On October 14, 2026, IPMI hosted a Frontline Fundamental session titled Ask, Observe, and Improve: The Power of Curiosity on the Frontline.
Presenter:
Dulce Gomez, PTMP, Parking Services Manager, City of Burbank, California
Summary:
The meeting was a Frontline Fundamentals session led by Dulce Gomez, focused on the power of curiosity in the parking and mobility industry. Dulce shared her career journey and emphasized how asking questions and being curious can lead to improved processes, better customer service, and positive changes in the workplace. She provided several examples from her experience in different cities, illustrating how curiosity from staff led to more efficient operations and increased compliance. Dulce discussed the importance of curiosity for personal and professional growth, and encouraged participants to ask questions about their work to foster improvement.
Key Takeaways from the Frontline Fundamental Session:
Curiosity in Parking and Mobility
Dulce Gomez presented on the importance of curiosity in the parking and mobility field, sharing her career journey from starting as a parking enforcement officer to her current role in Burbank. She discussed how different communities require learning new approaches and asking questions, moving away from rigid enforcement perspectives. During the presentation, Gomez used an image of a woman with a parking citation to illustrate how people automatically assume negative outcomes based on past experiences, then encouraged the audience to consider alternative explanations and demonstrate curiosity in their professional approach.
Curiosity in Workplace Innovation
Dulce Gomez discussed the importance of curiosity in the workplace, emphasizing how asking questions like “why” and “how might we improve” can lead to better solutions. They clarified that in parking and mobility services, the concept of customer service should be reframed to focus on serving the population rather than making individual customers happy. Dulce Gomez encouraged participants to speak up, ask questions, and reach out to colleagues in the industry to share knowledge and avoid reinventing existing solutions.
Curiosity in the Workplace
Gomez presented on the importance of curiosity in the workplace, sharing examples from her experience in municipal parking enforcement where asking questions led to process improvements. She explained how curiosity helped identify problems like inefficient tow vehicle release procedures and low parking compliance in certain areas, resulting in solutions like installing a DMV computer and adding proper signage. The presentation emphasized that curiosity helps employees feel valued, improves service delivery, and can lead to career growth opportunities, while also acknowledging that not all ideas succeed but every attempt provides a learning experience.
Access the full Frontline Fundamental in IPMI’s On-Demand Education Library.
Free for Members
$35 for Non-Members
Interested in future IPMI Frontline Fundamentals? Click here to view upcoming programs.