Why Customer Experience Comes Before Technology in Parking

When Hilary Pattermann became Parking Utility Manager for the City of Appleton, Wisconsin, she inherited aging infrastructure, outdated technology, and customer processes that no longer served the public well. Instead of waiting for major capital projects, she focused on something more immediate: removing everyday friction for customers. 

In this episode of Parking Live, Hilary joins Jade Neville and Matt Darst to share how a single citizen complaint reshaped her approach to parking management, why customer experience became the foundation of Appleton’s modernization strategy, and what it really means to “do more with less.”

The conversation explores practical leadership lessons for parking professionals facing limited budgets, aging infrastructure, and growing public expectations. Hilary explains how small operational improvements—from clearer communications and expanded payment options to temporary technology workarounds—can build trust while larger modernization projects are still underway. 

They also discuss managing stalled technology projects, coordinating multiple vendors, building support with elected officials and internal teams, creating a stronger public-facing parking brand, and why progress often comes from persistence rather than perfection. 

Whether you’re responsible for parking operations, municipal mobility, or customer service, this episode offers practical strategies for improving the user experience—even when resources are limited.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why customer experience should drive every modernization effort 
• How small operational improvements can deliver outsized results 
• Lessons from managing aging parking infrastructure and delayed technology projects 
• Strategies for building trust with customers, staff, and city leadership 
• Why clear communication is one of a parking manager’s most valuable tools 
• How “progress over perfection” can keep transformation moving forward

Hosted and Produced by Jade Neville and Matt Darst.
Producer: Chris O’Keeffe
Production Assistant: Desmond Gates
Editor: Patrick Emile
Associate Producer: Cyndi Raskin
Executive Producer: Julie Gates

Parking Live is brought to you by Modaxo — passionate about moving the world’s people.