Maintenance and tenant satisfaction go hand in hand. Problems with utilities or amenities can significantly hinder tenants’ daily lives, so addressing these quickly and efficiently is the best way to cultivate your tenant experience.
When a tenant has good maintenance experience, they are also more likely to develop positive impressions of your management and renew their lease in the future.
Property management software is a tool designed to speed up your maintenance process. You don’t want to keep tenants waiting for critical repairs or potentially dangerous problems. For instance, a tenant complaint about a gas odor or water problem could significantly impair or endanger their health. Property management software helps you avoid liability and keep your tenants as safe as possible.
Here are three ways property management software speeds up your maintenance process and prioritizes safety for your tenants.
1. Multi-User Management
Many property management software platforms offer multi-user management. This feature allows you to add additional users to your software, such as maintenance staff, accountants, or property managers.
Users you add can access whichever features are necessary for their jobs. For instance, your electrician or plumber can view and manipulate maintenance tickets; accountants can manage payment records, and so on.
Multi-user management speeds up the maintenance process by directing communication. Without this feature, tenants would need to send their maintenance requests to your inbox so you can record their ticket and send it to the appropriate staff. Property management software makes this intermediary step unnecessary, as tenants and maintenance staff can communicate directly. You can, of course, monitor the ticket’s progress and check in with the tenant after the job is completed.
2. Track Progress and Set Notifications
Progress tracking is another useful feature of property tenant management software. With property management software, you or your staff can label maintenance tickets with tags such as “assigned,” “completed,” or “in-progress.”
When the status of a ticket changes, you can opt to receive notifications or not. This feature allows you to keep an eye on the status of both simple tasks like appliance cleaning and multi-step processes like mold treatment.
When jobs are finished, you won’t have to wait for confirmation to get feedback from tenants. As soon as you notice a ticket status has been marked completed, you can touch base with your tenants and ask whether they’re satisfied.
3. Defined Procedures
Property management software provides defined procedures for maintenance. Beyond simply organizing tickets, procedures for maintenance problems streamline the maintenance pipeline. When tenants know exactly what to do when issues arise, they are able to get the help they need quicker.
For instance, without property management software, your tenants might be confused about who to reach out to. They may send you an email that gets lost in your inbox or phone you while you’re unavailable to answer.
Instead of tolerating disorganization and prolonging maintenance problems, use your software to establish defined procedures for maintenance. For example, tenants can submit a detailed description of the request along with pictures or videos of the problem. This information speeds up the process by providing your maintenance staff with everything they need to know right off the bat.
Property management software platforms also offer chat features specifically designed for communicating with tenants. When a tenant has a question or concern about a maintenance issue, the chat is a direct, organized way to reach you. You might not always have your email handy, but you can respond to a chat in seconds.
Expedite Maintenance with Property Management Software
Maintaining high-quality rental units means responding to maintenance requests promptly, before issues worsen. The longer you wait to address malfunctioning appliances or pesky mold, the more time the problem has to grow and spread, causing even more damage. Property management software is your tool for achieving speed in fulfilling maintenance requests. With software, you are more than prepared to tackle maintenance issues and communicate like a pro.
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