EP 58: A House Fire, a 2AM Call, and a Career in Parking with Melissa Jones

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, host Brian Wolff sits down with Melissa Jones, PTMP, Director of Customer Experience at TEZ Technology.Melissa’s road into parking wound began with a career in counseling and crisis work with at-risk kids and families. That work taught her how to sit with people in the middle of a crisis, big or small, and help them work through it. These skills ended up translating directly into leading teams and supporting customers who call in with their own version of an emergency. Counseling and parking kept pulling her back and forth until it finally stuck for good, taking her through managing parking at Class A office buildings, a stint at Parking Soft that turned into a decade at T2, and now her role at TEZ. Melissa and Brian dig into how that unlikely combination of backgrounds quietly built the leader she is today. The conversation covers building trust quickly in high-pressure environments, creating health conflict without ill will, what it takes to lead technically strong but low-EQ team members, and how the industry’s growing number of strong woman leaders are changing the game. Key Takeaways1. Your background is never wasted. Melissa’s years in counseling and crisis management, and her work as a fitness coach, translate directly into how she leads teams and supports customers today.2. Bedrock leadership is about openness, not skill. Melissa can teach anyone the software or the job. What she can’t teach is flexibility, empathy, and a willingness to learn. Those traits must come from the person.3. Healthy conflict starts with relevance.  Melissa’s approach to hard conversations is simple: make it relevant to the person in front of you and ask how you’d want someone you love to be treated. 4. Trust is built by walking the walk. Having answered the phones and taken the heated calls herself, Melissa leads by showing up in the lane, owning it when things go sideways, and never throwing her team to the wolves.5. The industry has changed – and so have the leaders. As From hauling a coin canister through snowy parking lots to today’s technology and customer experience standards, Melissa has watched the industry raise its bar, along with a growing wave of strong women leaders shaping its future.  Episode Highlights[02:00] Melissa shares how she got started in counseling and how a friend first talked her into taking a parking manager job at a community college. [04:00] The career pull between parking and counseling, with a journey through both.[06:00] A move to a Class A office building in downtown Atlanta reintroduces Melissa to parking, this time falling in love with the managerial and people side of the work.[9:00] Melissa’s journey from Mardi Gras parking to T2.[12:00] Melissa lands at TEZ Technology as Director of Customer Experience, overseeing implementation and customer experience.[14:00] Brian and Melissa discuss leading technically strong but low-EQ team members, and the importance of meeting people where they are.[24:00] The story of a tough property manager in Atlanta who became Melissa’s best friend, and the servant leadership lesson she taught Melissa.[32:00] Melissa’s 20-year parking journey, and the lessons she’s learned by being a woman in parking leadership.[38:00] Lightning round: Melissa’s go-to phrase, the hardest thing she’s ever done, and what she’s most proud of. Notable Quotes“I can teach anybody the software. I can teach anybody the job. What I can’t teach you is to be flexible and empathetic and open to learning. – Melissa Jones“If I rise because of you, then that means somebody else can rise because of me.” – Melissa Jones“We’re never going to be alone and trying to figure out things. That’s work or personal. I’m right there… you can’t get rid of me.” – Melissa JonesAbout the GuestMelissa Jones, PTMP, is the Director of Customer Experience at TEZ Technology, where she leads the implementation and support teams. She is a PTMP member and an active contributor to multiple IPMI communities. Melissa’s career spans more than 20 years across account services, and customer support, including roles on community college campuses, in Class A office buildings, at events, and in valet services. She joined Parking Soft’s training department before its acquisition by T2 in 2017, where she spent multiple years before moving to TEZ Technology.Before her parking career, Melissa worked in counseling, supporting at-risk youth and families through behavior management and substance abuse challenges. She is also a fitness coach and CrossFit instructor, drawing on both backgrounds to build empathetic, resilient teams.