How a Comprehensive Association Management Platform Can Benefit Your Business

By Beth Gilbert / Published July 2021

Today’s homeowners and board members want digital experiences. However, many community association management businesses don’t have a cloud-based technology system in place. Cloud-based, mobile software can empower your team to work from anywhere—whether they’re in the office, at home, or in the field. Following are some ways AppFolio’s built-in, mobile tools can help you improve your customer relationships, streamline processes, and maximize efficiency.

Improve Customer Relationships

     From online payments to architectural requests, homeowners want to be able to complete tasks themselves without having to call or come into the office to drop off physical documents. Online tools put the power in the hands of your homeowners, enabling them to self-serve, which increases satisfaction and also frees up your team to focus on higher level initiatives Here are just a few of the available features that enhance the customer experience:

• Online payments: Enable homeowners to instantly and securely pay dues and assessments online via eCheck, debit, or credit card.
• Homeowners/board members portal: Homeowners can easily submit architectural and maintenance requests, approve board business, view their association calendar, and communicate with management through in-app messaging.

Enhance Communication

     If there’s one thing this past year taught us, it’s that clear communication is critical in association management. With modern solutions and constant innovation, you can keep your associations informed and ensure that your residents are heard without having to add additional staff. Below are just a few of the communication features that can help you keep board members and homeowners informed around the clock:

• Texting and emailing: Effortlessly send messages to homeowners or board members individually or in bulk.
• Document sharing: Quickly share important documents, like architectural communications or reports, with board members and homeowners directly through their AppFolio Online Portal.
• Association calendar: Show your communities everything you help manage, from board meetings and planned maintenance to community events and logistics. 
• Mailing service: For association managers who handle documents required to be sent via mail, peace of mind comes from the knowledge that you’re compliant without adding to your team’s workload.

Maximize Efficiency

     There’s always room for more efficiency in association management. Whether you’re looking to streamline your accounting workflows or to spend less time processing vendor invoices, a good comprehensive platform ensures you only need one solution for all of your community association management needs. 

• Bank integrations: AppFolio has partnered with major banks, such as Alliance Association Bank, Pacific Premier Bank, CIT, Union Bank, and CheckAlt to provide you with additional features like automated lockbox, bank statements, accounts receivable (AR) check images, and auto reconciliation to streamline your accounting processes.
• Automated AP: From receiving invoices to data entry, Automated AP processes your invoices for you, so you can eliminate manual entry and have more time to focus on the future of your business.
• Smart Bill Entry: Automatically process invoices with ease and speed. Instead of manually transcribing every field of every bill, all you have to do is review and approve.
• Mobile violations: Move seamlessly from the field to the office, save time, and enjoy end-to-end violation processing.

These are some ways AppFolio’s built-in, mobile tools can help you improve your customer relationships, streamline processes, and maximize efficiency.

Beth Gilbert

Senior Director, AppFolio

     Beth Gilbert is the Sr. Director of the Community Association market at AppFolio. Beth brings over 15 years of product experience to AppFolio and is currently responsible for developing the vision and strategy for the community association market. She is passionate about building relationships with customers to learn about new ways to partner in the success of their businesses.
     If you’re interested in learning more about how AppFolio could help you streamline your processes and deliver an unparalleled homeowner and board member experience, our team would be happy to walk you through some of these features and to show you how they could benefit your business. Simply sign up for a free demo at appfolio.com.