When you run a business, one of the things that you'll need to pay attention to is the parking situation. If you have a parking lot adjacent to your building, there are likely some handicapped spots close to the walkway that leads to your front door, and you may also have a designated fire lane marked in the event of an emergency. Ideally, those who park on your property will do so properly — in other words, staying out of the fire lane at all times, and only parking in a designated handicapped spot if they have the appropriate permit displayed on the dashboard. Occasionally, you'll identify a vehicle that is parked illegally and you may plan to have it towed. Before doing so, here are some steps to take.

Announce The Vehicle's Description Over The PA

As soon as you notice that a vehicle is parked in your lot illegally, your first step should be to note the make, model, color, and license plate number of the vehicle. Then, go back inside and make an announcement over the public address system. Ask for peoples' attention, and then explain that a vehicle is parked illegally. Give the relevant description of the vehicle, and then ask the driver to report to the parking lot immediately to move the vehicle. In a non-threatening manner, state that the vehicle may be towed if the driver doesn't move it in a timely fashion.

Ask People Directly

If no one responds to your PA announcement within a few minutes, you may wish to make it again. Should doing so fail to yield the driver, one option is to recruit some staff members to circulate throughout your business to ask people directly. Doing so depends on the size of your business; if you run a big box store, this approach may not work. However, if you have a smaller business, it's reasonable for you and a few staff members to be able to approach each customer to ask about the parked vehicle within a matter of minutes.

Ask Neighboring Businesses To Make An Announcement

Depending on the location of your business and the layout of the parking lot, it's possible that the driver of the illegally parked vehicle isn't under your roof. Perhaps he or she is in an adjacent business, despite having parked close to your location. If this situation is applicable to you, visit the manager of the adjacent business or businesses to explain the situation. Provide the details about the vehicle and ask someone to make an announcement. Should these three steps fail to yield the driver, you may call a towing service to get the towing process started.

For more information, contact companies like Aces Roadside Towing.

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