to ensure that I have time to find parking.

4. How you currently finding parking on and off-campus? On average, how long does it take?

Now, I find parking by finding the spots that are usually open, and if that doesn’t work out, I drive around until I see one. The longest it has taken me to find parking is about 45 minutes. 

 5. Would an app indicating where open parking spots help, and would you use it?

 I would use it; it could help cut my time searching for a place in half and cause me less stress.

Reflection: it seems that parking is pretty bad for students that live far from campus, and the opportunity for the app is more significant with these students.  

Summary: 

I still think that there is a problem with finding parking. However, I don’t think the problem is strong enough to motivate students to download and use the program. Not being able to find parking can be annoying and frustrating for the students, but there is not enough pain and suffering for a person to actually use the app. Of the students interviewed, only one would definitely use the app.  While there is a problem, I don’t think there is an opportunity for the app specifically. In conclusion, I do not feel my opportunity is more accurate than I started. 

I believe it is vital for entrepreneurs to adapt their products to their customers. If the customers don’t like the idea of your product or find an entrepreneur that listens to them, they won’t buy your product. Without customers, you have no income.