garage-based PARCS simply did not have the capability to do this type of accounting and accounts receivable reporting. Today, with the speed, memory and complexity of the PC’s
running a full-fledged account and invoicing system at the garage level is easily available, and I strongly recommend using it. There’s no longer the need to have a central office sitting some- place far away and removed from the daily action of the garage to provide this service and generate an additional profit for an operator at an owner’s expense. At the expo, I also was amazed to see more and more options
of using Facebook and Twitter as a marketing tool, data collec- tion, customer focus on garage issues, as well as a method of cor- respondence between the garage and its customer base. There is, however, a drawback to using emerging technolo-
gy. We sometimes tend to think that this refers to a bigger, better, faster or “sexier” PARC system. What this really means is that we need to better train our frontline employees on how to manage and operate these systems. Just installing them and providing only the most basic of training is simply not cost effective. Ongo- ing training is required. As garage managers are transferred from location to location,
that learned base of knowledge stays with the individual and does not reside at the location. In a short time, after a few trans- fers of personnel, it’s a miracle that the staff can even sign on to the PARC system, let alone know how to effectively use the tools being provided. As I have spoken with others in our industry about this –
including system vendors, software manufacturers, operators and other consultants – it is believed that, at a minimum, we are leaving 10% to as much as 40% of collectable revenue uncollected
simply because we do not properly train and retrain, enforce existing policies, or at the very basic, even employ individuals who have the fundamental skills set on which we can build and train them. So-called “warm body” HR recruitment is outdated and
needs to advance at the same speed as the technology we are employing in our facilities. Now, if you really want to see where parking and technology
will be a few years down the road, alter your parking show trav- el schedule. First, go to the Parking Today-sponsored 2012 Park- ing Industry Exhibition (PIE) March 18-21 in Chicago for the best seminars in the business. Then, for the same cost as attending the Show in Phoenix,
you can see what lies in store for the USA five to eight years into the future by attending the Intertraffic exposition March 27-30 in Amsterdam. The biennial Amsterdam Intertraffic is an event that every
parking professional should experience. It’s the most authorita- tive technology trade event in the world having to do with devel- opments in the fields of infrastructure, ITS traffic management, safety and parking. This year, some 800 exhibitors from more than 45 countries
are expected, as are 25,000-plus attendees. About 200 of the com- panies are from the parking industry worldwide and will use this show to launch their new products. And going to a coffee shop in Amsterdam is not the same as
going to a Starbucks. Woof!!
PT T e I G f R F I PK S (Formerly Cobra II) • Counter Balance Technology – teeth always return to upright position
• Top Down Build Design – easiest cleaning lowest maintenance in the industry
• Exclusive Curved Tooth Design – will not chip tires • Fish Hook Barb – rips tires with wrong entry • Extreme Vehicle Weights Wanted • Latch Down Included • Limited 2 Year Warranty
h KN o T A FC S I E ! SM SM
1-800-866-9115 ©2011, Guardian Traffic Systems. All rights reserved. Parking Today
www.parkingtoday.com www.guardiantraffic.com •
sales@guardiantraffic.com 49
1167.100In Ground 1236.100 Surface Mount
shown with optional End Bevels
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