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Today is the 2nd day of class spring semester at the university I work at as a parking attendant for the Visitor parking garage. I had to reserve 33 spots in the garage, leaving 20 non reserved spots available.
The software controlling the open sign is not working properly, & I found out the reason why. The Parking office replaced the gates at the Visitor Parking garage over a year ago, but kept the equipment that controlled the electric sign that was installed over 20 years ago. That sign could be changed to say reserved, but it was replaced with the open sign that could be changed to full. It would work properly if the old equipment was replaced with new equipment, but the Parking office did not want to spend the money. So the open sign is on 24/7 until further notice.
A customer arrived to get information regarding enrolling at the campus when the garage is reserved. Here is how the conversation went.
male customer: mc
me: me
me: "Hi, how may I help you?"
mc: "I'm here to enroll in the school, & I would like to parking in Visitor Parking."
me: "I'm so sorry, but even though the open sign is on, the garage is reserved. Every parking spot is already reserved & already paid for, & I can only allow our guests on the event list to park in the garage. I'm sorry, but I cannot allow anyone else to park in the garage because there are no parking spots for anyone else to park in."
mc: "So where do I park?"
me: "Other parking is available at the meter lot right behind your car, at the lot on North Main street which is beyond meter parking, or at the lot at Main & Commerce Street."
mc: sits there for a while not saying anything
mc: "Well, I'm new here & I do not know where to park at. All I'm here to do is get information."
me: "I'm sorry, I understand that, but I need to direct anyone to park at the other lots because I have to follow the rules."
He did not ask for directions. He just tells me to raise the gate so he can circle around the booth & exit.
Meanwhile, the Aramark van, which has it's own reserved spot, & "Julie Parker", who works in the President's office, arrive to park. I cannot turn anyone working in the President's office or anyone going to the President's office away since there are 6 spots for the President's guests or employees.
The male customer returns. Now he becomes the annyoing persistent questioning male customer.
me: "Hi, how may I help you?
apqmc: "I saw you let a car in & you told me you could not let anyone park in the garage. You are not doing your job."
me: "Which car did you see?"
apqmc: "The white van"
me: Crap, that van is the Aramark van, which has it's own reserved spot. Geez, why are you back?
me: "Well... that white van is a company vehicle which has it's own reserved spot in the garage. It can only park in that reserved spot. There is a sign posted at that reserved spot stating that only that van is allowed to park in that reserved spot."
apqmc: "But you let that van in"
I repeat to him what I just said, & I also told him "I'm sorry, but I can only allow our guests on the event list to park. I cannot allow anyone else to park."
apqmc: "But I saw you let that van in."
me: "If you have any questions & or concerns, please go to Suite 681 South"
That is the office number for Visitor Parking/Community Relations
apqmc: "but you let that van in"
me: "I understand that, but I cannot make any exceptions because I have to follow the rules. If you have any questions & or concerns, please go to Suite 681 South."
The annoying persistent questioning male customer finally leaves.
The software controlling the open sign is not working properly, & I found out the reason why. The Parking office replaced the gates at the Visitor Parking garage over a year ago, but kept the equipment that controlled the electric sign that was installed over 20 years ago. That sign could be changed to say reserved, but it was replaced with the open sign that could be changed to full. It would work properly if the old equipment was replaced with new equipment, but the Parking office did not want to spend the money. So the open sign is on 24/7 until further notice.
A customer arrived to get information regarding enrolling at the campus when the garage is reserved. Here is how the conversation went.
male customer: mc
me: me
me: "Hi, how may I help you?"
mc: "I'm here to enroll in the school, & I would like to parking in Visitor Parking."
me: "I'm so sorry, but even though the open sign is on, the garage is reserved. Every parking spot is already reserved & already paid for, & I can only allow our guests on the event list to park in the garage. I'm sorry, but I cannot allow anyone else to park in the garage because there are no parking spots for anyone else to park in."
mc: "So where do I park?"
me: "Other parking is available at the meter lot right behind your car, at the lot on North Main street which is beyond meter parking, or at the lot at Main & Commerce Street."
mc: sits there for a while not saying anything
mc: "Well, I'm new here & I do not know where to park at. All I'm here to do is get information."
me: "I'm sorry, I understand that, but I need to direct anyone to park at the other lots because I have to follow the rules."
He did not ask for directions. He just tells me to raise the gate so he can circle around the booth & exit.
Meanwhile, the Aramark van, which has it's own reserved spot, & "Julie Parker", who works in the President's office, arrive to park. I cannot turn anyone working in the President's office or anyone going to the President's office away since there are 6 spots for the President's guests or employees.
The male customer returns. Now he becomes the annyoing persistent questioning male customer.
me: "Hi, how may I help you?
apqmc: "I saw you let a car in & you told me you could not let anyone park in the garage. You are not doing your job."
me: "Which car did you see?"
apqmc: "The white van"
me: Crap, that van is the Aramark van, which has it's own reserved spot. Geez, why are you back?
me: "Well... that white van is a company vehicle which has it's own reserved spot in the garage. It can only park in that reserved spot. There is a sign posted at that reserved spot stating that only that van is allowed to park in that reserved spot."
apqmc: "But you let that van in"
I repeat to him what I just said, & I also told him "I'm sorry, but I can only allow our guests on the event list to park. I cannot allow anyone else to park."
apqmc: "But I saw you let that van in."
me: "If you have any questions & or concerns, please go to Suite 681 South"
That is the office number for Visitor Parking/Community Relations
apqmc: "but you let that van in"
me: "I understand that, but I cannot make any exceptions because I have to follow the rules. If you have any questions & or concerns, please go to Suite 681 South."
The annoying persistent questioning male customer finally leaves.
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