In this episode of 'Harder Than It Looks,' we delve into the intricacies of the parking industry and the entrepreneurial world. We first sit down with Joaquin Rojas, Director of Parking for Bal Harbour Shops and owner of Parking Guy consultancy.

With two decades of experience, Joaquin shares his journey from parking cashier to managing significant parking operations, highlighting technological innovations and the importance of customer service in reshaping the industry. 

Next, we explore the entrepreneurial landscape with Steve Morrell, Managing Director of ContactBabel, a leading research and analysis firm for the contact center industry. For more information about ContactBabel, visit: https://www.contactbabel.com/

Steve has written hundreds of research reports and his opinion on contact centres has been featured on the BBC, ITV, Sky, the Guardian, Forbes.com and the Financial Times. He has also advised the UK government on the effect of offshoring on the UK economy.

In his segment, we discuss the value of focusing on established successes and features insights on the contact center and customer experience industry.

Here are some key takeaways from this episode:

• How to implement technology to improve valet services and customer experience
• Tips on hiring and managing employees in the parking industry
• Customer experience best practices for call centers
• How to use AI and machine learning in customer service

Be sure to check out these great clips from Segment 1 with Joaquin Rojas:

02:12 Joaquin's Early Career and Growth

05:15 Challenges and Innovations at Bal Harbour Shops

11:06 Event Parking and the Miami Marlins

19:02 Hiring and Managing Parking Staff

25:42 Technology in Parking Operations

31:29 Lightning Round: Personal Insights

34:42 Building Relationships in the Parking Industry

35:22 Magic Wand: Fixing Tailgating in Parking

36:21 Balancing Work and Family Life

37:57 Pride in Helping Others Succeed

Segment 2 with Steve Morrell:

41:14 Steve Morrell's Journey into Contact Center Research

44:09 The Importance of Customer Experience

50:03 Challenges in Contact Centers and Offshoring

52:59 The Role of AI in Contact Centers

59:29 Funny and Challenging Parking Stories

01:03:21 Lessons from Starting Multiple Businesses