CHANGE AND TRANSITION MODULE
Management Advancement Program
Management Advancement Program – Basics Course 3.0
Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 3 CHANGING YOUR MINDSET AND UNDERSTANDING POWER ........................................................... 3 POWER AND LEADERSHIP .............................................................................................................. 4 Sources of Power ........................................................................................................................... 4 YOUR PROSPECTIVE ASSIGNMENT (HOW – TO)........................................................................... 5 WHAT DOES AMERIPARK LOOK FOR IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION? ............................................. 6 HOW DID THIS ASSIGNMENT OPPORTUNITY COME ABOUT? .......................................................... 6 WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF OPERATING THE DEAL? ........................................................ 7 ASSESSING THE ASSIGNMENT, ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE JOB ................................... 8 WHAT ARE THE SPECIFICS OF THE DEAL? ..................................................................................... 8 KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET / FINANCIAL SPECIFICS OF THE DEAL ........................... 10 LABOR BUDGET ......................................................................................................................... 11 CLAIMS BUDGET ........................................................................................................................ 12 REVENUE ................................................................................................................................... 13 TROUBLESHOOTING ..................................................................................................................... 13 The Next Step .............................................................................................................................. 15 At the end of this Module, you should be able to:
1. Identify the 5 Sources of Power
2. List methods to receive a promotion
3. Describe the difference of starting a new account in a new market and starting a new product
4. Describe the work involved with new accounts
5. Understand budget items
6. List items to use during account and leadership transitions
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Management Advancement Program – Basics Course 3.0
Introduction
So you have, or at least hope to make the jump from being an “associate” to becoming a “Leader” at
AmeriPark. Congratulations on your choice to expand your opportunities here at AmeriPark. As
stated time and time again, AmeriPark prides itself on molding its leadership staff from within. For
many, this may be their first chance at leading a team as they have likely started at an entry level
position within the company and for others this may be the “next” leadership position they
undertake. Regardless of whether you have led others before or not, it is extremely important to
realize that the combined efforts of a well led team can contribute more to the organization than any
one individual. Therefore, building an effective team is as important if not more important than your
individual effort.
As can be expected, there are many differences between being an associate and being a Leader. One
of the toughest things to do is to make the mental shift from associate to Leader; this takes a lot more
work than changing a title. No longer will you be responsible for just yourself. This is an
adjustment that many struggle with. This module has been designed to help you make that transition
a successful one.
CHANGING YOUR MINDSET AND UNDERSTANDING POWER
o With this opportunity, it is likely that you are moving from a position where you have only
been responsible for your own actions and not those of others. You may have all of the
skills and knowledge to perform the functions of the job yourself but; now you are
responsible for making sure that all of your staff has that knowledge and skill as well. With
this, your role(s) has just expanded to coach, mentor, sounding board, psychologist and
authority figure. Frequently a new leader’s first, and often times painful first lesson, comes
when he is held responsible for a subordinate worker. For the first time the new leader is
faced with the issues that come about through the actions of one of his associates. By
accepting a leadership role at AmeriPark, all who undertake the position must realize that
they will be held accountable for the actions of their associates as well as their own.
o When settling in to the new role, you will have the opportunity to be the leader that you
always wished you had, fair, direct, empathetic, etc... Unfortunately, many forget what they
disliked about their former mentor and become as bad or even worse. This comes from the
fact that they get caught up in the moment or they have the desire to assert their power for
personal gain, this must be avoided to be effective. The first step in avoiding such a scenario
is to realize that it can happen to anyone, even you.
o Power and authority granted to a leader must be used with care and confidence. Power, if
used correctly can be very effective. If it is used for personal gain or satisfaction it can
cripple any team. Below are the 5 basic platforms of power. Effective leaders use their
power for the good of the company and its associates, not for personal gain or ego
satisfaction.
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Management Advancement Program – Basics Course 3.0
POWER AND LEADERSHIP
o Central to effective leadership is power; the ability to influence other people. In
organizations, this often means the ability to get things done or accomplish one's goals
despite resistance from others. It is incumbent on all leaders to understand the two basic
types of resistance. The most recognizable form of resistance is ‘active’ resistance. In this
case, the subordinate(s) actively go against orders. The other or what we call the ‘silent
killer’ of an order is ‘passive’ resistance. Unlike ‘active’ resistance, ‘passive’ resistance is
sometimes hard to identify immediately. ‘Passive’ resistance is shown through inaction, and
failure to comply. On the surface, the subordinate may ‘agree’ with the order but in reality
he does not wish to comply. A good leader will recognize this inactivity and rather than
apply too much force, he will seek the reasoning behind the apprehension. Once he
understands the reason for the passivity, he can address these concerns to bring all in
conformity. All leaders should recognize and effectively deal with ‘passive resistance’.
Sources of Power
o One of the earliest and still most useful approaches to understanding power suggests that
leaders have five important potential sources of power in organizations. The below examples
will be described with the Leader position.
o Legitimate power. The Leader with legitimate power has the right, or the authority, to tell
others what to do; associates are obligated to comply with legitimate orders. For example, a
Leader tells an associate to remove a safety hazard, and the associate removes the hazard
because he has to obey the authority of his boss. In contrast, when a staff person lacks the
authority to give an order to a line level associate, the staff person has no legitimate power
over the associate. And, as you might guess, Leaders have more legitimate power over their
direct reports than they do over their peers, bosses, and others: inside or outside their
organizations.
o Reward power. The Leader who has reward power influences others because she or he
controls valued rewards; people comply with the Leader’s wishes in order to receive those
rewards. For example, a Leader works hard to achieve her performance goals to get a
positive performance review and a big pay raise from her boss. On the other hand, company
policy may dictate that everyone receive the same salary increase, a Leader's reward power
decreases because he or she is unable to give higher raises.
o Coercive power. The Leader with coercive power has control over punishments; people
comply to avoid those punishments. For instance, a Leader implements an absenteeism
policy that administers disciplinary actions to offending associates. In general, lower-level
Leaders have less coercive and reward power than do middle- and higher-level Leaders.
o Referent power. The Leader with referent power has personal characteristics that appeal to
others; people comply because of admiration, a desire for approval, personal liking, or a
desire to be liked by the Leader. For example, young, ambitious Leaders emulate the work
habits and personal style of a successful, charismatic executive. An executive who is
incompetent, disliked, and commands little respect has little referent power.
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Management Advancement Program – Basics Course 3.0
o Expert power. The Leader who has expert power has certain expertise or knowledge; people
comply because they believe in, can learn from, or can otherwise gain from that expertise.
For example, a sales manager gives her salespeople some tips on closing a deal. The
salespeople then alter their sales techniques because they respect the manager' expertise. On
the other hand, this manager may lack expert power in other areas, such as finance; thus, her
salespeople may ignore her advice concerning financial matters.
People who are in a position that gives them the right to tell others what to do, who can reward and
punish, who are well liked and admired, and who have expertise on which other people can draw
will be powerful members of the organization. All these sources of power are potentially important.
Although it is easy to assume that the most powerful bosses are those who have high legitimate
power and control major rewards and punishments, it is important not to underestimate the more
"personal" sources like expert and referent power. These personal sources of power are the ones
most closely related to people's motivation to perform to their Leaders' expectations.
YOUR PROSPECTIVE ASSIGNMENT (HOW – TO)
AmeriPark currently operates in several different environments, most of which involve valet
parking. However, not all AmeriPark accounts are valet based. Below is a snapshot list of what we
refer to as AmeriPark’s product offerings:
Valet Account Types
Retail (malls and restaurant)
Hotels
Medical Facilities
Arena / Casino / Event
Airport
Self-Park Account Types
Traditional Garages
Hotels
Medical Facilities
Arena / Casino / Event
Surface lots
o One of the most pressing questions for an aspiring Leader at AmeriPark is: “How do I get my
own lot?” Below is a list of the most common ways to get a location.
1. Be involved in MAP
o AmeriPark uses the MAP scorecard as our 1st stop when looking for in-house
talent.
2. Communicate regularly with your manager
o Regular conversations with your direct supervisor let’s them know that you
are interested. This also keeps your name fresh in his mind when he needs to
fill a position.
3. Communicate regularly with your Area Manager
o In addition to your direct supervisor, it is beneficial to express your interest in
leadership to the Area Manager for your area. Again, this keeps your name
fresh in mind for possible opportunities.
4. Communicate regularly with the corporate office
o Though the corporate office is aware of MAP candidates, they may not be
aware of desire for past graduates of MAP or current Leaders looking to move
accounts.
5. Pay attention to internal postings on UltiPro.
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Management Advancement Program – Basics Course 3.0
WHAT DOES AMERIPARK LOOK FOR IN A LEADERSHIP POSITION?
o In addition to participation / completion of the various levels of MAP, AmeriPark looks to
find correct fits with its leaders based on several key factors:
1. Does the candidate have prior experience with this type of account?
2. Has he been recommended by a trusted source?
3. Does he have a good performance history?
4. Is he willing to relocate?
5. Does he have specific skills needed for the account?
ƒ Financial abilities
ƒ Software knowledge
ƒ Size and scope experience
6. Does he have an aptitude for the complexities / major responsibilities of the account?
7. Is the candidate willing and able to work during the critical times and will he put in
the necessary hours to effectively manage the property?
HOW DID THIS ASSIGNMENT OPPORTUNITY COME ABOUT?
AmeriPark has a new account
o As any company that exists in the marketplace today desires growth, so to does AmeriPark.
Therefore, AmeriPark has a Business Development Team that focuses all of their time and
effort towards gaining new contracts. That said, the deal to which you may be assigned may
be a new one, often times with major implications to its success. Perhaps this new deal is
the first of its product type, maybe it is the first deal with a nationwide client, or it may be
the first deal in a new market. Regardless of which of these is true, the fact is that this new
deal was awarded to AmeriPark, and it is up to the leadership team to operate it as
effectively as possible.
The previous Leader was promoted
o As AmeriPark’s growth continues, we like to allow upward movement for existing Leaders.
Providing that a current Leader is the best fit for a new position, we would most likely move
him into a new role which inevitably leaves an open position at his former account. Perhaps
this is a position for which you are suited?
The previous Leader was demoted or quits
o Unfortunately, there may be times when we have to remove a current Leader from his
position or he voluntarily leaves the company. When removal is the reason, most often this
is due to poor performance on his behalf. Although these types of changes are rare,
regrettably they do occur. Anytime a new Leader is placed in such a situation, it often
requires extra patience and effort from the new Leader.
Regardless of which type of deal you may lead or how you got it, as a Leader with
AmeriPark, your responsibility is to support the strategic plan and accomplish organizational
goals by leading your associates' experiences, engaging their hearts and minds to do much
more than the minimum.
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WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF OPERATING THE DEAL?
Is this deal the first in a new product offering?
o If so, there will be a lot to learn from the new Leader. Although in most instances, we feel
confident that a Leader or Account Manager can come from within the organization; the
decision may depend on the required expertise of the position.
o Example: Currently, we are experiencing modest growth in the Garage (traditional
parking) segment. As AmeriPark’s foundations are based in valet and service, the
overlying requirement for the position may be technical and or financial abilities that
would have been learned elsewhere. In such a case, it is not unlikely that we have
little choice but to hire from outside the organization. Of course we would have
exhausted all efforts to fill the position from within prior to making such a decision.
o As AmeriPark expands its base of training opportunities by adding more and more
deals within a product type, the need for outsiders to fill positions will reduce.
o Inevitably, the first deal of a service/product offering will require much involvement from all
levels of the organization, particularly the corporate team. As this would be the first deal of
its type, many changes and alterations should be expected from any leader. We would love
to get everything right in the prospecting phase but assuredly there will have to be some
tweaking to almost any new deal, particularly one that we have no experience with.
Flexibility is a key success factor for a leader in this situation.
Is this deal the first in a new market?
o If so, again there will be much learning to undertake. New markets present more of a
personnel problem than anything else. As we are traditionally a labor intensive company,
access to quality workers is often a big hurdle to overcome. Obviously, at some point we
were new to all markets but it definitely takes a little time to find great recruiting sources.
Couple this with a new type of deal and the caliber and skills of a successful leader required
jumps up tremendously.
o The effective operation of this 1st deal in the market will most likely determine the fate of
AmeriPark in that market. This type of deal will again make much use of the corporate
structure and depend heavily on them for support, guidance, and input.
Is this the first deal with a new / large client?
o Not to pressure the new leadership position too much but, this scenario will most likely put
any level of leadership under the most scrutiny. After all, there is a lot riding on a successful
performance. If you are overly sensitive and tend to take things personally, this may not be
the type of deal for you.
o Success at a “pilot” account can open the doors for new markets as well as back-fill our
current markets.
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Management Advancement Program – Basics Course 3.0
ASSESSING THE ASSIGNMENT, ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE JOB
Now the REAL work begins!
o Now that AmeriPark has given you an opportunity by awarding you a deal to lead, the real
work begins. Before getting started in any deal, it is incumbent upon the Leader to have
done his homework as best he can. Educating yourself about the deal is up to you!
o If the location you have been assigned to is a “new” deal, AmeriPark has “opening teams” or
“Task Force” that assist in opening “new” deals when necessary. One of the first steps in
taking over leadership responsibility of an account is to get involved with the opening plan
and understanding what needs to be done prior to opening the account. In some instances,
the selected Leader will actually administer the “opening” process by using the standardized
AmeriPark opening plan template. All departments and functions have requirements for
every opening listed on the template; make sure you are aware of all of these. Whether you
are in charge of the opening plan or not, any Leader taking on a new deal should, at a
minimum, be a part of the process.
o In addition, the new Leader should know why he is in the position, whether it be a new deal,
promoted Leader, demoted Leader, etc… He should also understand why he was chosen
over other candidates. Knowledge of the strengths that are required from the deal and
possessed by the Leader will often shed light on key factors of the deal. For example, if a
Leader is chosen for his financial reporting acumen, it is likely that this is a critical success
factor for the position.
WHAT ARE THE SPECIFICS OF THE DEAL?
WHAT IS THE LEADER’S PRIMARY FUNCTION?
o Operational – In most instances, a Leader’s primary role will be to run the day-to-day
operation effectively within the constraints of the contract. Depending on the account will
determine on what level of leadership is running the account. And in turn, this will also
determine the roles of the leadership at that account. Some key measures to focus on are
revenue production, service expectations, labor models (cars per labor hour), claims
management, client relationship management, as well as various other contract specifics.
The bottom line for a purely operational Leader is that he is keyed on the operation. He does
not have extra duties such as making sales calls or other responsibilities outside of the
operation.
o Relationship building – At all accounts, the Leader’s has an inferred responsibility for
building and cultivating relationships with the client. However, there are a few accounts
where this is the primary focus. Deals that have such a function are usually very strategic in
nature and encompass large scale operations and the day-to-day operational support comes
from an internal AmeriPark management structure. This role is definitely more of a strategic
position as opposed to purely operations. In addition to the entire oversight of the operation,
this role usually has sales and marketing implications. In addition, this person would most
likely be the “face” of AmeriPark in the region or with a particular client and meets with
them regularly. Strong interpersonal and relationships skills are required for such a position.
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WHAT TYPE OF OPERATIONAL AND CORPORATE SUPPORT CAN BE EXPECTED?
NEW PRODUCT
o If the deal you land is a new product / service, you can expect intense and frequent
involvement from the corporate team, particularly at the start. Do not worry; once you have
shown that you can run the deal and the operation is stable, corporate involvement will scale
back.
o Often, in new product / service deals, the corporate team is involved primarily to assist in
delivering what was promised in the contract but at the same time documenting processes
and best practices for duplication once the next deal comes through. Such focus from the
corporate team shortens the learning curve for the next deal as the experiences learned here
can be improved and passed on. This is often a Leader’s best opportunity to provide input
for future operations. Again, the Leader’s involvement in the opening process and overall
understanding of the deal is paramount.
NEW DEAL (IN A PRODUCT OFFERING THAT WE ARE FAMILIAR WITH IN AN EXISTING MARKET)
o This would apply presently to accounts such as malls, restaurants, hotels, and to some extent
garages in markets where we are already established.
o As these deals have become the cornerstone of expertise for AmeriPark, the corporate
involvement is no less intense at start-up but it does drop off quicker than in new product
offerings. Although corporate presence may drop off relatively soon, local / regional
oversight and support will remain throughout the life of the contract.
NEW MARKET
o Starting a new account in a new market is possibly the toughest challenge AmeriPark has to
offer. The biggest challenge of a new market is most often “people” related. Whereas a new
product / service is more logistically challenging.
o Finding quality associates in a new city has and will most likely be the key to success in that
market. Currently, AmeriPark’s best recruiting avenue comes from “word of mouth” through
existing associates; obviously we do not have that resource in a new market. As stated
earlier, over time this will build but to begin with it should not be overlooked. AmeriPark’s
corporate HR team has vast experience in finding new associates for new markets and will
have a very active role in each new market.
o Generally, corporate support is very strong in opening a new market. Having opened many
markets over the past few years, the process for finding and hiring new associates improves
with every city. Although corporate is usually on-site during start up, and generally will not
depart the market until it is operational, the real challenge comes after a few weeks of
operations. At this point, it is likely that there has been some loss of associates due to
various factors. A Leader or any leadership member will often be on their own at this point
from a “local” recruiting effort. Of course, when circumstances dictate, corporate support
can be deployed in emergencies. Quickly, the Leader sees the value of “word of mouth”
recruiting.
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Management Advancement Program – Basics Course 3.0
EXISTING ACCOUNT
o When a Leader overtakes an existing account, it is usually for one of two reasons; the
previous Leader has either been promoted or demoted. In such cases, there is already an
existing staff which will have to be assessed for correct “fit” with the new Leader.
o Unless instructed by a superior, it is strongly recommended that the new Leader not make
any changes in staff until they can assess the current abilities of present staff.
o It is natural for a Leader that is transferred from a different location to want to bring in
his “own” folks. Though this is ok, the number of new folks moving into an account reassignment should be kept to a minimum as the current staff has inherent knowledge that
will take time to discover for an entirely new crew. While this knowledge is being
obtained, it may come at the cost of mistakes in service and safety that could jeopardize
the account.
o Corporate support will be minimal in this type of deal while the most effective support
will come from the local / regional management structure that has more intimate
knowledge of the account and its intricacies.
WILL YOU HAVE ONSITE SUPPORT / LOCATION STRUCTURE?
Now that you have a deal to lead, what day-to-day help is available to you?
o First and foremost, the Leader should establish a good working relationship with his
immediate supervisor. Having knowledge of his superiors preferred communication methods
and frequency allows the relationship to foster cooperation. Knowledge of when and why to
engage the superior allows the Leader to build confidence in his decision making.
o With each deal, AmeriPark builds the leadership structure to suit each deal. Because of this
customized approach, there is no “cookie-cutter” answer that applies to every deal, with the
exception that each location will have a Leader or other leadership member. It is in the best
interest of everyone involved for the newly appointed Leader to understand the specifics of
support surrounding his deal prior to beginning the operation.
o Regardless of any formal leadership structure that may be listed in the budget, the duties of
an Assistant Leader, Shift Lead, and Valet can be assigned to individuals within the location
staff by the Leader. However, assigning such responsibility will likely require pay
adjustments and those adjustments must remain within the budget and be approved by upper
management.
KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET / FINANCIAL SPECIFICS OF THE DEAL
As a Leader with AmeriPark, one should have a very clear understanding of the financial
responsibilities and expectations that he will carry as the Leader of a location.
o To begin with, any incoming Leader should either be provided with or obtain a copy of the
budget for review with a corporate or regional figure. After all, these are the terms he will
have to live by and the results he is expected to deliver. Having concrete targets allows a
Leader to effectively lead an account. A simple “do your best”, without knowledge of the
budget will eventually lead to either failure or stagnant performance. To get ahead, one must
know what they need to get ahead of.
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o In general, there are normally two budgeted cost items that require additional attention from
a Leader; labor and claims. These are both variable costs that fluctuate with activity and are
in most cases controllable to a certain extent by a Leader. Obviously, there are minimum
labor requirements but one should always shoot for low claims cost.
LABOR BUDGET
o A major area of understanding that must be addressed during the budget review is the
compensation structure for all associates of the account. The following list of questions
should be addressed:
o What are the budgeted hourly rates for specific job class:
o Valets?
o Attendants?
o Cashiers?
o Other?
o How many of each position will I need to operate the account?
o This information will help during the start up phase of a new account. Having this
helps you develop a recruiting plan. When large numbers are needed, job fairs have
traditionally served AmeriPark’s needs. Smaller accounts, particularly in existing
markets have been recruited through ramping up or roll-over from existing accounts.
o How is the wage rate for hourly associates determined?
o At all accounts when setting up a budget pro-forma, AmeriPark builds the wage
model on historical and intuitive insight. The overall goal for the compensation
portion of the budget is to create a ‘competitive wage’ in that market; one that all
concerned parties find acceptable, AmeriPark, its associates, and the client.
o High-wage, low tip expectation ( a low ‘cars per labor hour’ ratio)
o If the account is geared for low traffic, the base wage will usually be higher
than an account that has high traffic. The low volume of cars usually means
fewer tips to contribute to the ‘overall’ compensation package. To ensure an
‘overall’ competitive wage, a low traffic account will adjust the hourly base
wage upward so that expected tips per hour + the base wage will be
competitive for that market.
ƒ It should be noted that many variables are considered when deciding
on what a ‘competitive wage’ consist of:
• Unemployment rate for that market
• Availability of profiled worker
• Proximity to substitute employers
• Etc…
o An account with a high wage / low tip expectation will obviously have higher
controllable costs than a lower wage account. At such an account, managing
labor hours becomes elevated as the impact of each hour worked has a higher
cost than each hour at a lower base wage account.
o Low-wage, high tip expectation ( a high ‘cars per labor hour’ ratio)
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o Generally speaking, if the account is expected to have high traffic flow, the
expectation would be a greater opportunity to supplement the ‘overall’ wage
with tips. Under such a scenario, the base wage would be lower as the
increased tips bring the ‘overall’ wage to a competitive level.
o Are there any benefits and or paid time-off budgeted for staff?
o When market conditions dictate and the finances allow for additional benefits over
the competitive wage, AmeriPark strives to get the most for its associates when
setting up compensation packages. Unfortunately, due to the nature of this business,
not all accounts allow for additional benefits.
o Example, when competing for scarce human resources, AmeriPark will
attempt to enhance the ‘total compensation’ package when competing against
other employers. On the contrary, when the market is soft and unemployment
rates are high, AmeriPark feels it can compete with others through its standard
compensation plan.
o What additional benefits are available to:
ƒ The Leader?
ƒ Any assistants / leads?
ƒ Associates?
CLAIMS BUDGET
o Claims are far and above the highest controllable cost at most accounts. In every budget,
there is at least some amount budgeted for claims. Every Leader should know his claims
budget and actively lead to come in below that budget.
o There are basically 2 separate ways that claims are handled financially at an account.
AmeriPark bears 100% of the cost of claims
o In this scenario, AmeriPark has assessed the risk / impact of claims and has agreed to cover
100% of all claims cost coming from that account. Therefore, for every claim that can be
avoided, that money will stay on the books as a profit rather than an expense.
Management Agreement
o In this case, a management agreement has been negotiated that allows a budgeted amount to
be paid by the client and the remainder is to be covered by AmeriPark. In some cases, the
contract calls for the client to cover 100% of the claims. There are too many scenarios to
review in detail here but, the bottom line is that the Leader should know how the claims are
budgeted at the account. In addition, prevention of claims is a win-win-win for AP, the
client, and the customer. That is really the goal.
o Whether or not AmeriPark or the client pays for the claim, our goal is to minimize the cost
and frequency of claims.
Claims metric / target – non-financial
o Recently, AmeriPark began paying close attention to the non-financial impact of claims as
well. Even in a deal where AmeriPark pays 100% of the claims, the client does not want to
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have high claim incidences as it reflects poorly on their establishment. In an effort to bring
up awareness, each account has been assigned a claim metric that it should use as a
benchmark to measure safety and customer satisfaction. This benchmark number is set by
the Safety Director annually and is derived from historical data. If the account is a new
account, it will by default assume either the company or product goal for that period.
o Example: In 2006, all new accounts, unless budgeted otherwise, were forecast to
have a claim frequency of 7.75 per 100,000 cars parked. Though this is not a
financial measure, it is a quality measure that was accounted for when the pro-forma
was built. By managing to that number or below, AmeriPark believes that its costs
will drop and its customer satisfaction scores will improve.
REVENUE
o Lastly, but nonetheless a very important piece of knowledge is the handling of revenue at the
account. This is the understanding of the flow of money from the customer to the bank.
Every deal has its own flow that the Leader of the deal must understand. In some cases, it
may be up to him to determine the official protocol. However, in most instances, this has
been pre-determined during the opening plan.
o Common questions in determining the money flow:
o Collection stage - What collection methods are available from the customer?
o Cash
o Credit card
o Invoice (monthly parking, validations)
o Added to bill (hotel)
o Personal check
o Transit stage – where is the money stored temporarily?
o Is it kept in a safe for daily, weekly counting?
o When is it pulled?
o Who has access?
o Deposit Stage – Getting the money to its final destination
o Where is the final destination?
ƒ Is it deposited to an on-site (internal) cashier?
o Some accounts have internal accounting and reconciliation
areas where we may drop money temporarily
ƒ Is it deposited in a bank?
o Which bank?
o Deposit slips?
TROUBLESHOOTING
TROUBLESHOOTING CHECKLIST WHEN TAKING OVER AN EXISTING ACCOUNT
o Have your superior make the announcement to the existing crew.
o This establishes legitimate power, as discussed previously, and establishes you as the person
in charge of the account.
o This also quiets the “rumor mill” that can unseat even the best leader’s ability
o Have your superior introduce you to the Client representative
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o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
This notifies the Client of the “official” change of leadership at the account
Allows the client to explain his expectations of you and your staff
Allows the opportunity to establish a meeting cadence
Obtain the existing schedule from outgoing Leader
Obtain names and contact numbers for all current staff
Understand key staff players roles at the account
Understand the days and hours that you are expected to work from your superior
Establish meeting schedule with Client representative
Know who in your area to contact when additional, new, or replacement staff is needed.
Example: Other Leader’s in your area
Review the existing staff’s most recent pay rates and find out why they are what they are…is
there a person making extra money strictly because he was the previous Leader’s buddy?
Obtain any existing SOP or other written operational plan that the departing Leader may have
Understand the inherent “danger” areas for claims…troubleshoot for “trouble areas”
If serving multiple clients, establish and cultivate relationships with all parties
Example: If you operate a mall valet operation, there may be several restaurants as well as
the mall manager that you need to have a relationship with.
Meet with existing associates and let them know your expectations as compared to the
previous Leader.
Do not come in like a “bull in a china closet”, even if you are extremely confident; let the
current staff have a voice in the operation. Avoid being overly critical of the previous
Leader, conduct yourself like a professional.
Assess staff competency during the first few shifts, before you make sweeping changes.
Evaluate for yourself; don’t trust the opinions of others.
TROUBLESHOOTING CHECKLIST WHEN OPENING A NEW ACCOUNT
o Know the accounts RC
o Ensure RATS account has been set –up and permissions granted
o Is there an office
o Bank account – drop information
o Supply of deposit slips
o What start up costs are reimbursable
o Is there a safe
o Copy of business license
o Is Time tracking set up
o Supply of DLR or other time recording device in place
o Where do paychecks arrive
o Will there be a lag
o Is equipment in place
o Has a draft schedule been reviewed, communicated to staff
o Are uniforms ordered
o Signage – new markets will need to establish relationship with local sign company
o Tickets on hand
o Claim forms on hand
o Biz cards
o Phone, email, laptop
14
Management Advancement Program – Basics Course 3.0
*A general rule of thumb for all new leaders of AmeriPark would be to know who in the corporate
office does what. By knowing this, taking on an account for the first time will be just a bit easier
because you know who to call if you need help. Go to either local management or UltiPro to get a
list of corporate members.
The Next Step
Congratulations! You are now complete with the reading portion of this module. You should now complete the
Applied Knowledge exercises and then go to the Training page to update your Scoreboard. Once complete, you
are free to select any other module to work on. **Remember, you will be tested on all material located in both
the Foundation Document and the Applied Knowledge’s. Be prepared to show your understanding of both.
15
CHANGE AND TRANSITION APPLIED KNOWLEDGE
Exercise
SAVE YOUR WORK!
What to Use
Objective
This exercise will
1) Draft a letter to
get you thinking
AmeriPark management
about your
on “Why you are
strong-suits of
Qualified to be an
This exercise does not have a
being a manager
AmeriPark Manager.”
form. Use your head.
as well as identify
IF already a manager, write
your areas of
why you should remain one.
deficiencies to
create selfawareness.
This exercise is
designed for you
There is no form for this
2) Be able to identify
to understand
exercise. Use local management
who in the Corporate
who is responsible
for this exercise or Corporate
office does what…
for what when
Phone list on UltiPro.
opening a new
account.
This exercise is
designed for you
to understand
3) Be able to identify
Use the Managers Transition
who is responsible
what all needs to take
Checklist document located in
for what when
place when taking over
the Forms Library. Or you
changing
an account from an outmanagers of an
should refer to the Foundation
going manager
account as well as
Document.
generate
awareness of
common issues.
Date Completed
by
Account Takeover
Who to get answers from
Once Awarded the Position
Supervisor make announcement to current staff and company
Supervisor introduce you to Client
Obtain from exiting manager or supervisor:
Current schedule
Staff name and numbers
****Call each employees and discuss their schedules and
what you expect of them. Don’t rely on what you heard from
th previous
the
i
manager. DO THIS BEFORE YOUR FIRST
DAY!
Lot SOP to know logistics
Know roles of current staff
Know hours of operation and what is expected of you
Know the p
pay
y rates for all current employee's
p y
Know who to call for staffing support
Know what other managers are in the area for support
Know the Claims for the lot - Do's and Don’t's
Know the Cash Handling Procedures (safe with codes)
Establish a meeting schedule with the client
Needs?
Office?
Safe?
Laptop (if needed)
Email address (if needed)
Ph
Phone
(if needed)
d d)
Business Cards (if needed)
Uniforms ordered?
DLRs
Bank Bags
Bank Account Number (where
to deposit
moneyy - key)
(
p
y)
Copy of Business License
Claim Forms
Equipment (ordered or in place?)
Vision Set-up (do you have a username and password?)
What is the RC number?
Tickets (ordered or in place?)
IT Worksheet
Completed?