Littleman Parking may seem like a small company, but this niche business is making big marks in the parking industry.
President and owner Lance Howard said although the business may not be as large as others in the trade, they offer customers certain benefits that other national companies may not.
“I myself or a manager is present at each facility every week, so this prevents certain problems that may exist in larger companies,” he said. “They make sure things are running right and meet customers firsthand.”
Littleman focuses on public parking, offering valet services and self-park facilities. Aside from operating parking facilities open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Littleman also manages buildings for landlords, leased facilities, and owns other properties.
Howard, who launched the company in 1999, takes pride in knowing all the customers personally and is able to recognize clients not only by name but also by face. He said this ability to directly interact with customers helps him offer better services to meet the needs of the clientele and that customers often get a vibe of “small business friendliness.”
“Me and my supervisory staff being present at the facilities plays a huge part,” he said. “We ensure things run professionally and properly. In other faculties, you may never see the owner or senior supervisor for weeks or months at a time because they operate so many facilities.”
Howard described the company as “more hands-on than competitors” and also emphasized the cleanliness of the facilities. He said that a rule strictly enforced in every garage is that a manager or supervisor must walk every floor of the garage to make sure cars are parked properly and all areas are well-lit and secure. He mentioned a special motto – “clean, light, and bright” – emphasizing those three integral areas in maintaining Littleman’s success.
In addition to playing an active role in the management and maintaining of Littleman facilities, Howard said he and his team personally train staff face-to-face on what they are doing right and correct things that they are doing wrong.
In addition to one parking facility in Kew Gardens and two in Long Island City, Littleman also has nine locations in Manhattan and eight in New Jersey. Howard said the company plans to open two new garages in Kew Gardens in January.
For more information on Littleman Parking, including daily specials and promotions, visit littlemanparking.com. – Alexa Asperin
