We launched our beta with a handful of lots. Six months and 50,000 calls later, here's what surprised us.
Callers talk to AI like it's human
Despite knowing Ara is AI (we disclose it upfront), callers treat her like a person. They say please and thank you. They apologize for bothering her.
This means politeness and warmth aren't optional — they're core to the experience.
Speed is the #1 satisfaction driver
When we measured call satisfaction, the #1 factor wasn't accuracy (though that mattered). It was speed. Callers want answers immediately.
People calling a parking lot are usually in their car, already annoyed. Every second of silence makes it worse.
Gate control is the killer feature
We assumed the directory would be most popular. But gate control — "open the exit so I can leave" — is the feature callers love most. There's something about talking to an AI and having a physical gate open for you.
What frustrates callers
Two things consistently frustrate callers:
- Being transferred to a human and having to repeat themselves
- The AI not knowing something specific to their situation
We solved #1 by passing full conversation context during transfers. #2 is solved by better lot configuration during setup.
The surprising request
Callers frequently ask: "Can I just text you instead?" Many prefer texting over calling. SMS follow-ups after calls (receipts, gate codes, directions) have been surprisingly popular.
The lesson: voice is the entry point, but the experience shouldn't end when the call does.