Jasper Adriaans, Account Manager
As an account manager Jasper Adriaans is on the road every day supporting customers and partners of WPS. Time to ask him a few questions about parking blunders, the parking world and the future of parking.
What is your role within our company and what exactly does your role entail?
J: As an account manager, I am responsible for the relationships within a number of different segments. These are the multi-tenant locations, such as business centers, the leisure segment, healthcare institutions and homeowners' associations. I am often out of the office and meeting up with existing and potential customers.
What do you like most about your role?
J: That is definitely the variety. The work is super diverse, both in terms of segments and clients. For example, the needs of business centers are very different from those of the leisure sector. That dynamic makes my work very interesting. The developments in the market are also interesting, such as collaborations with parties like Toogethr, MyWay and ParkBee.
What do you think are the most important qualities that someone in your position should have?
J: You need to have perseverance and social skills. Being a good listener is essential! By asking the right questions and listening to what the customer needs, you can offer the best solution.
If you could swap jobs with a colleague for a day, who would you choose and why?
J: On the one hand, I think it would be interesting to work on location as a mechanic, but the weather has to be dry! On the other hand, I would like to operate on a strategic level.
What is your biggest 'parking blunder'? Have you ever made a hilarious mistake while parking?
J: During an unexpected road closure in IJsselstein, I wanted to take a shortcut through the city garage to the other side of IJsselstein. Normally you have to make quite a detour for this, but through this garage you can also drive out on the other side. To avoid cut-through traffic, you have to have been inside for at least 5 or 10 minutes, and I had forgotten about that. So, I was standing in front of a barrier that wouldn’t open, which meant that I had quite a few honking cars behind me.
If you could be a car, what kind of car would you be and why?
J: I think simply my own car. An Audi A3, reliable and solid. I also think Audi is a nice brand, modern and also a bit luxurious. I think I recognize myself in this. Reliable, solid, modern and I'm also not averse to a bit of luxury.
What can people wake you up for at night, besides parking problems?
J: Besides parking problems? Good question! First of all, good food. I really love food, so you can always wake me up for that. I am also a huge fan of winter sports. If someone wakes me up and says: 'We are going to Austria,' I am the first one ready!
What gives you the most energy during your work?
J: Ultimately, it is closing a deal that gives me the most energy. But independently building and maintaining long-term relationships also gives me a lot of energy. I like it best when a customer you got to know through acquisition or through a mutual contact, contacts you with the question: Can you help us with this? That shows that they are satisfied with the collaboration and know exactly what they can expect from you. I really appreciate that trust.
How would your colleagues describe you in three words?
J: Hhmmm, that's a tough question. I think they would say I am energetic and a team player. I also think being reliable and hardworking is important.
What do you want to achieve professionally?
J: At some point I would like to have more responsibilities, in my current role as account manager or in another role within WPS. I also think it would be fun to manage a team and ensure that everyone can reach their maximum potential. Working intensively with colleagues in this way really appeals to me.
How do you see the future of parking?
J: In the global parking market, I see a trend towards barrierless and ticketless systems, based entirely on license plate recognition. In the Netherlands I doubt whether barriers will really disappear, but ticketless by means of license plate recognition is becoming more and more common. I also expect that software applications that ensure optimal use of parking spaces will play an increasingly important role. With the increasing parking pressure, especially in cities, it is essential that we offer efficient solutions to optimally use available parking spaces.
Which parking problem would you like to solve?
J: The optimal use of parking spaces, which I just mentioned. I want to ensure that the available parking spaces that a company or resident has are used as efficiently as possible. Imagine that a company in the center of Utrecht has availability in its own parking garage/site. Then these spaces can be used by people who come to the city for a day. In this way, the company also earns something, and more parking spaces are created in the center. In this way, the available space is used optimally.
What is the most memorable parking experience you have ever had, as a driver or from your work?
J: I have seen footage of adults doing somersaults on the barrier, often under the influence. I thought that was pretty funny. I have also seen people accidentally hit the gas pedal instead of the brake and drive through the barrier. It is crazy stuff that you sometimes encounter in this industry.
Do you have any advice for customers to get the most out of our services/products?
J: Yes, switch to a complete cloud environment. Many of our customers are already doing this and it offers several advantages. For example, we can provide much better remote support, perform updates and solve problems without the need for local service. Above all, keep looking at what your target group wants and use our WPS marketplace. By working together with various partners, we can offer a suitable solution for every parking requirement, without having to reinvent the wheel.
Who would you like to pass the baton of 'Meet our parking experts' to?
J: I’d like to pass it on to Serge Smets. He works in the field and has a lot of knowledge. I think they can show a different picture of our industry and our company.
