Saba (99.5% CriteriaCaixa) is a benchmark industrial operator in development of solutions in the field of urban mobility, specialising in car park management. It implements its activity with an industrial vision in all areas of the parking sector and has excellent locations, resulting from a selective growth policy to ensure the highest standards of quality, innovation and experience. All this under the guiding principle of customer support as a central pillar, Saba’s differentiating factor.
At the close of 2020, Saba had a workforce of more than 2,068 people and was present in 182 cities in nine countries in Europe and Latin America, managing 1,155 car parks and 387,379 parking spaces.
Saba’s business model is based on the privileged geographical location of its assets, excellence in its service quality and commercial approach, in addition to the proactive introduction of technology, the management of its contracts and an adequate size that facilitates efficiency, competitiveness and internationalisation. The Group has a combination of assets at various stages of their life cycle, most of them in a mature phase with high margins, something which enables the financing of assets that are still in their development stage. The average duration of the contracts is currently 20 years, thus guaranteeing the future of the company.
Saba’s mission is to become a leading European operator in public mobility services and infrastructure management through continuous, selective and sustainable growth. Preserving its industrial character with a committed, responsible and active participation in management is part of Saba’s operating philosophy, with a long-term approach to the advancement of its business interests.
Average contract duration is currently 20 years, thus guaranteeing the future of the company
The internationalisation of the CCC is consolidated, with 235 connected car parks in Spain, Italy and Portugal
Saba works to ensure it has the most cutting-edge innovation and new business strategies, incorporating in this way smart services related to the mobility of people and vehicles. It was a pioneer in the installation of OBEs in Spain (VIA T) and successfully promoted this system in Chile (TAG), Italy (Telepass) and Portugal (Via Verde), as well as in charging using QR technology. It has a website and app that have already been rolled out in various Saba countries, through which 100% digital products can be purchased. In addition, Saba has promoted new control systems, discount automation at payment machines, number plate reading at car park entrances/exits and the development of services associated with the car, especially for electric vehicles, and the car park (3G coverage, remote management, among others), as well as new sustainable last mile urban micro-distribution activities. Saba understands the car park as a service hub in the sustainable urban mobility sector; all this within a framework of actions focusing on energy efficiency that result in greater savings and optimisation of management.
Saba strives to be a benchmark Group in areas such as efficiency, technological innovation and commercial proactivity. In this regard, our Customer service and Control Centre (CCC) responds in a cross-cutting manner to this Group positioning. The CCC has improved the level of customer support, not only acting as a remote management centre, but as a true Contact Centre with a business outlook, enabling Saba to increase the quality of support to its customers.
In 2020, Saba’s CCC continued to consolidate its reference role beyond remote car park management, in the ongoing pursuit of improved customer experience. In this regard, 2020 represented the continuation of the process of internationalising the CCC that started in 2017, and was consolidated in 2019, with 235 connected car parks in Spain, Italy and Portugal.
In addition, Saba laid the foundations for connection of UK car parks, which will begin deployment in early 2021.
In December 2020, Saba received 158,744 requests related to commercial activity and Customer Service through its various communication channels in Spain, Chile, Italy, Portugal and the United Kingdom. Work on integrating information from Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia is planned. Additionally, the CCC handled 1.4 million interphone calls from the Spanish, Italian and Portuguese car parks, representing an average of about 3,780 calls a day, solving all kinds of incidents and operating remotely, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
The Group’s people and activities were affected by the health crisis caused by COVID-19 during 2020.
As a result of this widespread pandemic, extraordinary measures were imposed during the 2020 financial year to restrict business activity and freedom of movement of people and vehicles in all the countries where Saba operates, greatly impacting the car park service provided by Saba.
However, Saba, as the provider of the public car park service, relevant as an accessory activity and necessary to facilitate the action of critical and essential services, has continued to offer this service to citizens and its customers, except for some private centres and, in the initial months of the pandemic, many of the above ground regulated areas, where activity was suspended due to indications of the corresponding municipalities.
The Group monitored the pandemic throughout the year to minimise its impact, protecting the safety of employees and providing support to customers, as well as ensuring sufficient liquidity to operate normally.
These actions are itemised in Chapter 2 of this document.
Saba has monitored the pandemic continuously to minimise its impact at all times
