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Concord Lands Major Contract
With SFU

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Concord Parking has been awarded the contract to provide parking management services for Simon Fraser University, located in Burnaby, B.C. SFU is one of Canada’s largest universities with 37,000 students and 6,500 faculty and staff. This represents one of Concord Parking’s largest contracts to date. The SFU contract will allow Concord Parking to showcase newly developed in-house parking management software designed specifically for university applications.

“SFU will be completely automating the permit purchase process for students, faculty and staff utilizing Concord Parking’s self-hosted permit management software. Additionally, we are providing parking enforcement with Concord’s mobile License Plate Recognition (LPR) vehicle and violation management software,” said Concord’s Director of Parking and Branch Leadership, Marc Postlethwaite.

Concord’s solution process and implementation successfully allowed SFU to focus time and energy on what was needed to meet their business needs. The contract was announced effective June 2021.

Read the full press release in Parking Today News

Parking today May Issue

HOW TO MANAGE YOUR PARKING AREAS MORE EFFECTIVELY?

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When it comes to parking management, there are many things that go unnoticed. For instance, have you ever wondered about the amount of work and operational requirements that go behind managing these types of facilities? They often come with big challenges that require a good plan to turn them into successful and functional businesses. The truth is that the parking industry has evolved with business intelligence at its core and today it features some of the world’s most dynamic and leading-edge technologies.

Want to manage your parking areas more effectively? We have put together a list of resources and best practices to help you run your parking business at its full potential:

Concord CTRL – Parking management simplified.

Imagine if you could manage your parking all in one place, from anywhere, and at any time. The Concord Parking team has developed a simple virtual dashboard that gives you access to all of our parking solutions. Concord CTRL is parking made easy for employees, residents, tenants, and visitors. You can access cloud-based real-time data regarding transactions, ticket status, and available tickets on your computer or mobile device.

Some of the main features that make Concord CTRL a game-changer in parking management solutions are:

  • Monthly Permit CTRL – It allows you to purchase permits through your personalized branded online portal. Manage your own profile and save administration time and money.
  • Tenant Management CTRL – Tenants have the ability to self-manage their own parking permits. Landlords can allow tenants to self-manage their employee/guest parking permits. Empowering tenants is the way to go!
  • Validation CTRL – Create and allocate day permits to customer profiles and vehicles, so you don’t have to worry about non-registered guests taking up valuable parking spaces. This is super useful for online guest pre-registration for upcoming events and assigning designated parking spaces.
  • Enforcement CTRL – Manage violations and disputes with ease and access to on-demand information. Generate real-time reports and control the data that you want to see.

One of the great things about Concord CTRL is that it is completely white-labelled and customizable with your organization’s branding. Show your brand! Also, its modular pricing is based only on the features you use.

Try it for free or book a demo to see how Concord CTRL can improve your business.

The use of lighting

There are several advantages that come with the good use of parking lot lighting. The safety of pedestrians is one of the most important ones, but it can also include advances in design, professional status, and the attractiveness of a business.

Your facility should have bright illumination for driving and pedestrian areas, but also needs to minimize shadows beyond these areas. Stairwells, elevators, areas of refuge, and the exterior parts of parking garages are all high-risk locations that need to be properly illuminated.

Consider lighting for daylight driver safety, too. The contrast between bright daylight and a shadowed garage can cause momentary blindness for drivers entering. By over lighting entrances to parking garages, you can minimize the risk of this transition.

Overall, parking area lighting might seem like an extra mile to go, but in fact, the extra mile you go will heighten the level of safety, security, sense of environment, design, and professionalism a business already has.

Parking garage patrolling

Having Enforcement Officers patrol your parking lots is a standard method to increase the safety of those using your facilities. An authoritative presence can serve as a powerful deterrent to crime. Adding on-site or mobile security patrols in parking facilities can significantly enhance security. As the leading training organization within the security industry, Paladin Security is committed to providing training to our Security Officers and supporting them with continuous education so that they are equipped with the best tools and knowledge to succeed in their roles.

Facility maintenance

A well-maintained parking area adds to the functionality, aesthetics, safety, and branding of your business. Sometimes property managers and owners tend to focus more on general building maintenance, but there’s a lot that goes into keeping parking lots well-groomed. After all, it is a part of your property’s facade.

Here are some of the major maintenance activities required for proactive parking lot upkeep:

Striping – They provide directions for organized traffic flow, indicate accessible parking spaces, and clearly outline parking spots. This kind of job is typically performed by professional line-striping contractors.

Paving – The most common choices for parking lot surfaces are either asphalt or concrete, with each material having its pros and cons. A properly paved parking lot should last from 20 to 30 years.

Sealcoating – Whether asphalt or concrete, treating the surface with sealant (seal coating) helps preserve the resilience of the pavement, and minimizes the effects of continuous freeze-thaw cycles.

Addressing drainage problems – When rainwater does not drain quickly from your parking area, it can cause several problems like shortening the lifespan of the paving, increasing the risk of trips and falls, breeding unsanitary conditions (especially in underground parking areas), and damaging vehicles and surrounding infrastructure.

Surveillance system implementation

Where there is greater visibility, there’s less crime. In addition to measures like access control, landscaping, and adequate lighting, installing a CCTV system makes it easier to monitor activity within your parking areas. This is one of the tools that can make your Security Officers exponentially more responsive to potential threats. It also helps to get a wider view of your facility and obtain useful feedback.

One way to improve CCTV systems is by installing Voice-Activated Security Sound systems. With VASS, loud/distinctive noises activate all CCTV cameras in the area and immediately focus on the activity at hand.

Emergency communications/equipment (phones, panic buttons)

Emergency phones and panic buttons are easily installed and highly effective at making parking areas safer. The presence of these safety tools can help to discourage crime and ensure help will swiftly arrive in any type of emergency.

Emergency phones give lot patrons direct access to security personnel when they need help. If a panic button is pressed, it triggers an alarm that immediately directs security personnel where the emergency is happening. For attacks, accidents, and health emergencies, these tools empower your users and help your Security Officer to be even more effective.

Whether you’re running a small, medium, or large parking facility, we hope that this guide helps you develop and implement purpose-built, end-to-end parking solutions. Improving the experience of your customers and employees should always be on your mind.

Maximize your efficiencies and cost savings by combining Concord Parking solutions and technology with our existing onsite Paladin Security resources and services.

CONCORD PARKING X-MAS HAMPER DRIVE

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It is that time of the year again! Paladin Security Group is in “holiday-spirit mode” and getting the sled, or in this case, our Concord Parking cars, ready to deliver happiness throughout our communities.

Vancouver International Airport’s 11th annual Holiday Hamper Drive took place on Tuesday, December 7th in partnership with Quest Outreach Society. Our Concord Parking team signed up to fill 25 reusable grocery bags with full holiday meals for families within the community. Fun fact: our Concord Team had to take two cars because the hampers wouldn’t fit! Each year, we are always inspired by the generosity of our partners and employees so we could not let this opportunity to help those less fortunate pass.

“The 2021 Holiday Hamper Drive is one of the giving-back initiatives that Concord Parking is committed to. It has been a rewarding experience to work together as a team to create and deliver the hampers,” said Steven Sall, Operations Manager for Concord Parking.

This initiative started in 2011 and has provided nearly 8,000 meals for people in the Vancouver Lower Mainland, giving dignified access to affordable and sustainable food options to those who face food security challenges in British Columbia. YVR worked with Quest to ensure that every meal is consistent so that the holiday joy is spread in a fair and equitable way. Our team was very proud to find that the hamper count was at 160 meals when the Concord sled got there, and the final count was 500!

“It was a lot of fun putting the hampers together! We’re glad that we are able to partner with our clients in giving back and helping those that need a little bit of support right now,” said Concord’s Director of Business Development, Mindip Janda. “Being a part of the communities we operate in is important to us, so we hope to participate in more of these types of initiatives in the future.”

Believing in a grocery model that simultaneously supports the community while reducing greenhouse gas emissions is something that aligns with Paladin’s values as we jump at the chance to boost our sustainability. Having a positive impact on our society is very important to Paladin Security Group, and we are constantly looking for ways to make it happen.

Four Ways You Can Help Your Local Community Throughout the Year

  1. Become a monthly donor in any initiative most convenient to you and help ensure that the items requested are in good condition and within the parameters of the organization.
  2. Make a one-time year-end food donation and help people in need have regular market access to grocery staples like produce, protein, and dairy, every single day.
  3. Host drives and events in your community. The only thing better than community service is doing it with friends. You can host holiday meals, activities for kids’ hospitals, a river clean-up, or even a dog wash. Get your creativity going.
  4. Volunteer in your community. The cool part about volunteering is that you can do it just about anywhere (even online!), so hopefully this gets you thinking. You can volunteer in local libraries, nonprofit organizations, animal shelters, lifeguard programs, and more.

Paladin’s Four Seasons of Giving

Helping with food donations is just one way Paladin Security gives back to the communities we work in. Through Paladin’s Four Seasons of Giving, we maintain a year-round commitment from all our branches, coast to coast. Each season marks a different corporate initiative with individual branches supporting several local organizations and programs that are of significance to team members.

For more information, visit our Four Season of Giving page.

Concord Parking Adds Branch in Edmonton to Help Service Growth

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Concord Parking is officially in Edmonton, AB, with the opening of a new branch. While we already have a number of loyal and long-standing clients in the area, we are now adding an operations team to help support the growth in the region.

The branch currently serves clients in retail such as IvanhoeCambridge, and the City of Edmonton, our newest partnership, which provides services to the Bylaw and Parking Enforcement Division. The operations team consists of roughly 75 staff with the goal of enhancing services and building new partnerships.

“Expanding into the Edmonton market allows us to better serve our existing Paladin Clients that may have parking management needs,” Concord President Michael Murray said.  “It also allows us to showcase our specialized parking management software in a new market to bring greater efficiency and profitability to our Clients, and a better parking experience for our Customers.”

Concord Parking is committed to quality and continuous improvement, striving to find the best solution for our client’s ever-changing needs. Our innovation includes an easy-to-use permit system that allows tenants to register their visitor’s license plates themselves, and a program to self-managed permit accounts for tenants. This gives property managers the capability to assign, suspend, and remove permits in real-time.

For more information about the services Concord has to offer, check out our website.

MEET CONCORD PARKING’S NEW PRESIDENT, MICHAEL MURRAY

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On September 1, 2020, we welcomed Michael Murray to the Paladin Group of Companies as the new President of Concord Parking.

Michael comes to Concord Parking with 26 years of management experience and 15 years specifically focused on the parking industry. His background, however, was originally in the hospitality industry. It was there that Michael discovered an opportunity to leverage his experience in customer service from hotel management and apply it to parking management, an industry not typically known for exceptional service. It was this skillset that enabled him to thrive in the parking management industry and grow as a leader, paving the way for businesses to have streamlined parking operations that are customer service oriented.

ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN THE PARKING INDUSTRY

One of Michael Murray’s biggest challenges while working in the hospitality industry was perishable products. However, after joining the parking industry, he soon discovered that parking is even more perishable than food.

Michael elaborated on this by explaining, “If you are unable to sell a steak in your restaurant one day, you can very often sell it the next day without a loss. But if you do not sell a parking space one day, you cannot sell it twice the next day to make up for it. Seeing the industry this way allowed me to recognize that we need to have good systems, strong business acumen, and most importantly, a great team. We have all of these at Concord Parking and we are getting stronger every day.”

Throughout his career, Michael has developed a proven track record of growth and success, and he has consistently improved operational quality and efficiencies by implementing sustainable methods. His leadership skills and strategic planning capabilities will provide us with the ability to take Concord Parking to the next level across the Lower Mainland, Canada, and the United States.

AN ENTREPRENEUR AT HEART

While working for Diamond Parking for over 10 years, Michael quickly enhanced his knowledge about the parking industry, as well as the entrepreneurial nature of it. He discovered that every parking facility he managed was as if it was its own business, since each facility had different challenges and opportunities. This made working in the parking industry a much more diverse and dynamic work environment than one might expect.

When asked what drew him to joining the Paladin Group of Companies, Michael Murray answered, “I was intrigued by the tremendous opportunity to capitalize on the synergy between parking and security. Many of our Clients need both services, and I believe that my experience in parking will be helpful to the team. Paladin also has a great corporate culture, which encourages growth through collaboration and entrepreneurial drive.”

A PASSION TO ENHANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE

Additionally, Michael is an empathetic leader who values listening, collaborating, and working in a supporting environment. He is passionate and hardworking when it comes to his role, and he has an incredible sense of humour, which will fit right in with Paladin’s welcoming corporate culture.

On announcing Michael’s addition to the Paladin Group of Companies, Ashley Cooper, Paladin’s CEO, stated, “I am truly excited to have Michael Murray join our team. We searched for a new President for Concord Parking to help us navigate the industry and help us grow the company across North America, and I am confident that Michael possesses the skills it will take.”

Michael Murray also noted, “I see a great opportunity to apply new technology to improve the customer experience and the efficiency of the business. The parking industry is normally fairly slow to adopt new technology, and I want to be a part of changing that.”

ABOUT CONCORD PARKING

Concord Parking offers a range of pay parking and parking management services to Class A shopping centers, office complexes, educational facilities, and local governments. Managing over 25,000 parking stalls for clients throughout Canada, Paladin’s parking division has grown rapidly as a result of delivering technology and innovation not previously offered by traditional parking companies. Concord is the largest provider of mobile LPR enforcement and permitting services in Western Canada, and we operate the region’s largest fleet of Genetec AutoVu enforcement vehicles. We are also an industry leader in the supply and installation of virtual permit systems, currently managing over 30,000 virtual permits. Learn more at concordparking.com.

Please join us in welcoming Michael Murray as the new President of Concord Parking by leaving a comment below!