I caught this on PT’s facebook page – a note from Wanda:
How a nice parking attendant can make your day and save you $20: I have been very distraught lately. This weekend, I parked at our old Fairfax Farmers’ Market, running my errands at the post office. Then went to another shop. When I got back to a car, I realized I lost my ticket. I went looking for it in the shop and tracing my path. To no avail. The manager of the store said, sorry, we didn’t find it. You will have to pay the day rate of $20. I went back to the nicest parking attendant Aden to whom I say hello all the time and ask about his family from Ethiopia. He said: I know you. You came in at 10:51 am, when the gate was being fixed. He gave me a replacement ticket and asked me to validate it. I was only there 45 min at the most and he trusted me. He made my day and I kept saying God Bless You and thank You forever. People like this young man make parking pleasurable.
The parking operator give the line employee the ability to make things right. This seems perfect. Thanks Wanda.
JVH
4 Responses
Parking is a two way street. Wanda obviously took the time to smile and say hello each time she parked at this car park to show her appreciation of being able to find parking that suited her needs.
This sign of appreciation by the parkers does not go unnoticed and can have further benefits as in her case above.
And any good parking company should know that you can’t give a front line employee the ability to flex procedures at will, because revenue controls will not exist and will be impossible to audit the facility.
It is nice to be able to do so for the parker but what happen to the property owner that hired the operator to ensure that all revenues are collected?
Let’s not forget we are dealing with cash, should we give thesame flexibility to a Bank employee or a cashier from any other cash business?
I don’t think, RC, that the parking attendant is the same as the bank teller…We approach each with different expectations. Good training can give the front line staff the ability to make decisions that affect the relationship between the parker and the parking facility. Good Supervision can ensure that they don’t overstep their bounds.
JVH
To no avail. The manager of the store said, sorry, we didn’t find it. You will have to pay the day rate of $20. I went back to the nicest parking attendant Aden to whom I say hello all the time and ask about his family from Ethiopia. He said: I know you. You came in at 10:51 am, when the gate was being fixed. He gave me a replacement ticket and asked me to validate it. I was only there 45 min at the most and he trusted me. He made my day and I kept saying God Bless You and thank You forever. People like this young man make parking pleasurable.