For January’s issue of Parking & Mobility magazine, we asked our experts:
The frontline position has changed significantly over the last decade, yet some core challenges remain. What are the biggest challenges facing today’s Frontline employees, and how can they be overcome?
We had so many great answers that they did not fit in the magazine! Here are more insightful responses:
Larry J. Cohen, CAPP
Executive Director
Lancaster Parking Authority
“Frontline staff have the new challenges of dealing with technology and the potential issues our customers may encounter.”
Christopher Jones
Operations Manager, Ground Transportation & Parking
The Calgary Airport Authority
“In an increasingly polarized world, personal safety and security continue to be a high-priority concern for frontline employees, with several incidents making the news in 2024 across North America. These risks can be mitigated through de-escalation training, technological solutions such as body-cameras, and automated enforcement such as LPR cameras to minimize face-to-face confrontations.”
Scott Petri
President
Mobility Parking Advisors
“The issue of safety is now, more than ever, a concern and priority for Frontline workers. Thankfully, there are many new technologies that enable our Frontline workers to be protected, including body cameras, GPS tracking handheld, and radios. GPS, in particular, provides the ability to easily locate a frontline worker in distress.”
Ali Khaksar
President
TagMaster North America, Inc.
“Today’s frontline parking employees face challenges like managing increased customer expectations, adapting to new mobility trends, and navigating safety concerns, all while operating in a rapidly evolving industry. Investing in advanced technologies like LPR and RFID, robust training, and prioritizing employee well-being, we empower them to deliver exceptional service while enhancing operations and the overall customer experience.”
Katherine Beaty
Executive Vice President of Customer Experience
TEZ Technology
“Today’s frontline employees face challenges like operational inefficiencies, high customer expectations, and adapting to new technologies. Empowering them with intuitive tools, streamlined workflows, and better communication can reduce stress, boost productivity, and enable them to deliver exceptional customer experiences.”
Andrew Sachs
President
Gateway Parking Services
“Frontline parking professionals today are expected to be tech-savvy problem-solvers, juggling real-time issues across complex systems—whether managing payment kiosks, EV chargers, complex PARCS systems, or license plate recognition technology. Yet, the core challenge remains the same: handling unpredictable human behavior with poise while delivering seamless service. Success requires dynamic training that blends technical expertise with critical thinking and customer service skills, empowering employees to adapt on the spot. The biggest challenge is for the managers of frontline workers. They must learn to Invest in people, not just technology, to ensure they can navigate this high-pressure, ever-evolving landscape.”
Daniel Lassiter, CAPP
Director Parking and Transportation
Washington University in St. Louis
“Two challenges which seem to never go away: high workload stress and customer interaction/conflict resolution. High workload and stress often lead to burnout. Challenges associated with adequate staffing to distribute workload, even in our technology-driven industry, have been magnified. The requirement placed on frontline employees to interact with every type of customer requires enhanced training centered around the standards of customer experience, which transcend specific transactions and focuses attention on the overall customer experience.”
Matthew Jones
Regional Manager
Propark Mobility
“Our frontline employees are the backbone of our organization, but long hours and feeling underappreciated can lead to burnout and turnover. We’re committed to building a culture where every employee feels valued, communication is open, and our vision is clear. By tackling these challenges, we can support the people who drive our success and ensure they feel seen, heard, and appreciated from their very first day on the job.”
Matt Brooker
Vice President of Sales
Automotus
“For whatever reason, it seems like people have shorter fuses these days. Combine this with cities ramping up enforcement of safety violations like double parking or blocking bike lanes—where violators often feel exempt because “I was just there for five minutes!”—and the risk of frontline altercations increases. Shifting to automated citation issuance where feasible and transitioning staff to ambassador-type roles can help reduce conflict and foster a more positive dynamic.”
Brandy Stanley, CAPP, MBA
VP, State & Local Market Development
FLASH Parking
“The changing culture of the US over the last years has made public contact much more difficult, especially for government employees who take the brunt of the country’s growing distrust and skepticism of government institutions. Now more than ever, soft skills and the ability to de-escalate conflict are crucial to good customer service and for frontline employees’ physical safety and mental health.”
Debbie Lollar, CAPP
Associate Vice President of Transportation Services
Texas A & M University
“Today, with so many services and transactions available online, frontline employees may have more downtime and may tend to see a higher percentage of their interactions involve the more difficult customer challenges. Boredom and mental and emotional drain can lead to lower job satisfaction and have an impact on mental health. Periodically evaluate their workload, job descriptions and professional development plans to consider if adding new skills and duties or training on improved conflict management strategies may help keep frontline employees satisfied and healthy.”
Erik Nelson, PCIP
Principal
Walker Consultants
“Frontline employees provide service to the public. So long as the public are human beings, the human factor will remain the biggest challenge for front-line employees. Customer service and de-escalation training are essential for frontline employees.”
Faye Morrison
Parking Professional
“As parking uses more technology to improve the parking experience, customer service continues to be a struggle. No one likes being ticketed, and customer/constituent aggression continues to rise for clerks and ticketing.”
John W. Hammerschlag
President
Hammerschlag & Co., Inc.
“In today’s fast-moving world, customer and employee frustration, equipment malfunction, and conflicting priorities proliferate for frontline employees. Successful approaches to resolving these and related issues include friendly but honest communication and follow through, perfecting de-escalation techniques, achieving technological proficiency, and mastering multi-tasking. Easier said than done!”
Click here to see more from the January issue of Parking & Mobility magazine.