EP 44: AI with a Human Touch - How Dave Mueller and Raf Abanilla are "Breezing" Towards Innovation

In this episode of Harder Than It Looks, host Brian Wolff is joined by Dave Mueller, President of Parking Concepts Inc. (PCI), and Rafael Abanilla, Senior Vice President of Operations and Innovation at PCI. 

These industry veterans share insights on leadership, technology integration, and maintaining company culture in the evolving parking industry.

Key Takeaways:

1. Technology should enhance, not replace human service

2. Consistency in leadership builds trust and predictability

3. An agnostic technology approach provides flexibility to adopt best solutions

4. Front-line experience shapes better leadership decisions

5. Preserving company culture during growth requires intentional effort

Episode Highlights:

[00:00:00] Introduction and guest backgrounds

[00:03:06] Dave's career journey from car rental to parking

[00:08:28] Rafael's parking career beginning at age 17

[00:12:00] Leadership lessons from customer service industries

[00:20:00] PCI's "AI plus human touch" philosophy explained

[00:27:00] Overview of PCI's Breeze technology platform

[00:36:00] Leadership principles and managing change

[00:41:00] Next generation leadership requirements in parking

[00:47:00] Lightning round of personal questions

[01:00:00] What Dave and Rafael are most proud of professionally

About our Guests:

Dave Mueller is President of Parking Concepts Inc. (PCI), bringing over 40 years of experience in the car rental and parking industries. He joined PCI in 2006 and has been instrumental in the company's growth and cultural preservation.

Rafael Abanilla is Senior Vice President of Operations and Innovation at PCI, with 25 years of experience in parking and mobility. He oversees high-profile portfolios and drives PCI's innovation strategy through their proprietary Breeze technology suite.