Something that all properties have in common, no matter their type or location or anything else, is that maintenance is essential. Property maintenance can also turn out to be a big pain for managers, particularly if it isn’t undertaken regularly, so get in the habit. This way, you’ll be able to stay on top of all the work while ensuring that things are running smoothly.
How Property Management Software Boost Property Maintenance
“The key is to consolidate everything that has anything to do with maintenance with easy-to-use property maintenance software.” We’ll discuss this more below, but the bottom line is that a property maintenance software system allows you, the manager, to take control of the situation with ease. Having an electronic ‘assistant’ allows you to spend much less time on menial tasks and more time looking at the bigger picture and improving your property in more ways than ever.
Beyond that, the key to taking charge of property maintenance lies in managing work orders. These requests are obviously important to your renters, but you, too, have a lot to lose if they aren’t taken care of in a timely manner. A leaky faucet can not only turn into major water damage, but damage will also be done to your relationship with that renter. In a way, the trust between you is broken, since you, perhaps, ignored or lost track of their request. Even if you just didn’t get to it quickly, it reflects poorly on you and on your business.
We’ve discussed this before, but the importance of solid communication can’t be stressed enough. Keeping in touch with your team and your renters (along with anyone else that might be involved) is absolutely a necessity. This is another area where property management software can make all the difference, since it streamlines the process and avoids unnecessary steps. These systems can automate messages, getting notices and notifications out on time and electronically, eliminating the need for paper slips (and the chance that they’ll be lost). If you’ve had issues getting in touch with renters in the past, then this is the best way to remedy that.
Another piece of property maintenance is inspections, or checking around a property or unit for potential issues. Again, a software system streamlines this process, allowing you to complete much of what needs to be done on site rather than having to return to the office to finish the job. This is “not only time-consuming, but full of opportunities to overlook or forget something.” The faster you can complete tasks like this, the more time you’ll have to attend to other duties required of a manager.
Connecting inspections and communications: more technological solutions allow for less likelihood that you’ll have ‘debates’ with renters. That is, there will be much less ‘he said, she said’ since you will be able to more effectively note any issues and photograph them so that there can be no debate about the truth of the situation. All of this allows you to resolve any problems faster, making your team and your renters happy. Also, as part of the normal procedure in getting new tenants or residents, you can more easily capture the “before and after,” making damage reporting a breeze.
So, after having talked up the value of a property maintenance software, what do we at Anton Systems recommend? Budgetrac Property Management System is the kind of simplified technology that you want for your business. It offers LEAD™’s Expense Recovery functionality, which is is one of the most comprehensive and simple-to-use Common Area Maintenance (CAM) and Operating Expense reconciliation available today. Also, you can increase operational efficiency with online and mobile solutions, as was described above with respect to work orders. So, if you want to make your property maintenance process more effective than ever, give Budgetrac a try!