As any Florida homeowner knows, being part of a homeowners association or condo association can be incredibly complex. So it’s not surprising that according to several sources, only about 30-40% of HOAs in the United States are currently self-managed by volunteers. Instead, the majority of associations use Property Management Companies (PMC) to help handle the day-to-day community responsibilities and tasks. The number of managed associations is on the rise, but still, many PMC customers are unhappy or don’t see the full value of the service. To make matters more complicated, the popularity of digital experiences continues to shift customer expectations and behaviors. These days, offering owners and residents modern and convenient ways to engage with their association isn’t just nice to have – it’s a must for PMCs looking to stay relevant in today’s market.
At ONR, we’re dedicated to empowering both management companies and the communities they serve with the tools they need to thrive. Here are some of the top things forward-thinking PMCs need to keep in mind to reduce friction and improve the customer experience:
1. Centralize Services for Better Customer Experiences
As any PMC knows, trying to meaningfully engage with your managed communities is nearly impossible without an accurate and up-to-date picture of what’s actually going on inside of them. This frustration can be shared by association members, who often don’t have an easy way to make service requests or keep on top of the latest information. Luckily, digital community management solutions like ONR are giving PMCs flexible ways to centralize all aspects of property management for both communities and their team.
For residents and owners, a built-in portal brings community living into the 21st century with an easy way to access all of a PMC’s services, communication, and information all in one place. Since the mobile app and web portal can be customized to fit your brand, you’ll not only offer a best-in-class customer experience but boost your brand recognition as well. For PMC teams, modern tools like ONR’s Power Admin help streamline property management by eliminating time-consuming tasks and giving you wall-to-wall oversight over every property in your portfolio. Ultimately, centralizing your services, communication, and information is crucial to both keeping ahead of issues and meeting modern customer expectations.
2. Provide Modern, Convenient Payment Options
In today’s digital world, people can pay for almost anything they can think of from any device, no matter where they are. So it’s not surprising that homeowners expect the same level of convenience when paying for HOA dues. Modernizing your payment options with online or in-app payments not only makes the experience easier for homeowners and residents, it also streamlines accounting services by processing and tracking payments automatically. To ensure there’s minimal disruption, ONR comes with a number of built-in integrations with popular accounting systems such as TOPS Software and Caliber.
3. Keep Communication Flowing
Good communication is the cornerstone of healthy community living. So in an age when convenient online messaging is so ubiquitous, it’s shocking how many HOAs and PMCs still rely on paper letters and bulk emails to connect with residents. In fact, one of the most common complaints about PMCs is that they are inaccessible or hard to reach. Providing residents and owners with easy-to-use communication features like messaging apps, messaging boards, and notifications is vital to keep communication flowing and everyone in the community happy. Property managers can also simplify announcements and quickly address important issues by sending notifications to everyone with a single click.
4. Make Accessing Relevant Info Effortless
While we may seem like a broken record, we can’t stress enough how important it is to provide your community instant access to what they need, wherever they need it. This is especially true for contracts, notices, and other important documents. A secure document portal makes it simpler for residents and owners to view or download important documents from the click of a button. The ability to access these documents anywhere also makes it easy to keep all residents involved and up-to-date, especially those who may travel frequently or are out of town.
A Best-In-Class Management Solution You Can Trust
Accelerated in part by the pandemic, customers across the US have embraced the convenience of digital, on-demand apps and services to do everything from picking up groceries to buying a car. So, it’s unsurprising that residents and owners increasingly expect similar easy-to-use options from their association’s PMC as well. With the right technology partner, PMCs now have exciting opportunities to streamline their operations and modernize the customer experience.
Over 280 associations rely on ONR’s all-in-one community management solution to boost productivity and elevate community living. To learn more about how ONR is helping transform PMCs, click here.