There are many benefits in living a condominium or HOAs. First, residents don’t have to worry about maintaining the building as this is the responsibility of the property manager. Second, residents have access to on-site amenities, such as a sauna, swimming pool or a gym, which they otherwise might not be able to afford. Third, the presence of front desk personnel provides a feeling of security and so does the neighbors that live near by.
Communication is an essential element of the resident experience and contributes to the property manager’s operational effectiveness and to the community’s security and stability. Without effective communication, residents can’t enjoy the many benefits of condo living, and property managers can’t do their job well. It is therefore important for property managers to engage with their communities through effective, inclusive and consistent communication.
From property manager to trusted advisor
Property management is a business that involves managing different kinds of people and it is therefore important for managers to have rapport building skills.
Proactive managers enjoy the challenge of finding solutions to problems. They find ways of saving energy and money, are responsive to the boards’ suggestions, help inexperienced boards, and communicate with staff and residents effectively. With the use of technology, they have made their role far more rewarding and successfully re-positioned themselves as trusted advisors.
Communicating with tech-savvy residents
The internet has revolutionized communications and is now the most preferred medium of everyday communication. Today’s residents are ‘always on’ and use the internet in almost everything they do, from ordering food to scheduling an online consultation with their doctor.
As the internet has made life easier, residents expect instant answers to everything, and deem it necessary for property managers to make use of technology. Residents expect managers to provide them with factual and actionable information that enables them to take well-informed decisions. They expect managers to know that communication doesn’t flow in a single direction and want to be able to question or respond to information they receive. For example, a common mistake is to slip printed material under residents’ doors without preparing for their response. As a result, numerous enquiries may go unanswered.
Simplify resident communication
In order to be seen as a trusted and transparent property manager, relevant information must be shared with residents as often as possible. As stated earlier, residents expect to be kept in loop with information relating to the community and welcome the opportunity to have a say with regards to important topics.
Property managers can increase the resident engagement by doing the following:
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Send email newsletters that contain relevant documents
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Create an online community calendar and allow resident to view upcoming events
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Gather the opinion of residents on community-related topics with online voting
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Establish a forum or platform for discussion and debate
Learn how to communicate with your residents in an age when we are practicing social distancing and the benefits of hosting a virtual meeting. Watch our webinar titled Community Association Technology: Resident Communication, Virtual Meetings and Electronic Voting in a post-pandemic environment.
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