CREJ - Property Management Quarterly - July 2017
There’s no way to avoid the intermingling of our lives with technology. From our smartphones to our smart homes, most of us spend our first waking moments and last minutes before bed connected to our devices. In our workplaces, the programs and uses are even more ubiquitous. In property management, technological advances saturate every sphere of responsibility. The goal of most of these programs is to make work easier, more efficient and better connected. We want technologies to streamline systems and enhance reliability. The problem is, with so many options out there, how do you know what programs are worth your time? This is no easy task as programs run the spectrum from single-purpose applications, such as tracking maintenance requests, to colossal system that require major infrastructure overhaul, such as the new parking management systems. There also is a balancing act of not being left behind, but not investing too much time as a guinea pig to the latest-and-greatest, untested programs – not to mention, balancing your client’s expectations and acceptance of something new. As a whole, people often require a little bit of coaxing to accept something new. Case in point: a new parking system that deploys technology to aid and assist, but comes with the trade off of new costs. In the long run, these systems typically are embraced but, in the short term, the complaints and negative publicity that comes with the adjustment period is not fun to manage. When customer service is a key component to the job, technology can hinder as much as it helps. For example, the importance of in-person interactions with tenants can go a long way in tenant retention. On the other hand, tenants may enjoy greater flexibility and operational efficiencies, such as automated locker systems for deliveries. I’m using this column as a call of information. In the next issue I plan to highlight some of property managers’ favorite technologies to learn what lives up to expectation and what falls short. Please share your favorite applications and programs that make managing your buildings easier. I’m interested to learn about any program that you implemented that you now could not live without. I’d also like to hear about the programs you tried that didn’t work as intended. And finally, I’d like to hear about the problems and tasks you’re still waiting to see new technology address. I look forward to receiving your input. Michelle Z. Askeland maskeland@crej.com 303-623-1148, Ext. 104