DIAMOND Dialog G r o w i n g To g e t h e r.
WINTER 2016
Relationships — The Cornerstone of Success How do you build genuine business relationships with clients, colleagues and customers — the kind that will lead to longterm growth as well as personal friendships? Diamond Parking’s President Jon Diamond has thought a lot about that question which he and his top managers explored at Diamond’s recent annual seminar titled, Driving Relationships. What follows is more from our interview with Jon about building authentic business relationships that can pay long-term dividends.
Why did you choose Driving Relationships as the theme of Diamond’s annual seminar? “Building relationships with our clients and customers is the cornerstone of our business philosophy. It is fundamental to our success. We know that relationships don’t just happen. They are cultivated and developed over time. Until you’re communicating directly – and I mean face to face - with key decision makers, you can’t tap into the full power of developing an authentic relationship.”
Jon & Joel Diamond
How do you ensure you’re building deep, trusting relationships? “We constantly measure the quality and impact of our relationships with our clients, customers, and co-workers. We believe that every interaction at every level is a “relationships” transaction. Today’s customers are not passive and they want to be listened to. Exceptional communication will always build long-term relationships, improve customer service and provide the point of difference over our competitors.”
Is each relationship different? “Absolutely. Any successful relationship is unique to the parties involved, whether personal or business, and it evolves over time. They start out Continued on inside
We hope you enjoy reading our latest newsletter INSIDE THIS ISSUE - Driving Relationships - Real Estate & Operations Annual Seminar - Ahead of the Curve - Award Winners - Going the Extra Mile
Ahead of the Curve President’s Award Winner! Joe Koontz, City Manager, Seattle Self Park has won Diamond’s prestigious President’s Award. Joe says that when Diamond’s Director of Parking Operations, Myron Spiegel, announced the winner, he was stunned. “Sitting in the seminar surrounded by all the talent of our Regional Vice Presidents and City Managers, I felt truly honored to receive the award.” Joe states that he knew he and his team had a great year and he adds that the President’s Award is proof that without his team of managers and employees there would be no award. “We all share knowledge, encourage collaboration and focus on a common team goal that emphasizes the value of taking care of our clients and customers.” In Joe Koontz, City Manaddition, Joe adds that he receives tremendous support from Diamond’s corporate ager, Seattle Self Park offices that allow his team to perform at their highest level. Interviewing Joe, one is reminded of basketball great Michael Jordan’s favorite saying – There’s no “I” in team but there is in “win.” Joe joined Diamond Parking in 2006. He was named City Manger of Seattle Self Park in 2012. Congratulations Joe!
Community Involvement Diamond Parking employees come from global backgrounds. By employing people with different cultural experiences, Diamond believes that a diverse workforce generates a more creative and productive environment as well as a strong sense of community. Take for Mohamed Moalim, example, Diamond’s Mohamed Seattle Operations Moalim, Night Lead for Seattle operations. Mohamed was recently recognized for making his Mosque the first to join Seattle’s innovative RainWise program. “We have four cisterns that collect rainwater. Pipes send water from the roof into the cisterns. Then the water slowly releases into nearby rain gardens.” Mohamed is involved in his community and he brings that experience to his position at Diamond. He says, “At work I am a bridge between our customers and my Area Supervisors. When questions arise after hours, I prepare background and provide any necessary contact information for their review the following morning. Helping people is productive and helps serve everyone.” Mohamed is the former principal of the Hope Academy that adjoins the Mosque. Mohamed’s story was picked up and aired on the NBC Affiliate Television Station, KING 5. Click to view
Going the Extra Mile Exceeding Customer Expectations Imagine the frustration of misplacing or losing important keys. It’s happened to all of us at one time or another and more frequently than not we never find them. However, had we had Diamond’s Dawit Mengistu watching our back the outcome would have turned out differently. By focusing on the single most important element of our success — the customer — Dawit easily went the extra mile by providing world-class customer care. Dawit’s actions are a stellar example of how we “drive realtionships” and earn our customer’s trust. Dawit was awarded the Employee of the Month in January 2016. CUS TOM ER TES TIM ONI AL
to give a shout out to “My name is Mike. I actually wanted Dawit Mengistu. Let’s one of your employees. His name is those they know, like face it, people like to do business with and trust!
4th & Cherry in Seattle, When I parked yesterday at the lot on the way out. He found WA, I accidentally dropped my key on me a note. When I came the key, identified my vehicle and left delivered back that evening, I called him and he . I think my key after hours in the pouring rain duty, I just that is above and beyond the call of employee wanted let you know you got a good to do to there who will do anything they need make a customer happy.”
from the
President’s Desk In today’s environment a successful enterprise requires a clear and sustainable competitive
Driving relationships
advantage in the marketplace. The easiest way to differentiate Diamond from our
Jon Diamond
competitors is by the customer experience we deliver, and the client relationships we create, not by the products we sell. By focusing on the single most important element of our business — the customer — we can ensure success by managing the customer relationship from beginning to end. While on the surface it sounds intuitive, it is often a challenge because each relationship is unique and situational, and requires adjustment, compromise, and negotiation. We
real estate & operations seminar January 27-30, 2016
strongly believe that the best way to build relationships is to lead by example. All of our managers are highly trained in leadership skills and we strive to give them the right tools to motivate their employees. We support their decision making and respect their judgments, because you can’t have relationships if you can’t make decisions. As the oldest family owned business in the parking industry, we measure our success by the relationships we build across all channels of our company.
Relationships — The Cornerstone of Success
Continued from cover
tentative, with expectations, develop strength based on the experience, and mature into becoming a trusted relationship. The key to building customer relationships is to keep our eye on the ball. Every interaction with a customer should be treated as an opportunity to monitor and build that relationship. It’s truly an exciting time for Diamond Parking and we will continue to grow, adapt and be responsive to our client’s needs. We should be very proud of where we are today and excited about where we are headed. Stay engaged, keep proactive and help us shape the future of Diamond Parking Services.”
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AWARD RECIPIENTS
Driving Relationships Diamond Parking’s Annual Seminar was held in Reno, Nevada, January 27th through the 30th, 2016. Managers representing Diamond Parking’s US and Canada locations were in attendance. This year’s theme was centered on the importance of “Driving Relationships” at every level of business. In opening remarks, President Jon Diamond stressed that “first and foremost, relationships are the cornerstone of how our business was built in the past and Relationships will propel us into the future.” Jon added that the parking industry is in both a challenging and exciting time right now and “the growth of Diamond’s business is dependent on the relationships that you have built and will build to ensure that we remain at the cutting edge of the industry.” Throughout the 3-day event, attendees heard firsthand from several of Diamond’s top performers who shared their vision, knowledge and experiences through dynamic presentations. Jon thanked everyone for their commitment and hard work and encouraged cultivation of new relationships with parking customers, clients, landlords, and team members in the New Year.
President’s Award
City Manager of the Year
Joe Koontz, City Manager, Seattle Self Park
Patrick Seward, City Manager Bellevue, WA
Regional VP of the Year
Real Estate Manager of the Year
Todd Kosloski, Regional VP of Operations, Alberta
Patrick Seward, City Manager Bellevue, WA
Special Achievement – Double Digits – Real Estate
RVP Special Achievement Operations
Monty McAlpine, Business Dev. Manager/Real Estate Seattle, WA
Ken Kime, Regional Manager Seattle/Bellevue, WA
Jeff Sandborn, Regional VP of Real Estate, Hawaii Todd Kosloski, Regional VP of Operations, Edmonton, AB Hailey Mattson, Business Dev. Manager, Real Estate Seattle, WA Sheila Irish, City Manager, Tacoma and Olympia Chuck Harvison, City Manager, Eugene, OR Michael Murray, City Manager, Vancouver, BC-Canada
Mike Poirier, VP, British Columbia
Outstanding Achievement – Operations Bob Duprie, City Manager, Bremerton/Bainbridge, WA Sheila Irish, City Manager, Tacoma/Olympia, WA Jasmine-Victoria A. Crusat, City Manager, Kona, HI Chuck Harvison, City Manager, Eugene, OR Michael Murray, City Manager, Vancouver, BC-Canada Gus Rojas, City Manager, U-District/North, WA Cherish Tharpe, General Manager, SLC Park & Jet, Salt Lake City, UT
Team Canada
Turn-Around Cities Peter Grewal, City Manager, Kelowna, BC-Canada
Team Seattle
Victor Quintana, City Manager, Pasadena, CA
Prospector Award
Team Hawaii
Dan Geiger, Regional VP, Spokane/Idaho
– 1 90 0 L O CAT I ONS – 1 54 ,89 3,7 98 Combine d Hours of Ex per ienc e –
Diamond Anniversaries We want to congratulate those employees who are celebrating 10 or more years with Diamond Parking. Thank you for your dedication! 50+ Years Joel R. Diamond Richard G. Jeffries
Corporate Managers United Parking
60 years 52 years
30+ Years Steven A. Chaves Yolanda A. Ang
Honolulu Corporate Accounting
36 years 32 years
20+ Years Jeffrey Sandborn Howard Nez Charito F. Lagua Yohanes Weldemariam Barbara A. Shepherd
Honolulu Salt Lake City Airport Honolulu Seattle Attended Seattle Attended
28 years 27 years 24 years 23 years 20 years
15+ Years Kenneth G. Lewallen Larry E. Stedman Linda Entus Ayman Mohamud Amanuel G. Abraham Mussie Tsehaye Douglas M. Schroeder Azeb Wosene Mesay Mekonnen Negusse Abay
Bremerton Spokane Downtown Tacoma Seattle Attended Seattle Attended Seattle Self Park Bellevue Seattle Attended United Parking Vancouver BC
19 years 18 years 18 years 17 years 16 years 16 years 15 years 15 years 15 years 15 years
10+ Years Quentin A. Sannes Danita M. Robinson Jasmine-Victori A. Crusat Paul D. Archuleta Seyum S. Debesay Dawit A. Mengistu Paul R. Lopez Pamela S. Smiley Steven Eugenio Liza G. Beltran Tekle Yihdego Alfred S. Olsen V Ghilai O. Lijam
Spokane Downtown Corporate Accounting Kona Salt Lake City Airport Seattle Self Park Seattle Self Park Santa Ana Spokane Airport Spokane Downtown Honolulu Seattle Self Park Spokane Downtown United Parking
14 years 13 years 12 years 12 years 12 years 12 years 11 years 11 years 11 years 10 years 10 years 10 years 10 years
Diamond Feedback We welcome your comments: Diamond Dialog is published by Diamond Parking. For comments and suggestions please write to us at: dialog@diamondparking.com.
To learn more about the Diamond Difference visit www.diamondparking.com
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Employment Opportunities Diamond Parking is a full-service parking operator which prides itself on the quality of its employees. We do everything possible to accommodate our clients and make sure each and every client is satisfied. Such exceptional service can only be delivered by hiring the brightest and hardest working people in the industry. If you are interested in joining Diamond Parking, please e-mail your resume to: hr@diamondparking.com. Diamond Parking is an equal opportunity employer.
A ctionline WHAT DO YOU THINK? Your observations, ideas and
opinions are very important to us. Whether you are a landlord, customer or employee, you can use Actionline to provide comments, suggestions or observations; to ask questions, voice concerns, report situations, or to forward information that you feel may need attention. Actionline is served by an independent communication services firm. Through this service, you may provide your personal contact information and receive a response directly from Diamond Parking. Or, you may provide your personal contact information, request to remain anonymous to the company, and receive a reply through the Actionline service. You may contact Actionline by e-mail at ask@actionline.com, by telephone at 1-800-426-0426 (day or night, toll-free) or by using a postage-paid mailer available at any Diamond Parking field office.
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In Our Next Issue Becoming Mobile Friendly Our customers are handling more and more of their tasks directly from their mobile phones without exchanging cash. In an ever evolving world of technology we have come along way from putting cash in a slot, or coins in a parking meter.
Diamond Dialog is Now Digital Did you sign up to receive our digital version of Diamond Dialog? Make sure your email’s spam filters don’t block you from receiving our emails and include this email address in your address book:
Our next issue of Dialog will focus on going cashless. We have exciting news about the upcoming cashless technoloy. We look forward to the implementation of the Call-To-Park system wide.
Stay tuned...
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