Elevating the Operation by Increasing Education and Awareness with Frontline Staff
Let’s face it, parking enforcement frequently serves as the least glamorous component of any parking operation. Whether you or your team are dealing with a ticketed visitor misunderstanding payment requirements and options, irate delivery drivers occupying unauthorized zones, permitted and/or monthly parkers pursuing ‘creative’ parking methods, etc., our customer service and adjudications teams hear and read every excuse in the book and then some. How can parking operators limit those related 1-star google reviews? As service industry professionals, investing in routine educational training and team building exercises will prepare staff to serve as front line leaders actively promoting compliance with a high standard. As an example, let’s look at contractor parking; these are workers performing essential duties on building projects throughout the campus which I work at, and contractors consistently rank high on the ticketing offender list. We often find that parking regulations and permitting options which are shared with project managers and coordinators, often do not make it to the worker in a concise and accessible way. Below helps guide the enforcement team and provide contractors guidance with options: Customer Service oriented Parking Enforcement that is informative, approachable, and solution oriented Enforcement officer in-depth knowledge of territory, as well as parking availability Interacting positively with patrons Active listening, professional demeanor and communication, de-escalation Understanding and relaying of enforcement policies Providing information on daily parking or permitting rates, when applicable Knowledge of active events and construction projects impacting parking availability Parking Enforcement gets tough, but our staff prioritizing these techniques help make the operation come out on top. Zach Pearce, PTMP, is an Associate Director of Operations for Old Dominion University. Zach can be reached at zpearce@odu.edu.
