WINTER 2021
DIAMOND DIALOG
GROWING TOGETHER
Modernizing Diamond Parking
Wishing everyone a prosperous and healthy New Year!
The effects of the pandemic have had a major impact on the parking industry. Staff reductions, reduced revenues and retooling the entire parking experience, is now the new normal. To meet these unprecedented challenges, “Diamond Parking is implementing Diamond Parking, the oldest family owned parking company a bold, new modernization strategy, nationwide, is implementing a bold, where digital technology is replacing new modernization strategy, where outdated processes and paper work to digital technology is replacing outdated processes and paper increase efficiencies and drive profits.” work to increase efficiencies and – Jon Diamond drive profits. “By achieving PCI Compliance and launching Oracle’s NetSuite Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software,” states President Jon Diamond, “We are able to automate many of our back office business functions and upload real time data to the cloud based suite. Our management teams now have immediate access to critical data, such as, revenue streams, oversight of performance, faster and easier decision making in the field, as well as client and parking customer insights.” Jon adds, what used to take several days to collect and report data, now takes minutes to upload. Diamond’s commitment to implement innovative, digitized business processes, is creating a positive buzz, company wide. For example in Spokane, Tammy Halvorson, General Manager of Parking Services,
We hope you enjoy reading our latest newsletter
Jon Diamond, President
notes that by replacing manual processes and paperwork with state of the art software, Diamond automatically gains data that can be mined to seek out better performance and react to market trends with real time data. “Utilizing a cloud based platform allows for scalability and efficiency. By leveraging integrations and API’s available through our partners and other software providers, we can provide real-time forecasting,” notes Tammy. The bottom line, concludes Jon, Tammy Halvorson, General Manager of “Workflow automation can help Parking Services us be more proactive in client and customer management by identifying real time solutions and opportunities.” INSIDE THIS ISSUE
- President’s Desk
- Virtual Parking Permits
- Diamond’s Redesigned Website for Canada
- Enterprise Resource Planning - PCI Compliance and Security Risk
CANADIAN CORNER
Excitement is building around the launch of Diamond Parking Canada’s redesigned web site diamondparking.ca. Mike Poirier, Vice President of Operations, says that functionality and ease of use were primary design considerations. “The new site gives our parking customers a more enhanced experience to find parking, review our services, secure monthly parking and pay fees.” Diamond’s Director of Marketing and Operations, Stephanie Keller, notes that the new Canadian site will mirror Diamond’s US site. “Aside from changing some of the terminology, the goal to mirror the websites was to create brand continuity and consistency. In addition, explains Jason Terada, General Manager, Parking Services Canada, added features will also include an updated mapping function that pinpoints exact parking locations. “Customers can easily search the map for a desired location, get pricing information as well as purchase a permit, all in one easy step.” As for marketing the new site, Stephanie explains, “We plan to post the launch of the site on our social media channels.”
www.diamondpark ing.com
AHEAD OF THE CURVE Diamond Parking is going virtual with monthly parking permits throughout all of its cities. Ken Kime, Director of Operations, states that virtual permits make Diamond’s monthly parking system much more sustainable. “We eliminated printed parking permits. No more plastic hangtags, or paper on the dash. Additionally, we no longer will incur the expense of mailing out permits. We eliminate any lag time between mailing and receiving a permit. By going virtual, a customer registers in real time.” Ken explains that monthly parkers will enter their license plate number online. The information is then uploaded to a database, managed by Diamond’s enforcement partner, Omnipark. Checkers enter the license plate information into hand-held mobile devices to verify a customers registration. Ken adds that customers can register more than one vehicle on the same virtual parking permit. However, only one vehicle is allowed to park at a time per their permit. “They will
Monthly parkers will enter their license plate number online. no longer be able to move a paper permit between vehicles. This prevents fraud.” With virtual parking permits, Diamond continues its commitment to customer convenience and ease of parking.
FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK COVID-19 has forced a behavioral shift in the way the public thinks about how to pay for parking. It has accelerated the evolution of contactless digital payments. At Diamond, we were already moving in that direction with our industry leading mobile payment technology, and coming soon, virtual monthly permits, eliminating paper ones. However, going forward, we know that our customers will want a more seamless, hassle free experience. For example, they will be reluctant to exchange cash, insert credit cards, touch buttons to dispense a paper ticket, or interact with attendants. In addition, they would rather use their personal mobile phones and devices rather than touch a screen to enter information. We believe that reopening and recovery will be particularly dynamic for parking and mobility. As the workforce returns, our goal is simple. Make it super easy to park and to pay. I like to say that we will be like referees. Always in the background, reinforcing a contactless, cashless experience.
Enterprise Resource Planning “New times call for new solutions to better maximize efficiencies and profitability,” states Amberly Schmitt, Diamond Parking’s Assistant Controller. Amberly reports that on October 1st, Diamond launched Oracle’s NetSuite Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System. “It’s a cloud based platform that streamlines critical business Amberly Schmitt, processes into one single system. Assistant Controller With ERP in place, our diverse group of management teams, in different divisions, can rely on the same, real time data to make timely and informed business decisions.” Amberly explains that NetSuite ERP makes Diamond a much more nimble and versatile
“New times call for new solutions to better maximize efficiencies and profitability.” – Amberly Schmitt
parking company by providing a platform for collaborating around new business opportunities, on going and new projects, current financials, and core responsibilities, just to name a few. “By automating our work flow,” notes Amberly, “Diamond gains greater visibility and insight into the whole enterprise. We can now spend more time analyzing and acting on real time data and less time gathering it. ERP will allow us to accelerate business decisions and sharpen our competitive edge.” Real-time Information
BENEFITS OF Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Cloud Based Accessibility
Process Improvement
GOING THE EXTRA MILE
PCI Compliance and Security Risk Hiring and training staff who are skilled in key aspects of technology and business is integral to Diamond’s digital transformation. For example, Tom Esperson, Director of Compliance and Security Risk, oversees one such area. “A question often asked Tom Esperson, by business prospects, Director of Compliance and even longer term and Security Risk landlords, is are you PCI Compliant? Customers and partners increasingly want proof of payment card security and customer privacy, and being both PCI Compliant and committed to the California Consumer Protection Act (CCPA) is evidence of this.”
“Additionally, being PCI Compliant sends a message to prospective threat agents (hackers) that Diamond is encrypted, tokenized, hardened and NOT easily breached,” continues Esperson. “We will be discussing PCI Compliance on our Website, as we are today in this periodical.” Tom attributes Diamond’s PCI Compliance, to a large degree, to a refreshed IT infrastructure designed to anticipate and mitigate risk. “It’s about anticipating
Security Protections Data Collection & Analytics
Internal Accessibiltiy
BENEFITS OF PCI Compliance & Security
Company Inititiatives
Company Collaboration
risk, and ensuring that we’re organized and fortified to repel intrusion. We’ve created a secure network and organized people and processes — internal and external controls — to protect both financial and sensitive personal information.”
Likewise, the NetSuite install is emblematic of Diamond’s modernization, and Tom offers this analogy. “We’ve essentially connected a series of disparate data ponds, forming an integrated data lake.” Benefits will be numerous, including rapid access to reliable company and market Payment Card Security information, so that business initiatives may be considered and launched with enhanced certainty and speed.
DIAMOND ANNIVERSARIES We want to congratulate those employees who are celebrating 5 or more years with Diamond Parking. Thank you for your dedication! 40+ Years Daniel Geiger
Spokane Downtown
42 yrs.
30+ Years Lynnette M. Marlow
Seattle Attended
31 yrs.
20+ Years Abebe Seyoum Herman F. Raap Lorenzo Galo Kevin A. Leaf Robert J. Duprie Robert L. Turley Terrence W. Green Gregory G. Matous Bereket Geberemedhin Bambi Feehan Randall Johnson
Seattle Attended Coeur d’Alene Honolulu Attended Accounting Bremerton Home Office Home Office Accounting United Parking Spokane Downtown Home Office
28 yrs. 26 yrs. 26 yrs. 24 yrs. 24 yrs. 24 yrs. 23 yrs. 21 yrs. 21 yrs. 20 yrs. 20 yrs.
15+ Years Andrada Alfredo Lisa A. Dowers Esmeralda Romero Andrew Chung John B. Fox Kenneth D. Kime William M. McCorkle Tesfaye F. Debebe Mike Poirier Donny D. Everett
Honolulu Attended Spokane Property Long Beach Attended Honolulu Attended Long Beach Attended Home Office Santa Ana Attended United Parking Attended Vancouver BC Bremerton
19 yrs. 18 yrs. 18 yrs. 17 yrs. 17 yrs. 16 yrs. 16 yrs. 16 yrs. 16 yrs. 15 yrs.
10+ Years Jason Terada Zenash W. Gebre Dennis M. Thompson Indra Banes Matthew L. Gibson Andrea R. Pierce Christopher D. Graddon Yuji Nagano Wondu T. Woleda Shelley L. Badr Daniel W. Bernal David A. Brinkley Shiela I. Leech Jeffrey E. Mah David M. Maimon Thomas J. Malone Donald C. Pinkerton
Surrey BC Seattle Attended Bremerton Vancouver BC Bend Spokane Downtown Bellevue Honolulu Attended Seattle Attended Surrey BC Santa Ana Attended Anchorage Downtown Surrey BC Edmonton AB W&W Corporate Spokane Downtown Kelowna BC
14 yrs. 13 yrs. 13 yrs. 12 yrs. 12 yrs. 12 yrs. 11 yrs. 11 yrs. 11 yrs. 10 yrs. 10 yrs. 10 yrs. 10 yrs. 10 yrs. 10 yrs. 10 yrs. 10 yrs.
5+ Years Carleen A. Dobie Mindip K. Janda Dean T. Stewart Shelissa Santiaguel
THANK CO N G R
YO U
AT U L A T
Surrey BC Vancouver BC Edmonton/Calgary AB Surrey BC
8 yrs.
IO NS 8 yrs. 7 yrs. 5 yrs.
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 visit www.DiamondParkingCareers.com. In Canada, please email your resumĂŠ to: employment@diamondparking.ca. Diamond Parking is an equal opportunity employer.
ACTIONLINE 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.
In Our Next Issue— Looking forward to a brighter 2021
Diamond Dialog is Now Digital
We believe that reopening and recovery in the new year will be particularly dynamic for parking and mobility. As the workforce returns, our goal is simple. Make it super easy to park and to pay.
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www.DiamondParking.com | 605 First Avenue, Suite 600, Seattle, WA 98104 | 1-800-340-PARK