Welcome to On the Spot, our content series where we feature people in the parking, technology, and commercial real estate industries you should know. This week, we're excited to introduce you to Vend’s Head of Customer Experience, Kyle Schaffer. Kyle has built his career on customer obsession and he plays a critical role in understanding the needs of our customers and developing solutions that meet those needs.

‍

Quick Facts:

Name: Kyle Schaffer

Role: Head of Customer Experience

Location: Atlanta, GA

Time at Vend: Started Jan 2, 2023!

‍

Q: Welcome to On the Spot, Kyle. Tell us a little bit about your career, why customer experience?

A: I’ve had the opportunity to do a variety of things in my career:  sales, customer success, finance, and product strategy, which all started back in my first days at NCR.  There I was focused on the retail industry and fell in love with relating real-world experiences to the business.  What that meant while in retail was walking up and down store aisles, observing consumer flows, asking store employees questions, and just about anything to get a better understanding of my customer’s business.  I even made it a point to do weekend grocery shopping at as many stores as possible, “store hopping” from Walmart to Kroger to Whole Foods to Publix!

‍

Q: That’s so important to really understand the intricacies of your customer’s business. I understand you also take a similar approach to learning about the parking industry.

A: After NCR, I joined Smarking and entered the magical world of parking.  That passion for the retail store extended to any parking facility that happened to be in the area.  Heck, I’d be going to Sunday brunch with friends and make them wait while I quickly ran over to investigate the nearby garages.

‍

Q: To quote a classic movie, “what would you say ya do here” at Vend?

A: At Vend, I’m focused on creating the best possible experience for our customers. This means thinking about every detail and use case for parking facilities, and how we can create a positive impact on the people interacting with that facility. 

‍

Q: What’s an example of one of those details that someone might not think about?

A: No one likes waiting in long lines, especially when you are on your way into the office and trying to make it on time to that important meeting or on your way home after a long day.  And at this point, most people just expect the worst, but it doesn’t have to be this way.  We’ve studied gated parking traffic flows and have introduced a change to that journey, with an emphasis on the driver’s experience, which is now quicker and more convenient than ever before!

‍

Q: And how about when you're not working or hanging out in parking garages?

A: When I’m not working to improve the customer experience at Vend, I enjoy traveling, skiing, a strong espresso, and spending quality time with friends and family. You can also find me at home on the couch cuddled up next to my cat Cosmo, a laVENDer candle, and watching the latest episodes of House of the Dragon or The Rings of Power.

‍

We're proud to have Kyle as our Head of Customer Experience at Vend. His unique background and passion for creating a positive customer experience make him an invaluable member of our team. If you have any questions or feedback for Kyle, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're confident that you'll find him to be as knowledgeable, helpful, and customer-obsessed as we do.

‍