Have you wandered around a parking lot trying to remember where you parked your car?
Think about being in a large parking lot and trying to find a car that is not yours.
As President and CEO of Vally Park USA Corporation, Paul Petit has given considerable thought over the past 34 years to the logistics of parking a stranger’s car so it can be found rapidly.
Petit founded his company, Grupo Vally Park, in Mexico City in 1984 to provide valet parking for private and corporate events. Petit grew the business to over 45 locations in cities like Cuernavaca and Acapulco. “One of the goals I set was to expand the operations to the U.S. and become a binational company.” He reached that goal in 2002, when he started his operation in the Mission-McAllen area under the name Valet Parking by Vally Park.
Over the years, Petit has established a detailed system for on-site management of cars arriving and leaving an event venue. First his staff surveys the area designated for parking by the client and determines the parking pattern (commonly known as elephant lines, nose to tail) and the numbering of the layout.
At the reception podium, a uniformed attendant takes the key from each driver in exchange for a claim ticket, which is one segment of a four-part ticket. Two surveillance cameras on the podium record the arrival and condition of each vehicle. Bonded and insured attendants take the cars to the parking area. Keys are secured at the reception podium. In the parking area, a Vally Park command post van supports a four-camera surveillance system in conjunction with employees in lighted vests with two-way radios patrolling the area.
Events typically require 7-10 employees.
“To be honest, we are very flexible. We are still making changes, adapting to new and better technologies and available resources. It’s like a never-ending process. Logisitics and strategic planning are key and fundamental aspects we focus on,” Petit said. A skilled, committed and self-motivated team makes it all possible.
Petit is a firm believer in being self-sustaining and always having a Plan B, meaning sufficient backup equipment and redundancies that enable Vally Park to honor its commitments while providing excellent service. Weather conditions have to be factored in. “If it is raining and the cars may end up in a muddy area, we have to go to Plan B,” he said. “If an event goes on much longer than scheduled because guests are having a great time, we need to be ready to refuel the generators or have a backup generator for the parking area lights.”
Having alternative plans allows flexibility without stress. “It’s not that we constantly go to Plan B, but we want to be always prepared,” Petit said. “Plan B is behind the scenes, but it lets us deliver a final product that is hassle-free.” Vally Park’s business is split evenly between corporate events and private events with employees dealing with up to 200 cars routinely. Vally Park works closely with the some of the South Texas’ best known wedding and event planners.
To read more of this story by Eileen Mattei, read the June 2015 edition of VBR under the “Current & Past Issues” tab on this website, or pick up a copy on news stands.
