Impacting Transportation Equity
Parking & Mobility
May 1, 2024
Transportation equity requires understanding the needs of every person potentially
What is the most important skill that Frontline employees need to succeed in today’s parking and mobility world?
Special Tribute: The IPMI community lost a passionate advocate in June with the passing of Donovan Durband, CAPP. In typical fashion, Donovan sent an impactful answer for our July “Ask the Experts” question, once again helping to educate others as he did throughout his career. With gratitude and in tribute, we are honored to share his thoughts with the IPMI community.
Donovan Durband, CAPP
Administrator, Park Tucson
City of Tucson Department of Transportation & Mobility
“Front-line employees in the parking industry—and probably every industry–need to have empathy, the capacity to put themselves in the shoes of their customers, clients, and the public and see a situation, whether routine or unique, from their perspective. Empathy equips front-line employees to approach even the most challenging, problematic customer service situations from a starting point of fairness and reasonableness that will enhance their ability to problem-solve and create positive resolutions for customers and the employer.”
Andrew Stewart
Associate Director
UC Riverside Transportation Services
“One of the most important skills for Frontline staff is the ability to hear others. Staff who can listen and show that they understand by asking informed questions and providing relevant options can convey a sense of caring that goes far beyond simple customer service.”
Jon Hamblen
Parking Manager
City of Pasadena, CA
“We’ve seen more and more of our citizens and guests become extremely agitated while carrying out the most basic of our duties. Our most effective Frontline staff members can de-escalate issues before they become larger problems.”
Andrew Sachs
President
Gateway Parking Services
“The ability to smile.”
Thomas G. Szubka, CAPP
Senior Consultant
Walker Consultants
“Patience. This may always have been true, but now more than ever! As parking programs across the country continue to develop and grow along with the new and improving technologies that are being introduced, both parking pros and the not-so-parking-savvy can be overwhelmed. We all need to be patient with each other, and since our Frontline employees are the key ambassadors for our industry, the patience that they show goes a long way in facilitating these changes.”
Pamela Corbin, CAPP
Parking Services Manager
City of Greenville, SC
“The most important skill(s) that Frontline employees need to succeed and grow in our fast-paced industry are “human power skills”—a combination of effective communications, critical thinking, and problem-solving. While training can provide the technical skills and basic soft skills needed in an employee, these “power skills” are often innate in an individual and are essential to the growth and success of the individual and the organization.”
Poppy Guloien
Regional Sales Manager, Municipal and Commercial
T2 Systems, a Verra Mobility Company
“The peace of mind to recognize that what people do and say and how they behave towards you rarely has anything to do with you. They may be frustrated or angry, and they are taking it out on you, which is not right or fair but don’t take it personally and continue to treat them with respect.”
Julie Dixon
President
Dixon Resources Unlimited
“Patience is a critical skill for our frontline. It can be frustrating to feel like a broken record, continually repeating instructions, but it is critical to ensure that education and information are the priority of the frontline to the communities that we serve.”
Christina Jones, CAPP
Management Analyst, Transportation Services
City of Iowa City
“Communication, and more specifically, the ability to approach interactions judiciously and with empathy. This includes actively listening to understand, as well as self-awareness and self-regulation of how we respond, both verbally and nonverbally, to deliver messages and educate with the appropriate content, tone, and follow-through.”
Scott C. Bauman, CAPP
Manager of Parking & Mobility Services
City of Aurora, CO
“Frontline employees in the parking and mobility industry need multiple skill sets to be successful. At the top, having proficient listening and communication skills is vital in providing excellent customer service to guests.”
Adrienne Tucker, CAPP
Parking Services Manager
City of Manhattan, Kansas
“The most important skill a Frontline employee can have is flexibility. Our industry is rapidly evolving, and we are inundated with new technology and legislation in a progressing labor market. Our industry needs people that are willing to continue their training and education to evolve with it.”
Gabe Mendez, CAPP
Director of Transportation Operations
University of Wisconsin-Madison
“Compassion. When our Frontline staff are handling an upset customer, having compassion for the situation can help keep the situation from escalating.”
Joseph Madison
Associate Director of Parking Operations
Kennesaw State University
“Active listening, a vital customer-centric skill, involves empathetically understanding customer needs, asking relevant questions, and responding effectively. It fosters clear communication, problem-solving, and builds lasting relationships. By practicing active listening techniques and valuing customer feedback, teams can provide a more customer-centric parking experience.”
Lauren Nelson
Parking Consultant
Walter P Moore
“One of the most important skills for Frontline employees is the ability to work with others as a team. Teamwork and collaboration help develop other crucial skills such as communication, empathy, patience, and flexibility. The ability to work as a team will provide more job satisfaction and more synergy to an operation.”
Lynn Wiggs, CAPP
Associate Director, Transportation Services
Texas A&M University
“Customer Service. We are often in a hurry when dealing with customers trying to “get more done” instead of listening and addressing their questions or concerns. Being kind and helpful is its own reward.”
“Frontline employees need to have incredible emotional boundaries. This skill allows for a controlled response and avoids a jump into a fight or flight reaction. The good news is that it is a skill set that can be developed through preparation, training, and practice.”
—Matt Penney, CAPP
Director of Parking & Transportation Services—Baylor University
Training & Development Specialist—IPMI
“Communication is key—and there’s so much involved in becoming an effective, professional communicator! Our word choice, tone, facial expression, and body language all contribute to how we are perceived. Delivering our message with respect and an empathetic tone is important, but our ability to actively listen through a customer’s frustration or anger is equally critical to our success. When we can separate or interpret the intent of their message from their words, we’re more effective in providing helpful information, and we feel less stress about difficult conversations.”
— Cindy Campbell
Senior Training & Development Specialist—IPMI
Employees are an organization’s most valuable asset. Investing in staff training and education is an investment in the success of your organization. IPMI offers custom, agency-specific training for your staff, instructed on-site or virtually.
IPMI’s Training & Development team brings best-of-class professional development and education for your Frontline staff directly to you, where and how you need it.
Start the process today! Contact Cindy Campbell at campbell@parking-mobility.org to begin crafting your organization’s education program.
This article has been written and/or compiled by the staff of Parking & Mobility magazine.
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