We’ve all had a project that starts out well but somewhere around three-quarters of the way through things start falling apart.
You tell your vendor what you need and he seems to understand what you want. You’re thinking, We’re good here. He’s got it under control.
Two weeks later you follow up on the project and what you asked for has been done, but it’s done wrong, even though you were very specific.
What happened over those two weeks? Well, one guy walked off the job. Another one was sick. You said one thing and the crew leader heard another. Stuff happens but now your property owner is unhappy.
Clear and Consistent Communication
We spoke with Lana Whitehead, a community manager at MSI, LLC about how she keeps clear communication with her vendors.
“I keep ahead of the curve by doing weekly or biweekly follow up with my regular vendors,” said Lana. “We have seen companies go out of business from lack of communication. If vendors are dropping the ball, then HOA boards and owners are dissatisfied and often fire them as a vendor. The ones who communicate well and complete the projects correctly are the ones who remain.”
Lana said she does nearly all her communications by phone and email. “Part of my follow up is using property management software to communicate work orders. This allows me to have everything documented since the vendor will be emailed the work orders. Direct emails serve as documentation as well.”
Proactive About Emergencies
Another aspect of communications is being proactive about emergencies. “My vendors are authorized up to a certain amount for emergencies, so they don’t need authorization in case there is a hazard or flooding. The vendor should certainly make you aware of the emergency but not hesitate by waiting for the approval of a board or the property owner if the emergency cost is within the standards.”
By knowing the authorization level, the emergency can be resolved quickly. It’s important for vendors to know their contracts inside and out so they can begin necessary emergency work immediately without fear of not getting compensated for the work. It also prevents the vendor from moving forward on an emergency repair that is outside the budget constraints.
Limit the Number of Properties Managed By One Individual
If your company is successful with sales, there comes a tipping point when you’ll have too many properties to manage. You know the signs – your voicemail box is full, emails are going unanswered for days, you aren’t able to get to properties to inspect work done by vendors.
It’s time to talk with your company owner about bringing in an assistant or another property manager. Your ability to maintain an excellent level of service depends on it.
SOLUTION:
A good property manager needs to systematically and consistently keep in touch with their vendors about any ongoing maintenance and projects.
The property manager needs to ensure that vendors understand clearly the contract inside and out to eliminate unnecessary communication and that emergencies are handled quickly and correctly.
The property manager workload should allow adequate time to communicate well with vendors.
Your job as the property manager for a property management company is to uphold the owner’s standards of the property. Staying on top of communications with your vendors is one of the best ways to keep the owner happy and ensure the longevity of your relationship together.
About FieldVision
FieldVision by DTSI is a mobile application designed for property managers and field service providers to solve the problems that each face every day in the course of their work. Crews that go out into the field to perform work need a means of tracking that work and also proving to the client that the work has been done satisfactorily. Property owners and managers need a way to track and verify that the field service crews are performing the work required and that the work is done well.
Because of a lack of communication, property managers and field supervisors often need to resort to phone calls to ask whether a property has been serviced or not and when the next service is scheduled.
FieldVision solves these problems by giving field crews the ability to update their work status and to have that information made instantly available to their supervisors, customers and property managers. This capability provides a significant strategic and economic value to both service provider and property managers.
FieldVision was created as a time-saving tool for everyone involved in property management and field services. FieldVision is inexpensive and easy to use. Start saving time today with FieldVision. Download the mobile app for free.
Download the free app: Google Play or Apple App Store
