A chatbot to help rent and lease spaces in private parking lots launched in Ukraine

A unique Telegram-bot OkParking, "opening" the gate arms of private car parks to all drivers, was launched in February. OkParking is a convenient chatbot that offers two unique services: drivers to find a free space and park their cars in private parking lots, and parking lot owners to rent their free parking slots to other drivers for a certain period and earn money.

How to rent or lease a parking space through the OkParking chatbot?

In Telegram, find OkParkingBot. Register in the bot by entering your name and phone number (or the bot will pull up your contact with Telegram). Be sure to read the User Agreement and Privacy Policy before use.

If you want to lease your parking space, select the Lease section in the main menu of the chatbot. To add a parking space, just take two simple steps:

1. Choose a location and parking at your address. If you can't find your location or parking lot, please contact OkParkingBot Support.
2. Enter the number of your parking space.

If necessary, OkParking Support Team will contact you in Telegram to confirm the ownership or use of the parking lot. This review is usually done within one business day. After moderation, your parking space will be available to you in the Lease section.

Payment for leasing a parking space is accumulated on the owner's account in the OkParking chatbot. At any convenient time, the owner of the parking lot can withdraw the money to the card of any Ukrainian bank in a few simple steps.

If you want to rent a parking space, select the Rent section in the main menu of the chatbot.

1. If you're using a chatbot for the first time, add information about your car: make, model, and state number.
2. Next, select one of the proposed locations and the parking period. You can park your car for a few hours or a few days.
3. Pay for parking.

After payment, the chatbot will send you a detailed map and instructions for the selected parking space: how to find a parking space, how to get inside, and where the reserved space is.

Payment for parking is fast and convenient simply in the chatbot. You can pay for parking through Apple Pay, Google Pay, LiqPay, Privat24, or by entering your bank card details manually. Please note: the chatbot doesn't see or have any access to your bank details. Payment is made through the processing of the payment system. That is, all confidential information related to payments is encrypted and inaccessible to the chatbot, Telegram, or third parties.

Prices for parking through OkParking vary depending on the location. Taking into account the wishes of the owners of parking lots and analyzing the pricing policy of parking in Kyiv, OkParking offers users the best rates. However, in the near future, the owners of parking lots will be given the opportunity to set the price and change it.

So far, OkParking chatbot offers services within Kyiv: renting and leasing private parking spaces in residential complexes, near business centers, fitness studios, beauty salons, and downtown. The service is currently in pilot mode and invites users, owners, and renters to join the chatbot. In the future, the OkParking team plans to expand its coverage in Kyiv and other major cities in Ukraine.

OkParking is the first Telegram-bot in Ukraine, which opens private parking lots to all drivers and helps solve the problem of lack of parking spaces. Such a solution is also an element of the sharing economy, based on the sharing of material and human resources. Simply put, instead of buying a thing or service, people or companies rent it out. The driver pays the owner for using their private parking, and the owner, in turn, earns money. One of the principles of the sharing economy is that if you don't use it, you lose. That is, OkParking is a kind of Airbnb but in the field of parking.

More information can be found on the official website of the OkParking chatbot at the link: http://okparking.com.ua.