“After many years in property management, I know that good communications is essential to successful management,” says Ira Meister, President and CEO, Matthew Adam Properties. He notes that often problem arise because good communications is lacking.
To counter this, Matthew Adam Properties asset managers are trained to be good listeners and to be pro-active. “It’s not only promptly replying to phone calls, text messages or emails,” Meister says. “It includes visiting the properties and talking to board members, staff and residents. A few words with someone can alert the manager to a potential problem or help resolve an issue quickly.”
Another vital area of communications, Meister says, is alerting residents to repairs in the building that can cause temporary service disruptions. A while back, residents were notified by a sign in the elevator, or in the lobby, telling them that the elevators may be shut down for a few hours or maintenance of the boiler will curtail hot water for several hours.
Ira Meister Keeps His Residents Notified and Up to Date With Building Events and Changes
Today, there are numerous ways to notify residents. Meister says that Matthew Adam Properties works with a company called “My Building” to help communicate with residents. A website is customized for each property to provide numerous services to keep residents informed, make maintenance and service requests, notify them of package deliveries, or to make monthly maintenance, common charge or rent payments.
The system provides various options to notify residents of upcoming service interruptions, emergencies or building news. Most visible is a monitor usually located at the front desk or in the mail room that shows by unit number whether there is a delivery to be picked up. The monitor also shows current information about service interruptions or building news as well as reminders of building policies.
Other means of communication include text messages and phone alerts.
“The use of technology has greatly increased our ability to communicate with residents in real time,” says Meister. “While useful and needed, technology does not replace the personal contact and quick response time to messages that are at the heart of excellent management.”