RingGo: Mobile Car Parking App

This app seems to not support non-UK numbers yet requires a number and account to use. It doesn’t communicate the lack of support though, so it’s a very confusing registration experience where you’re essentially just stuck. Edit: The developer responded but it seems to contradict both my experience and their own FAQ which states that international users must reach out to them via a chat system or phone call to register. On my end I did try the fully qualified international phone number. The app did not throw errors, it simply never sent the SMS (which has been working fine for me with other international numbers). I also desperately tried using a shared UK SMS service and even those didn’t work. What’s most baffling is why this step is even needed. All other parking services in UK seem to make the SMS validation step optional for only if you want notifications, not mandatory upon registration. To make this as ergonomic a user experience as possible, the developer should lift this as a requirement for sign up. It is unnecessary friction.

This app is insulting to non-uk visitors and has been for a long time. Any time someone complains on the App Store, there is just a stock answer that the process is slightly different and users should use the Live Chat. Same answer from the developer again and again as if that is a magic answer when it is anything but (and I’ll bet this review gets one just like it) To top it all, there IS NO Live Chat!! There is only an exceptionally feeble chat bot which never answers real questions. It only spews out predefined answers to questions that are already answered elsewhere on the website. The fact that the same review slam consistently keeps coming up on the App Store indicates that RingGo and EasyPark know this and won’t fix it. All RingGo would have to do (if they are indeed being truthful, which the information hiding seems to indicate that they are not) is to describe the registration process for non-UK customers on their website or on the app page. The PayByPhone app from their competitors is much better and far more customer friendly. Cities and towns looking for a parking system would be well advised to stay away from this app as it makes municipalities look like they don’t care about tourism.

Generally speaking a great app but then let’s you down on critical parts - app doesn‘t tell you before selecting the parking time that some locations don‘t allow renewal/extension. Yet you get a reminder to renew 10 min before expire time only to be then told that it can‘t be renewed and let’s you stuck in the location when it could and SHOULD have told you that in advance when selecting the parking time. Customer service quite lousy - I wrote three times to customer service highlighting this point and suggesting this amendment and they never acknowledged the shortcomings of the app on this point. (Mr ROB please address the issues people raise and suggestions they feel are important for this otherwise to become even better instead of not even acknowledging it and ensuring this is past on. I am sure your employer will also appreciate that instead of just ignoring addressing it. Thanks