The University of California, Berkeley

Success Story: Staff Award - Brandon Olson

Parking & Transportation’s customer contact is different than most departments. We sometimes deal with unhappy customers – those who have recently received parking tickets, for example. Even customers who are in our office to purchase parking permits often resent that they have to pay for them. Many customers take out their resentment on our customer service staff which makes it hard to maintain a positive attitude day after day.

Brandon Olson has been an exception to this. He comes to work everyday with a smile on his face and a great attitude that continues throughout the day. He is such a positive, friendly employee that he is able to bring out the best in our customers. When a customer complains about the cost of a parking permit or pass, Brandon finds a way to cheerfully suggest some options. Our customers really feel that Brandon is on their side.

For the past several months, Brandon has received (7) customer commendations. We know from the customer service training that few customers will take the time to write to praise the service they receive. For Brandon to receive (7) written compliments in several months is noteworthy. The following comment best describes the service Brandon provides on a regular basis.

“I wanted to compliment one of the P&T staff, Brandon Olson, for providing excellent service today. In my 6 years of interaction with Parking & Transportation, today’s interaction with Mr. Olson was the best experience I have had yet. He was professional, knowledgeable, efficient and cheerful. He spoke clearly, reiterated fees before charging my card, and answered my questions directly and politely. These may seem like small things, but they made all the difference in providing for a positive experience overall.”