Meeting the Growing Demands on Associations Through Empowering and Efficiency

By John More / Published October 2024

In today’s evolving workplace, associations are experiencing an increase in demands that is expanding their workload. As responsibilities expand, there is a pressing need for more streamlined and efficient systems. Key factors driving this trend include stricter government regulations, ongoing structural and maintenance monitoring, a surge in document requests, and much more. Together, these elements create a challenging landscape for property managers and staff, who must navigate these complex demands while maintaining productivity.

     This issue is not unique to associations. All businesses are feeling the pressure to do more with fewer resources. Other businesses have used the creation of new, easy-to-use tools to shift many simple tasks from employees to customers. This trend is not new—think of the decline of full-service gas stations or the increase in self-bagging and self-checkout at stores. These are examples of businesses shifting traditional employee responsibilities onto their customers.

     For traditional businesses this shift reduces the need for employees, cutting costs. These savings could be passed on to customers, but since we do not have access to the financial information, we will never know.

     Associations, however, operate differently. Owners are already responsible for 100 percent of the expenses of an association. Any work done by residents should translate directly into time savings for the office, allowing resources to be reallocated to other tasks as needed. If people are prepared to perform tasks for businesses with uncertain benefits, they should be willing and eager to support their own associations. With the right tools, associations can empower their residents with minimal effort.

Empowering Residents

     Self-checkout registers were not accepted at first; but as the companies reduced the full-service lines, full-service lines got longer, and the self-serve registers started to become more appealing. As more people are seen using self-checkout, people realize they can do it—just like it will happen for associations. Most people resist change, but properly motivated they can and will change and by using see the benefits.

     By providing easy-to-use tools, associations can transfer some responsibilities from staff to residents, thus reducing the overall workload. The phrase “many hands make light work” is especially relevant here. This approach requires a well-designed system with a resident tool that allows people to view and manage all of their information without violating association rules. The system should be simple, secure, engaging, and capable of handling a range of tasks across multiple units in the same and different associations. Residents need to be able to manage all their properties with a single login.

     Empowerment must be balanced with oversight. Residents need the ability to manage their tasks—such as adding guests, deliveries, vehicles, pets, or updating information—but there must be controls in place to prevent misuse. Management needs to stay informed and in control. Most information entered by residents should be held for verification and approval by management.

     For example, if a resident wants to add a friend as a guest, the system should allow them to do so without involving the office. If the friend is authorized for a day, again no problem; anyone can come for one day. But if the friend is staying for an extended period, for example two weeks, the system should require approval from the office. A good system would allow the owner to invite the guest to install the app and enter their own info (entering your own information is simple), or the owner can enter it. This approach saves time for both residents and staff while ensuring that management retains control and oversight. Any requests only require an “Approve” or “Deny.” This empowerment should not stop at data entry, and it needs to include residents seeing all their data. Even items such as who claimed a package, who visited and when, who checked out their key, and even who opened what door/ gate at what time. This removes the many requests for all this information. It’s in the app.

     Despite some initial resistance, most residents will adapt to using these tools once they see the benefits or realize the necessity. With the right tools you are not just putting them to work—you are giving them abilities to change and see information they never had access to before. When empowered with the right tools, residents, vendors, and guests will recognize their value and use the app effectively, benefiting both themselves and the association. One last benefit is the ability of the residents to see in real time the workings of the staff. It will be harder to be lazy and not process a visitor to a unit because the resident will know he or she should have received an alert. Packages will have to be processed properly—any received or claimed package messages not correlating with the world events will be obvious. The right system will keep your staff sharp and doing the job right. The residents are informed and could be watching.

The Importance of Accurate Data Entry

     Accurate data entry is crucial. Another reason for empowering your people is that it is easiest for them to enter their own information correctly. Each person knows their information, so they are less likely to misspell their own name or email or get their phone number wrong. If they make a typo, it will be caught more quickly by them. A well-designed system minimizes the burden on residents by allowing each person to enter their own information, which can then be easily shared across the system. This is small loads of work divided among many hands.

     A system that allows for simple, streamlined data entry will reduce the workload on owners and reduce pushback. For example, multi-unit owners should only need one login to manage all their properties. Similarly, service providers should only have to enter their information once, which can then be linked, or shared, to multiple properties or units where they are hired. This not only saves time but also ensures residents have easy access to important information like their email and phone number. When a vendor is hired, the vendor can generate a short code and give it to the resident. This will share all the vendor information with the unit/house. The vendor enters their information once and then can use it to link to all their clients. When the vendor is done, the resident can unlink them.

Integrated Solutions: Streamlining Operations

     Our first savings for the association was to shift many small tasks to many people. Also, because it was their data, it was easy for them to enter. Another way to get more done is to increase efficiency. Remove the redundancies that creep in, mainly by having fragmented systems. The best way to fix this is by embracing an integrated, full association system solution.

     A fragmented approach, where each task or piece of data is managed separately, leads to inefficiencies and errors. For example, many associations still use separate systems for management, access control, resident website, and/ or security systems, forcing the office to enter and reenter unit and people information into each system and then maintain it in each system. For example, if a resident moves and they are deleted from the management system, but their access credentials aren’t removed across all systems, then the former resident could still have access to the community or to the restricted files on the website. Ever seen people you know moved out still using your amenities?

     Instead, an integrated system links all relevant data and tasks to a unit, house, or person. When an owner sells their property, deleting them automatically removes their access across all parts of the system. This integration also makes it faster and easier to manage other tasks, such as tracking parking violations or incidents, as all necessary information is stored in one place. 

The Highway Forward

     Associations face constant pressure to get more done in less time and with fewer resources. The trend toward self-service offers associations a way to move many of the mundane, repetitive, and simple tasks to its residents. It empowers the residents and improves efficiency by turning a call and data entry task into just verification and approval/denial. Integrated solutions that streamline operations, eliminate redundant data entry, reduce errors, and enhance productivity are essential. Associations will embrace this shift (sooner or later) by providing comprehensive apps to their residents to manage their own people, vehicles, pets, amenities, deliveries, and access. And employee work will be reduced by adopting integrated systems that will allow linked information to change and flow automatically. With these changes associations can better navigate the complexities of modern work life. Progress requires change.

     In a world where workloads are continuously increasing and expectations are always rising, the only choices are more staff or more efficient staff with better tools. Ninety percent of all requests should be answered by “You can do that on the app.” Certainly every portfolio manager needs this. Yes, this tool exists. Adopting an integrated solution and empowering residents is the key to staying ahead. Just as the initial skepticism toward self-checkout registers faded over time, associations who empower their people will shift the work and bring down their workload. By embracing these tools and strategies, associations can foster a more efficient and empowered community, leading to better outcomes for everyone involved. 

John More

Owner and President, Asterix Software

John More is the owner and president of Asterix Software. Asterix Software has been providing management software for almost 30 years. Online management is the culmination of years of research, extensive development of hardware and software on multiple platforms, and rigorous testing by industry leaders. We specialize in resident management, security, visitor screening, access control, and smart phone application for residents and staff. For more information, visit www.asterixsoftware.com.