Any parking management company would agree that the highest overhead line item in a given budget is labor and outside payroll, one of the main drivers to this overall expense is hiring. Ironically, the hiring process is often overlooked in financial reviews and yet, it's likely one of the most controllable expenses.

There is very little about the parking industry that hasn’t been affected by technology over the past several years.  The operations manager role has transformed dramatically from being a care taker of the lot to now more of a consultant who analyzes data, leverages equipment to report trends, and adjusts pricing through yield management.  

I can sum up in one phrase what leadership entailed when I first came to the parking industry: "Tell 'em what to do and if they don't like it, tell 'em they can leave." It's kinda comical some twenty years later to think this was the essence of leadership and at the same time amazing how far the industry has come in supporting our parking leaders to better their ability to drive results through their teams' performance.

For the fourth year, Parking Today has graciously dedicated an annual issue to Women In Parking. All the articles are written by members and more than a few organizations acknowledge female parking professionals in specially designed pieces.

Parking companies differentiate themselves from each other in a variety of ways, but one of the most effective is developing and maintaining strong client relationships.  When a company does this well enough to improve contract retention rates by 5%, a study published by Business Week demonstrated that this translated to a boost in profits of 125%.  Those managers who are successful at establishing themselves as trusted advisors play a key role in fostering positive relationships and retaining clients. 

Customer service can be equally challenging and rewarding in the parking industry.  I have yet to meet anyone who enjoys paying for parking let alone receiving a citation for violating parking rules, so when we are able to deliverable memorable service, it's quite an accomplishment.  A person's attitude plays a big role in customer service skills, and being able to maintain a positive attitude is key.