Best practices from Teresa Bagwell, the one-woman property manager who nailed her Reliant Parking rollout
Rolling out a new parking management system in any multifamily or HOA community can feel overwhelming. But what if you could reach 100% resident registration in just one month?
That’s exactly what Teresa Bagwell, Property Manager at Sango Ridge Townhomes in Clarksville, Tennessee, accomplished — and she did it entirely on her own.
📽 Watch Teresa’s full interview on YouTube here!
We sat down with Teresa to hear her step-by-step approach, what worked best, and the lessons any community manager can apply for a smooth, stress-free launch.
1. Set the Tone Early: Be the Champion of Change
For Teresa, mindset came first.
“They’re more likely to get behind something that you’re behind,” she told us.
When residents saw that she genuinely believed in Reliant Parking’s benefits — fairness, organization, and security — they followed her lead.
Takeaway: Your enthusiasm sets the tone. Present the rollout as a positive upgrade and show residents how it benefits them directly (e.g., better parking availability, fewer unauthorized vehicles).
2. Offer our Time-Limited Incentive — with No Added Cost and Strategic Purpose
One major driver of Sango Ridge’s success? Taking advantage and promoting the fact that Reliant Parking provided existing residents their first permit at no cost during the first 30 days of the rollout.
Not only a huge benefit to residents — it gave the community time to update their lease addendum while also creating urgency.
“The fact that it expired after 30 days… it pushed them to act fast,” Teresa shared.
Takeaway: A free permit window rewards early adopters, reduces last-minute sign-ups, and makes the process smoother for both management and residents.
3. Use Every Communication Channel
Email alone wasn’t going to cut it. Teresa took a multichannel approach:
- Mass text messages
- Door-to-door flyers (created in Canva)
- Direct conversations
- Phone calls
- Reminders during maintenance visits
“Email is kind of archaic now. People don’t read them. But when you get a flyer on your door, or a text… you pay attention.”
Takeaway: Repetition across multiple channels ensures your message reaches every resident, multiple times.
4. Run a “Dry Enforcement” — with Warnings First
Before official towing began, Teresa worked with West Nashville Towing to run a two-week “dry enforcement” period.
They placed warning notices on noncompliant vehicles and gave residents time to fix issues.
“We found 12 vehicles that could’ve been towed. After the warnings, only 4 were towed on launch night.”
Takeaway: A dry run with warnings builds trust, provides compliance data, and avoids a harsh first impression.
5. Build Relationships, Not Just Rules
Beyond the logistics, Teresa stressed the value of resident trust.
“I wasn’t trying to be mean or just tow for towing’s sake. I truly wanted to make parking better.”
Takeaway: Transparency and fairness encourage residents to cooperate — even with new enforcement measures.
6. Lean on Automation & Integration
As a solo manager, Teresa relied heavily on Reliant Parking’s integration with Entrata.
“It’s one less step I have to take… The less I have to do manually, the better.”
Takeaway: If your property management software integrates with Reliant Parking, use it — it saves hours each week.
Final Advice from Teresa
“Be proactive. Be persistent. Use all communication methods you can. Create excitement, show them the benefits, and let residents know this is for their own good. And get a little competitive — I told my residents no one had ever reached 100%, and we were going to be the first.”
Whether you manage 93 townhomes or a 500-unit complex, these best practices work.
Ready to make your community’s parking simple, fair, and 100% compliant?
Book a Free Demo Today and see how Reliant Parking can help you roll out with confidence.
