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A strong partnership between property management teams and building boards requires effective communication, clear goals, and transparency to ensure smooth operations. Regular meetings and performance reviews can also help monitor progress and avoid misunderstandings between the two.
David Unger, Senior Vice President of Management at AKAM, emphasizes the importance of communication and being proactive, especially when it comes to handling issues of mismanagement.
“Honest conversations are key — communication is critical. Transparency should be at the foundation of the relationship, especially when managing people’s homes. The stakes are high, and every action must be aligned with the agreed-upon plan. The board needs to work openly with their management company. If you see something not going well, it’s better to take the time to address it early on. If regular updates and check-ins are in place, signs that something is going off track — such as missed deadlines or unresponsiveness — should be evident. Regularly scheduled meetings allow everyone to course-correct before small issues escalate into bigger problems.”
Responsiveness, or a lack thereof, is another key compliant among residents. In this post-pandemic era, more people than ever are working from home, which means they’re noticing more things throughout their living space. Because of this, the volume of requests has increased, while the number of managers and assistants able to respond and assist has remained the same.
“When you pair up the number of residents to the number of managers and assistants available at any given time, it is easy to see why responsiveness has become an issue,” says Unger.”
To combat the imbalance, Unger is hopeful automated tools, resident portals and apps, remote services, and data analytics all help improve response time.
How do you know if you have a great property management team? They will be able to listen as well as they communicate, acting as a partner of the board and building residents. Ultimately, the success of the management team relies on a balanced relationship, where transparency prevents misunderstandings and consistently informs residents.
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