Excessive amounts of toilet paper? Check. Bathtub filled with water? Check. Enough canned beans for five years of Moros y Cristianos? Check✅. If you live in South Florida, you know how it is when the news starts showing you storms with names brewing in the Atlantic Ocean. We all have our own priorities and essential items, but in today’s digital landscape—regardless if you’re an association owner, tenant, or management company—downloading the ONR app is non-negotiable.
Besides being software that facilitates the quality of life of the community that inhabits a particular location, thanks to its new open forum feature, it’s now a platform for everyone to connect. On a daily basis, maintaining a cordial relationship (and hopefully a few good friendships) in your building is a key aspect of the wellness that a specific collective will benefit from. But in the case of an emergency, it could be more than just being nice to your neighbor: it could mean getting away from danger. Coordination can save lives.
Most people might think that Florida’s hurricane season lasts only a few months, but the reality is that the state is on alert from June 1st to November 30th—and so should management companies. Whether it’s through direct experience or due to the lessons learned worldwide, we all know that being prepared is the most important element to tackle and successfully resolve a climate disaster situation. ONR has provided association managers with a tool that allows them to elaborate surveys and deploy them to gather information from the residents and understand what needs to be fixed or what problem should be addressed.
Having eyes and ears in every hallway and apartment allows practically live coverage and direct interactions across the building, leading to pinpointing any potential flaws. The point is: information is critical. That’s why ONR incorporated a mass alerts and notification feature that keeps everyone in the association aware of the latest meteorological information, as well as any updates from local authorities. Taking into consideration that only 20% of people who receive an email open it, but that same user will have a 98% chance of opening an SMS message, ONR combined all channels (including push notifications) to make sure that urgent messages are received and clicked.
Whenever the Florida skies get gray and heavy, there’s a sinister vibe that engulfs the region. Perhaps it’s because Hurricane Andrew’s devastating path passed through these lands not so long ago, or perhaps Hurricane Katrina was even more recent (or Hurricane Irma closer), but we Floridians know that these powerful storms are no joke.
“We wish these features wouldn’t exist (and hopefully they never have to be used)—but if something were to happen, we’re happy we added them to our app”, said Carlos Guzmán, CEO and co-founder of ONR. “The efficient delivery of notifications and the possibility to connect with fellow residents through our platform is a game-changer when it comes to dealing with an emergency.”
Luckily, the past few years have been gentle towards Florida when it comes to Category 5 hurricanes, but that doesn’t mean that lesser ones haven’t left a trail of destruction. When all lives have been secured, it’s time to assess the property damages—and roll out a series of quick fixes to restore normality in the association. To make things easier in the process, ONR has enhanced its capabilities by launching an online voting system that helps the community decide what are the first concerns that should be addressed, or how the emergency budget should be allocated. To guarantee transparency and accountability in the process, ONR also provides a space for the management company to post the official documents and records so that anyone can access them anytime (even after work hours).
Nothing beats the sunshine in Florida, but if there’s one thing we can’t control (yet) it’s the weather. With hurricane season around the corner, we should start prepping for those cloudy and windy days, whether it’s making sure you have enough tools to handle a power outage or your balcony properly sealed to be rainproof. But remember: infrastructure aside, nowadays, the digital world is equally as important as the building where you live—and ONR is the application every resident, homeowner, and association management company should have. Just remember to keep your phone always charged (and a spare battery pack at hand).