Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered Parker Technology

Today we welcomed Joseph R Madison II, Associate Director of Parking Operations at Kennesaw State University.

In the episode, Joseph shares his urban planning expertise, managing parking for over 43,000 students and staff, as well as his experience connecting students with new opportunities.

The conversation also delves into Joseph's involvement in IPMI's Allyship and Equity Advisory Group, as well as the anticipated impact of the World Cup on KSU.
In the second segment, we explore crucial golf fundamentals with Todd Firestone, Head Golf Professional at Meridian Hills Country Club. Todd talks about his experience embodying servant leadership, and provides key tips about the importance of the starting position and large muscle engagement in golf swings.

He also shares personal anecdotes, including his experiences with singing and the balance of work-life dynamics. 

Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
Explore steps to become a leader and ally in your communityNeed for change on consumer perspective in parkingQuick tips to improve your golf gameThe importance of service-oriented approaches and leadershipBe sure to check out these great clips from the show:
Introducing Joseph Madison: Parking Operations at KSU (00:26)Joseph's Journey: From Urban Planning to Parking Professional (02:27)Challenges and Innovations in Parking Management (04:54)World Cup and Parking: Preparing for Major Events (06:16)KSU's Parking Layout and Technology (08:10)Communication and Enforcement Strategies at KSU (14:31)Joseph's TED Talk: We Are the Neighbors, We Are the World (18:32)Personal Stories and Advocacy for Equity (22:47)The Future of Parking and Community Engagement (36:12)Joseph's Personal Interests and Volunteer Work (40:01)Reflections on Career and Personal Growth (43:56)Joseph's Appreciation and Episode Hopes (46:15)Segment 2 with Todd Firestone:
Todd's Journey to Becoming a Head Golf Professional (48:22)The Player Ability Test and the Grind (50:02)Balancing Golf and Professional Responsibilities (50:52)Managing the T Sheet and Member Experience (56:02)Building a Servant Leadership Culture (01:05:53)Golf Lessons: Starting with the Basics (01:14:16)Todd's Musical Talents and Personal Interests (01:22:20)The Importance of Self-Care and Balance (01:25:25)Strength Under Control and Final Thoughts (01:28:46 )Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts 
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music 
If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. Thank you so much!
​​Want to help the show? Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to getstarted@parkertechnology.com

In this episode of 'Harder Than It Looks,' we delve into the intricacies of the parking industry and the entrepreneurial world. We first sit down with Joaquin Rojas, Director of Parking for Bal Harbour Shops and owner of Parking Guy consultancy.
With two decades of experience, Joaquin shares his journey from parking cashier to managing significant parking operations, highlighting technological innovations and the importance of customer service in reshaping the industry. 

Next, we explore the entrepreneurial landscape with Steve Morrell, Managing Director of ContactBabel, a leading research and analysis firm for the contact center industry. For more information about ContactBabel, visit: https://www.contactbabel.com/

Steve has written hundreds of research reports and his opinion on contact centres has been featured on the BBC, ITV, Sky, the Guardian, Forbes.com and the Financial Times. He has also advised the UK government on the effect of offshoring on the UK economy.
In his segment, we discuss the value of focusing on established successes and features insights on the contact center and customer experience industry.
Here are some key takeaways from this episode:
How to implement technology to improve valet services and customer experienceTips on hiring and managing employees in the parking industryCustomer experience best practices for call centersHow to use AI and machine learning in customer serviceBe sure to check out these great clips from Segment 1 with Joaquin Rojas:
02:12 Joaquin's Early Career and Growth
05:15 Challenges and Innovations at Bal Harbour Shops
11:06 Event Parking and the Miami Marlins
19:02 Hiring and Managing Parking Staff
25:42 Technology in Parking Operations
31:29 Lightning Round: Personal Insights
34:42 Building Relationships in the Parking Industry
35:22 Magic Wand: Fixing Tailgating in Parking
36:21 Balancing Work and Family Life
37:57 Pride in Helping Others Succeed
Segment 2 with Steve Morrell:
41:14 Steve Morrell's Journey into Contact Center Research
44:09 The Importance of Customer Experience
50:03 Challenges in Contact Centers and Offshoring
52:59 The Role of AI in Contact Centers
59:29 Funny and Challenging Parking Stories
01:03:21 Lessons from Starting Multiple Businesses

We sat down with parking veteran Roamy Valera, the President of Automotus, to chat about trends and innovations popping up in parking, and what it really takes for industry outsiders to get a foothold in parking. 

For segment two we sat down with Amy Brown, the CEO of the fastest-growing privately-held company in Indiana, Authenticx. Amy shared insight into the challenging feat of building a venture scale high growth healthtech company while also raising 4 children. 

In this episode, Roamy shares insights on curb management, the gig economy, and the need for equity in parking policies. We also dive into his immigration from Cuba and how he balances work and family life. 

Then we talk tech with Amy Brown, who has been working in the AI space since 2017 and is an expert when it comes to this innovative technology. 

Her company Authenticx uses conversational artificial intelligence to help healthcare executives make valuable business decisions. 

Here are some key takeaways from this episode:

The truth about outsiders innovating in parking and mobilityHow Automotus is monetizing the “dumbest piece of real estate in the world” Bringing patient voices into the healthcare boardroomBe sure to check out these great clips from the show:

Roamy's Parking Journey (02:07)

Evolution of Parking Technology (05:52)

Challenges in Policy Changes (15:22)

Automotus Curb Management Solution (18:05)

The Equity of Parking Tickets (20:39)

The Challenge of Physical Parking Fines (21:39)

Innovative Parking Solutions in Smaller Towns (23:27) 

Transition to a Scale-Up Company (32:36)

Privacy Concerns and Camera-Based Solutions (28:46)

Personal Hardship and Family Separation (39:10)

Challenges in Policy Changes (40:16)

The Need for Faster Go-to-Market Time Frame (41:17)

The Adoption Curve (41:42)

Procurement Process in the Govtech Space (42:54)

Coaching Tree and Leadership Style (46:42)

Segment 2 with Amy Brown:

Authenticx Growth and Customer Impact (53:29)

Bringing Customer Voices to the Boardroom (55:20)

Challenges in Marketing AI Technology in Healthcare (58:58)

The Hardest Part of Building and Scaling a Company (01:01:51)

The CEO's Journey (01:03:55) 

Building a Mission-Based Culture (01:05:23)

Navigating Business Challenges (01:07:12)

Summiting Mount Shasta (01:10:44)

Parenting and Balancing Work (01:19:45)

Reflections on Overcoming Hardships (01:25:22)

Adversity and Success (01:26:47)

Gratitude and Recognition (01:28:20)
Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts 
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music 
If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. Thank you so much!
​​Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to getstarted@parkertechnology.com

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, Sarah Blouch dives into the journey of managing parking solutions at CampusParc and The Ohio State University. 

We’ll discuss challenges from stakeholder management, the integration of environmental initiatives, and get into what concession agreements look like from negotiation to execution. 

Then we explore the significance of customer centricity beyond typical service teams, detailing a universal five-step model. 

In Segment 2, guest host Claudia Lopez, Client Success Manager at Parker Technology, interviews Jyo Shukla, author of “Customer Success Mindset: Building Customer-Centricity into the DNA of your Growth Strategy,” advocates for empathetic engagement and the creation of raving fans through exceptional service and strategic communication.

This convo does a really good job of breaking down complex parts of parking like concession agreements and customer experience into easy-to-understand ideas and tactics  

Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:
The pros and cons of a Concession AgreementHow Sarah Blouch is breaking down diversity barriers in parkingHow Jyo Shukla turns customers into raving fans 
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:

Sarah's Career Journey (00:03:02)

Transition to Ohio State University (00:05:00)

Transition to a Concession Agreement (00:07:13)

Managing the Transition (00:10:56)

Understanding Concession Agreements (00:15:20)

The University's Financial Gain (00:20:18)

Challenges Faced During COVID-19 (00:21:05)

Navigating the Arm's Length Relationship with the University (00:23:12)

Adapting to Technology Changes (00:26:20)

Managing Parking Rules and Regulations (00:27:44)

Addressing Customer Frustrations (00:29:15)

Navigating Campus Politics and Decision-Making (00:30:04)

Challenges of Operating within a Concession Agreement (00:35:06)

Perspective on Diversity and Inclusion in the Industry (00:39:55)

Segment 2: Jyo Shukla

Fostering Customer Sucess and Advocacy (00:57:16)

Takeaways from “Customer Success Mindset” (01:06:30)

Embracing Change and Overcoming Adversity (01:19:25)

Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts 
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music 
If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. Thank you so much!
​​Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to getstarted@parkertechnology.com

This episode is a masterclass in parking marketing or “Parketing.” 

We sat down with 3 incredible marketing leaders in parking, RJ Juliano, Sarah Becherer, and our own Heidi Barber. 

You are going to learn actionable tips that you can use to improve the marketing function at your company immediately. 

In segment two, we sit down with Casey Crouse to dive into some of the intricacies that make running Ultra Marathons even harder than they look. 

We compiled an all-star panel of “parketers” to dive deep into a topic typically overlooked in our industry. 

RJ Juliano, is the CIO, CMO, and Senior Vice President at Parkway Corporation, a Philadelphia-based leader in real estate and parking development that operate nearly 21,000 parking spaces. 

Sarah Becherer is the VP of Marketing at Ocra, you might remember our episode with their CEO, Ethan Glass. Sarah has over 15 years of experience in demand generation, brand awareness, and customer acquisition. In 2018 she was selected to the NPA’s 40 Under 40 list. 

Heidi Barber is the VP of Marketing at Parker Technology and also a member of the NPA 40 Under 40 list. She has over a decade of B2B Marketing experience and sits on the steering committee for Women in Parking. 

Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:

The Connective Power of Marketing between product, sales, and customer experienceHow to build your parketing team from the ground up. The village it takes to cross the finish line of an Ultra Marathon
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:

The Parketing Collective (00:04:44)

Transition from CIO to CMO (00:08:24)

The importance of a distinct brand for parking operators (00:10:55)

Challenges in marketing (00:16:17)

Discipline and benchmarks in marketing (00:21:37)

Science of Marketing (00:22:32)

Consistency in Marketing (00:23:02)

Effective Marketing Tactics (00:24:56)

Brand Establishment and Thought Leadership (00:27:29)

Humanizing the Brand (00:30:52)

Digital PR and Blogging (00:33:53)

Data and Analytics Investment (00:38:00)

Building a Marketing Team (00:41:28)

Product Marketing and Differentiation (00:42:44)

Brand Ambassadors and Leadership (00:43:50)

Outsourcing and Resource Allocation (00:44:18)

Joining the Parking Collective (00:45:03)

Challenges in Parking Jobs (00:49:16)

Wishful Changes in Parking (00:51:56)

Professional Achievements and Parketing Collective Call (00:55:59)

Segment 2: Casey Crouse

Ultra Distance Running (01:05:20)

Running a 100-Mile Race (01:08:01)

Adversity in Ultra Distance Running (01:11:15)

Nutrition and Preparation (01:14:48)

Lessons Learned and Finish Rates (01:16:08)

New Shoe Day (01:19:14)

Measuring Success (01:24:47)

The Mission of Providing New Shoes (01:24:50)

Fundraising and Challenges (01:26:05)

Cost of Providing Shoes (01:26:53)

Becoming a Board Member (01:28:29)

Leadership and Fundraising (01:31:31)

Meaning in the Struggle (01:34:10)

Empathy in Customer Service (01:36:55)

Balancing Work and Family (01:39:06)
Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts 
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music 
If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. Thank you so much!
​​Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to getstarted@parkertechnology.com

Today we talk to Walt Gray, Director of Parking and Transportation for George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Houston Hobby Airport, and Celeste Ching, founder and CEO of C Three Partners.

We start by diving into Walt’s journey through the transportation industry from Arabian Horses, to cars to parking. 

Walt recounts his journey from the automotive industry to parking management, detailing the challenges and successes he faced, including the evolution of parking technology and the implementation of automated systems to enhance customer experience. 

Additionally, Celeste Ching shares her experiences in the parking industry, the rewards of investing in employee training, and the personal side of balancing work with homeschooling her four children. 

Everything’s bigger in Texas… including the parking. 

Walt Gray manages over 39,000 spaces between Houston Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental Airports and he has the stories to match.

Throughout this episode, he discusses the difficulties of balancing limited parking resources and the emotional aspects of relocating employees for space optimization. The episode also touches on the complexities of parking management and people's misconceptions about the industry. 

For part two Celeste Ching joins us to talk about two things that are both harder than they look, starting a company and homeschooling 4 kids. 

She shares some incredible lessons she learned from her career in market research that she applies to both of her companies today. 

Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:

Using technology to innovate on customer experienceThe security shift post 9/11Work-life and personal life are less of a balance and more of a blend
Be sure to check out these great clips from the show:

Houston Airports Passenger Records (00:02:13)

Walt Gray's Journey into Parking (00:03:48)

Impact of 9/11 on Parking Operations (00:13:53)

Walt Gray's Experience in Arabian Horse Business (00:17:05)

Technology in Parking Operations (00:21:21)

Automating Transaction Processing (00:21:36)

Customer Feedback and Lessons Learned (00:23:02)

Incorporating Advanced Technology (00:24:13)

Transition to Fully Automated Parking (00:25:20)

Security Measures and Homeland Security Regulations (00:29:06)

Scope of Parking Operations (00:30:40)

Limited Resources and Prioritization (00:37:22)

Fresh Eye Approach and Inspection (00:40:25)

Personal and Professional Challenges (00:41:16)

Moving Employees and Parking Equipment (00:44:28)

Complexity of Parking (00:46:27)

The Hardest Thing in Parking (00:48:21)

Transition to Professional Life (01:00:18)

The Startup Challenge (01:03:29)

Success Stories (01:04:15)

Understanding the Parking Industry (01:07:27)

Juggling Two Businesses (01:09:06)

Homeschooling and Parenting (01:11:09)

Teaching and Learning (01:12:49)

Parenting and Recognizing Strengths (01:14:36)

Recruiting and Coaching (01:19:13)

Pride in Leadership and Parenting (01:22:29)

Building and Training Teams (01:23:23)

Subscribe to Harder Than It Looks.
To subscribe to Harder Than It Looks: Parking Uncovered please use the links below:
Click Here to Subscribe via Apple Podcasts 
Click Here to Subscribe via Spotify
Click Here to Subscribe via Amazon Music 
If you have a chance, please leave an honest rating and review on Apple Podcasts by clicking here. It will help the show and its ranking on Apple Podcasts incredibly! Thank you so much!
​​Want to help the show?
Tell us about you! Please visit parkertechnology.com/podcastsurvey and fill out our short survey to help us deliver more great episodes like this one.
Connect with Parker Technology.
While delivering an excellent customer experience is indeed harder than it looks, we’re the experts. It’s all we do, every day, and we’re darn good at it. If you’d like to learn more about how we make managing the parking experience look easy, visit our website at www.parkertechnology.com, or shoot a note to getsta