EP 13: Tackling Challenges of Concession Agreements with Sarah Blouch and Customer-Centric Advocacy with Jyo Shukla

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 Agreement
• How Sarah Blouch is breaking down diversity barriers in parking
• How 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