Last modified on May 7th, 2024
By Rae Parker

Managing maintenance is one of the toughest aspects of property management. As time-consuming and cumbersome as this workflow can be, there’s a connection between the way you manage your maintenance processes and the satisfaction and retention of residents. Findings from a 2023 Parks Associates and GE Appliances survey cited that almost 50% of property owners and managers find it difficult or very difficult to hire new maintenance staff, while 45% find it difficult or very difficult to retain technicians once they’ve been hired.

But using technology can make a difference. Data from the 2023 AppFolio Property Manager Hiring and Retention Report shows that 76% of maintenance technicians agree that technology makes their jobs easier, and 52% of technicians prefer to work for a company that adopts the latest technology. Using paper-based methods for the administration and tracking of maintenance operations can drain your team’s time and energy. One way to address this ineffective process is by implementing digital and automated tools that provide a comprehensive solution — all on a single platform.

Below, we’ve highlighted a couple of maintenance-related challenges that property management businesses may experience, and we offer solutions that can improve your operations.

Challenge #1: Difficulty Managing and Tracking Maintenance Requests

Have you or your employees had to manage maintenance issues outside of normal business hours — and even during your time off? Do you spend too much time managing a high volume of maintenance requests? If you’ve answered yes to either of these questions, chances are, your residents have also complained about their requests taking too long to complete — or about the lack of responses they’ve received.

Knowing that finding and retaining maintenance talent is also a challenge, one of the best ways to empower your techs is by allowing them to leverage technology to do their jobs. Using paper-based methods or outdated maintenance systems prevents your team from being able to efficiently access and complete their tasks. In our 2023 Renter Preferences Report, we discussed how maintenance is a major driver in renter satisfaction. The biggest difference we found with the younger generation of renters is their level of satisfaction when it comes to the time it takes to complete requests, as well as visibility into how requests are progressing.

Maintenance challenges and the negative impact they can have on your residents don’t have to dictate your day-to-day. Using automation tools can streamline your processes and help you regain control. When looking for an online maintenance solution, consider one that lets you effectively manage your properties and common areas, resolve issues quickly, and communicate progress with residents, all on one digital platform.

Solutions like AppFolio Smart Maintenance can handle any requests that come in no matter the time of day or night, satisfy residents who are frustrated by slow response times, and provide instant visibility into your maintenance workflow process. This tool provides your team with a single solution that’s accessible from anywhere and on any device, boosting your team’s efficiency from the moment a work order comes through.

“Smart Maintenance has helped our property managers tremendously. They used to have to field thousands of calls per month. The AI and automation aspects of Smart Maintenance have totally eliminated that from their slate. It’s less work for them, so they’re happier, and residents get immediate service, so they’re happier. It’s a win-win.” — Mac Hay, Vice President of Facilities, WPD Management, 4,000+ units

Challenge #2: Unit Turn Processes and Inspections Are Inefficient

Do you have a proper plan in place for turning a unit once a resident gives notice? Being able to turn units as efficiently and quickly as possible is crucial to your bottom line, as vacancies can become a sizable operational expense. Additionally, regular inspections of your properties are just as vital. If they aren’t conducted often enough, you may miss serious, costly problems that could have been avoided. Between keeping track of upcoming vacancies, creating and scheduling work orders, and communicating between multiple teams, managing unit turns efficiently can be challenging, especially if you’re tracking them with outdated or offline systems.

While busywork is common across all roles, maintenance respondents in the 2023 AppFolio Property Manager Hiring and Retention Report identified that they spend at least 31 hours per week on tasks that could be optimized through the use of technology. So, how can you help your teams stay on top of routine inspections in an efficient manner when managing hundreds (if not thousands) of units?

The key to managing unit turns and conducting regular inspections is employing software such as the Mobile Inspections and Unit Turn Board from AppFolio Property Manager to save time, keep better records, and increase transparency for your team and residents. With offline-friendly tools built in, completing on-site property inspections is easier, making for faster and more accurate workflows that allow you to turn your units more quickly. Additionally, our Unit Turn Board feature keeps track of all the work necessary to minimize the time a unit is vacant and provides a single source of truth for all unit turn activity.

Whether you use vendors, keep things in-house, or blend the two approaches, your maintenance process should be efficient and standardized. Not only will your residents appreciate the consistency and convenience of better maintenance solutions, but your team will, too, as they see many opportunities for using technology to automate parts of their role.