Lifetime Achievement: Gary Osner

British Parking Awards 2023

Gary Osner has been a driving force in developing customer-focussed services in the private parking sector.

Cast your mind back to 1991, Manchester United win the European Cup Winners’ Cup, PC World opens its first branch in Surrey, we lost the wonder that was Freddie Mercury, and Gary Osner takes his first steps into the world of parking.

It was at this time that Osner was asked by APCOA Parking and if he could collect unpaid Excess Charge Notices (ECNs) then priced at £40. He accepted the challenge. Not only did Osner take on an entirely new type of business, he also created and implemented the concept for the cost of collections to be passed onto the motorist.

The concept worked and the idea was pitched to Sureway Parking (now Saba UK) to collect a Notice of Impending Prosecution via the Civil Court. The administration or collection fee was established and subsequently this approach to collections was presented as a solution to the parking industry.

As the parking industry became increasingly important to him, Osner took the opportunity to take an active role focussed on driving up standards, promoting good practice through involvement with the British Parking Association. Osner became a BPA board director and worked with the Operational Services Board to launch the first Approved Operator Scheme code of practice in 2007. He played an integral part in ensuring the code of practice was compliant with the then forthcoming Protection of Freedoms Act (PoFA) regulations in 2012, and was instrumental in the drafting of the sections of the code relating to parking on private land managed under Railway Byelaws.

The implementation of PoFA in 2012 resulted in the abolition of clamping on private land and with it a new complexity for parking operators. Osner unveiled PCN Parking Services, a company which offered dedicated portals to both operators and motorists allowing each to manage their penalty charge notices (PCNs) effectively. A desire to offer a great customer service for clients and customers alike led to the launch of ZZPS Limited, a notice processing and debt recovery service provider, in 2014.

Over the past decade ZZPS has moved from start-up to become a company undertaking the management of parking charges and penalty notices issued on private land from issue through debt recovery resolution and enforcement for a wide range of clients.

The importance of driving up standards was, and continues to be, import to Osner. He promotes and encourages this starting at his own company level as a corporate sponsor for individual membership of the BPA for all ZZPS employees, providing access to an abundance of training and resources to maximise staff development in addition to the extensive internal training resource. Osner has insisted that all ZZPS employees be qualified through the WAMITAB-CIWM NVQ Level Three in Notice Processing, a companywide standard unique in the parking industry

Whilst launching ZZPS into the parking sector, he was elected to the BPA’s Council of Representatives as a member representative for private parking operators. When the BPA Fellowship was launched as the most prestigious grade of individual membership Osner was one of first to be honoured.

Since the enactment of the Parking (Code of Practice) Act in 2019, Osner has worked with his colleagues on the BPA board to respond to consultations launched by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the British Standards Institute.

Testimonials

Stuart Harrison, British Parking Association President 2023 and chief strategy officer Intelli-Park: “Gary has committed a huge amount of time to the BPA and wider industry for the benefit of all. This year he has stepped up to take on the vice-chair responsibilities at the BPA board and has taken on a number of projects which he has handled with expertise. Gary has, for a long time, committed to assisting with a huge number of projects across the industry and always volunteered to drive things forward. He has continuously looked to help new people into governance and include people in industry discussions.”

Derek Millard-Smith, partner, JMW Solicitors LLP: “We have known Gary as a BPA board member, client and as a valued friend for many years. He is a pleasure to work and socialise with. A true team player, focussing on the needs of his team at ZZPS achieving well deserved awards for the business in the process. Gary also invests considerable time supporting the wider overarching needs of the parking sector, working tirelessly to assist the formation of the Parking Code of Practice and ensure essential debt resolution services remain available for all. This includes providing valuable education to those in government and promoting the good practice that he and ZZPS bring.”

Colin Arthur, chief commercial officer of ZZPS, pays tribute to his colleague: “I have worked with Gary since 2009, first at Roxburghe and from setting up ZZPS in 2014. His mentoring skills are exceptional, with Gary’s guidance I have achieved more than I ever thought possible. He has the ability to bring the best out of people regardless of where they are in the business.”

Sara Roberts, head of Conformity Assessment Body Transition, British Parking Association: “Gary is supportive to me and so actively involved in the BPA. Gary Chairs the BPA’s working group on the Private Parking Code of Practice. Gary is always available for an opinion and frequently makes himself available to support and deliver presentations at our member webinars. He for me is one of those people that walks the walk, not talks the talk. If Gary is going to suggest that you do something you can bet that he has already implemented or in the process of doing it.”

Stuart Cole, director, Wise Parking: “Gary Osner is one of the true gentlemen of parking. Known by all, Gary has been a driving force for the improvements we have seen over the years and continues to do so. With a keen eye for detail, and a great understanding of the best, and worst of our industry, Gary is at the forefront and will be found putting himself forward to facilitate the changes that we all want and need. In short, a selfless gentleman who stands tall among his peers, figuratively of course.”

Kim Challis, regional managing director UK&I and Graham Tidball, national operations director, APCOA Parking UK: “APCOA has been a client of Gary for nearly 20 years now as he has provided us with debt collection services and insight throughout. But working with Gary is so much more and we’ll try to give a flavour of that here.

“Starting with the business... having built up one successful company and then brought in investors for expansion, Gary faced some difficult times, which culminated with him moving on to start again with a new company, ZZPS, in late 2014. His approach has always been to provide a professional, tailored and personal service and to build a committed partnership with his clients, and APCOA was happy to support him in his new venture.

“Gary has committed significant time and energy into the parking industry as a whole, taking an active role in the BPA. In particular, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the parking code, leading the BPA’s strategy and response to the Government’s proposed new Code of Practice to try and minimise the negative impacts on the sector. From APCOA’s perspective, he has used that knowledge to give us good insight and guidance about the code as we have adapted our own business strategy in the face of the forthcoming changes.

“Not afraid to mix work with a lot of fun, Gary is also a very generous, warm and hospitable host. He is exceptionally good at bringing like-minded people together and we can vouch for his expertise as a wine connoisseur!”

Awards, achievements and recognitions

In addition to the multiple awards and commendations achieved by the company under Gary Osner's leadership, he has also attained many prestigious accolades, achievements and awards personally. The acknowledgements and recognitions achieved are:

• Fellow of UK Chartered Institute of Credit Management (FCICM)
• Fellow of the British Parking Association (FBPA)
• Fellow of the Association of Credit Professionals (FACP)
• British Parking Association Main Board Member (Vice Chair)
• Council of Representatives at the British Parking Association
• British Parking Association Operational Services Board Member
• Certificated Enforcement Officer.

In 2021 Osner was recognised by the BPA and received a Long Service Award in the People In Parking Awards. Most recently Gary has been recognised and instilled in the hall of fame for the Top 20 Dynamic CEOs of 2023 in the UK through The CEO Publication.

Osner is proud to have led the team to various awards and recognitions including those awarded in previous years of the British Parking Awards 2017 – 2022, Credit Excellence Awards Finalists 2017, 2018 and 2020, CICM British Credit Awards Finalists 2019, and SM News Business Elite Awards 2021 in addition to achieving Investors in People Gold and recently the most prestigious accolade of The Sunday Times Best Places to Work 2023.