Tag Archives: suppliers

Industry Disconnect: Cutting Edge vs. Reality

October 11, 2021 Kim Fernandez Leave a comment

By Kevin White, CAPP, AICP

I fear there may be a disconnect developing between a lot of parking and mobility industry discourse around new, “cutting edge” technology and many municipalities and parking operations across the United States and beyond. It seems every time I turn around, there are new vendors and technologies and solutions flooding the parking and mobility market. The creativity and innovation are welcome; new ideas, people, and technologies are essential for continued industry growth and advancement. That said, it’s dizzying at times, and we professionals work to stay on top of all the developments.

New technologies, cameras, sensors, apps, “big data,” “integrated solutions,” curb management, micro-mobility, and other topics have been en vogue in our industry in recent years. We all love talking about and learning about what’s new, what’s cutting edge. These topics are essential, but I fear that industry discussion and solutions being proposed are aimed predominantly at the upper “1 percent” of cities and operators—large, dense, urban, and multi-modal cities or other large operators with dedicated staff, expertise, and resources.

Our dialogue and solutions presume a certain level of parking and mobility expertise, a certain level of resources and operational savvy to even be able to consider or understand the new ideas, new ways of managing curb space or parking and mobility systems, or the new latest and greatest technology.

I think we are failing to speak to the lion’s share of the municipalities and parking operators across this country: the medium and smaller communities that still need to manage parking and mobility systems but do not have dedicated staff, specific parking knowledge or training, or are constrained to complete fundamental management tasks, who may not collect parking and mobility data or even know what to collect or how to use it. These communities may also struggle with limited resources and staff time.

We need to do more as industry professionals to create a dialogue, a message, and a set of solutions that reaches the masses and addresses a range of issues with customized solutions.

Kevin White, CAPP, AICP, is a parking and mobility consultant with Walker Consultants.

Free IPMI Shoptalk: For Suppliers Only: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion From Your Perspective Moderated by Gary Means, CAPP

IPMI Shoptalk: For Suppliers Only: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion From Your Perspective

Moderated by Gary Means, CAPP

Executive Director, Lexington & Fayette County Parking Authority

February 11, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm ET

To register, click here.

Please note, this forum is restricted to industry suppliers (vendors, suppliers, commercial operators, and consultants) only to ensure the ability to discuss openly.

Open to all suppliers, join us for discussions centered on best practices, next steps, and the challenges ahead.

Shoptalk Summary

Supplier companies’ concerns about diversity, equity, and inclusion are unique from the rest of the parking and mobility industry’s, and some questions surrounding initiatives to change can be tricky. Join us for a moderated panel discussion and open roundtable on diversity, equity, and inclusion just for industry suppliers and partners. Bring your experiences, questions, concerns, challenges, and successes to share/

Please note, this forum is restricted to industry suppliers (vendors, suppliers, commercial operators, and consultants) only to ensure the ability to discuss openly.

Submit your questions and thoughts for the discussion on the registration page.

Gary Means, CAPP Executive Director, Lexington & Fayette County Parking Authority

Gary is a Certified Administrator of Public Parking (CAPP) with a BA in Broadcasting from Eastern Kentucky University. Gary is a member of the International Parking & Mobility Institute Board of Directors and Chair-Elect on their Executive Committee. Locally, Gary serves on several boards/committees including Lexington Area MPO Bike Pedestrian Advisory Committee, Town Branch Park Partners, and Downtown Lexington Partnership. In 2000, he received Downtown Lexington Corporation’s “Outstanding Individual” Award. Gary has worked in the parking industry for over 25 years in both the public and private sectors. Gary and his wife Melissa have two children and three grandchildren.

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Authentic Concern and The Potential of Industry Technology Suppliers

June 25, 2020 Rachel Yoka Leave a comment

By Brian Wolff

“Authentic concern” is defined simply as a company that genuinely demonstrates concern, as opposed to a fake or half-hearted interaction that leaves you feeling less than appreciated or valued. If your company is delivering authentic concern, your customers feel like they are more than a number or a means to an end, and that your company’s intention (thought) and declaration (word) of wanting to deliver excellent customer service is much more than just words (deed).

We all must work together to make the experience more seamless for the parking customer, and it is important to stitch our systems together behind the scenes on behalf of our operators. As suppliers to the parking industry, we too must demonstrate thought, word, and deed when selling and delivering technology solutions for our customers. Additionally, we must take part in breaking the walls down between companies in the name of a seamless, frictionless, and outstanding customer experience.

Customers know when we’re simply giving lip service to the concept of customer service. How? Do you say that delivering excellent customer service is important on your website and/or in your advertising? Do your ambassadors have smiles on their faces when they greet customers? Do they go the extra mile when a customer needs help? Do your parking customers pull into your facility with a good first impression and leave with the same? Is there clear signage? How long do your customers have to wait when they push the help button? Do your people have the training and the tools to deliver a great customer experience? If the answer to any of these questions is soft, then there’s a disconnect somewhere between thought, word, and deed.

Delivering a great customer experience is hard, but you’ve got to start somewhere. If you’re not sure where to start, look around. There are great customer experiences everywhere – you don’t have to reinvent the wheel! You might even lean on customer service legends to guide your path. But it starts with good thoughts, sharing those thoughts and then doing one thing differently to get yourself on a good path toward delivering authentic concern and a great customer experience.

Learn more about the value of training and mentorship discussed in the latest episode of The Parking Podcast; learn more at parkingcast.com.

Brian Wolff is CEO of Parker Technology.