When your property management company has a big team of people, there's likely more than one region or office to coordinate with. Managing a large team and keeping everyone aligned is critical, but often challenging. Fortunately, some options can help property management companies easily stay in sync no matter which office, city or state they are in. I’ve highlighted three ways to keep your team on the same page and improve your business practices at the same time.
Team Communication
It goes without saying that email is the norm in business these days. While it’s important (definitely don’t stop using it), think about ways you can incorporate texting. You don’t want to replace email with texting, but think of it as the instant way to get in touch with someone who may be out in the field and needs to know something right away. Modern property management software solutions often come with tools to incorporate texting into your workflow, so you’re not switching from your phone and back to your computer to text people. These solutions also keep a record of the text conversations so they can be referenced at a later date if need be, and because they are stored in the cloud, retrieval of these documents is generally quick and easy.
Keep in mind that texting might be more important for some employees than for others, but having the option is an excellent way for every employee to feel connected—especially when coordinating across regional offices.
Consistent Workflows
If you have the capability in your software, think about setting workflows for processes that are done on a regular basis. Imagine no longer needing a giant binder of operating procedures that constantly needs updating. This ensures the processes are consistent and the team isn't scattered by doing things in different ways. Such efficiency translates into quality and value for employees, the company and your customers.
An added bonus of consistent, built-in workflows comes to light when someone is out of the office. How is that? Because another person can easily take over for them during vacations, sick leave, holidays, etc. by jumping into the workflows built into the software. It's an excellent way to reduce downtime and keep a property management company moving in the right direction.
Comprehensive Reporting
Lay a solid foundation of robust, easy-to-access reporting for your team. Ensure you’re able to view real-time insights into the performance of your properties and your people, compare data across regions, and download the data to slice and dice according to your business needs. The easier it is to locate and run accurate reports, the faster you and your team can make informed decisions.
Think about setting up quarterly or annual reporting meetings to share results with the company as a whole. You may be surprised at how valuable the information can be to your teams beyond those directly involved in decision-making.
Stay In Sync with Your Team
Take a look at these three suggestions to better stay connected with your team and aligned in your processes, especially when spread out over various regional offices. When your team is in sync, operations run smoothly. Best of all, your customers notice the difference through the timely, thorough experience you deliver.
About the Author
Nat Kunes is the vice president of product for AppFolio. He works on a daily basis with property management professionals to identify industry trends and product features that are included in AppFolio's property management software. AppFolio is an IREM President Level Industry Partner. This article is published on the IREM Blog as part of that partnership.