A parent has many roles, from feeding and clothing little ones to teaching manners and good behavior, displaying a sense of proper values, and enjoying the shared moments at a park, ballgame, or party.
However, the most significant parental task is preparing a child for adulthood. How can this swaddled, helpless 8-lb. baby grow into an independent adult who contributes positively to society?
That's a tall order for any parent, but healthy support systems make a difference. Good schools matter. Adults who exhibit a strong work ethic and commitment to excellence profoundly impact youth.
HireSmart VE Is Always Available for His Family and Profession
Think of the power of water currents. Now, think of your community and its environment for youth. What direction is that water flowing? Are kids aided by the flow or hurt by it? How do you get that water to help carry them and not push against their efforts?
My husband, Mark, and I started HireSmart Cares to help create a positive flow toward success for the youth in our community, and we aim to spread that as far as we can.
A call to action: HireSmart Cares aims to help youth realize their potential
We want today's youth to be tomorrow's independent, successful leaders, so we're committed to doing all we can to help them get there. HireSmart Cares' mission isn't to give away money. It's not a give-a-man-a-fish endeavor but a "teach-a-man-to-fish" vision. Funding is directed toward helping children and teens help themselves, opening their eyes to new career possibilities and skill development.
For instance, HireSmart provided a $50,000 grant to expand our local high school's agriculture barn so students who don't live on a farm can raise livestock at the school and gain skills for ag-related careers.
We go into local high schools and talk with students about how to interview for a job, maintain a personal budget, and approach entrepreneurship. We finance a wide range of workforce development initiatives, from funding a high school drone program to construction classes for elementary school kids and seed money for youth to start a business.
HireSmart Founders Talk With Teens About Being Smart With That Paycheck
We don't want to see the next generation of adults dependent on government handouts. So we're on board with anything that helps youth develop skills and move toward financial independence. We want them to be proud and empowered, so we do all we can to promote workforce development and ag-related education.
HireSmart Career Assistance — Troy's Story
We also care about the children of our Filipino virtual employees (VEs) and provide scholarships to their kids to get a high-quality private school education in the Philippines, where public schools struggle to match the resources available at private institutions.
Our VE moms and dads are thrilled with this opportunity to better their child's life, and we're happy, too. We see the joy on their faces and recognize how meaningful their kids are to them, and we wish to expand the reach of that program as far as possible.
HireSmart Filipino Scholarships: Cristina’s Story
"I am forever grateful for this scholarship," said Cristina, a five-year HireSmart employee. "Education here in the Philippines is pretty expensive, and my son is the most important person in my life, giving him a quality education and providing him with all his needs is what matters to me. I was able to provide it to him because of HireSmart. This scholarship is a really great help for my family. And thank you for helping us Filipino virtual assistants, and we hope this opportunity will continue."
We're serving 25 VE families this year and wish to increase that next year.
Whenever a client hires a new virtual employee through HireSmart, we allocate $100 from that contract for our Cares programs and match that $100. So all of our clients are invested in these efforts. Thank you! Truly. We see a big, broad mission in our work: to help make the world better for the next generation, and you are part of that!
If you feel led to help us help kids with additional donations, we assure you that the money will empower today's youth to be financially independent adults who care for their children and carry that torch forward from one generation to the next.
Why Company Leaders Should Be In The Business Of Giving Back To Their Communities
Click here to donate to Cares, or click here to learn how our virtual employees can help you manage your workflow. I'd love a chance to chat and hear how you're doing! I'd also like your ideas on how we can do more.
Cheers!
Anne + The HireSmart Team
Technology is a touchy topic in the community association management (CAM) industry. For decades, the HOAs, condos, and their management companies all fell far behind the curve of technological acceptance. Remember when Blockbuster shrugged off Netflix’s DVD delivery service and entirely missed the boat on streaming? It was a little like that, and we’re about to face a similar hurdle again – the rise of artificial intelligence.
AI is a scary topic for just about everyone. AI can listen to your conversations, process and utilize information, mimic art and writing styles, and many believe that it’s inching closer and closer to human cognizance. But not all AI is scary. Today, AI is more than just programs that can recreate famous artwork. Most tech relies on AI to be predictive and responsive, simplifying day-to-day tasks — all features that save you and your board members valuable time.
Using AI in HOA Management
AI products have skyrocketed in popularity. Nearly every household has a Google or Amazon voice-activated assistant. Front doors are equipped with electronic Bluetooth locking systems. Thermostats, vacuums, and even litter boxes are advanced enough to have phone apps.
Many of these (perhaps minus the litter box) are AI tools management companies can leverage.
The Community Association Institute (CAI) recently discussed this very topic, citing a device that can sense flooding and dispatch emergency services. That might be a little luxurious for most, but the concept is solid. Using AI or predictive tools to assess community needs through data analysis and maintenance history could be valuable if the right person is manning it.
Chatbots are another opportunity to use AI in HOA management. A robot can provide answers with minimal effort for most people seeking HOA management services. They tend to look for simple things, like service information, hours of operation, or emergency contact details. The trick is to ensure someone can answer the questions that require real thought. Pricing options, portfolio details, and vendor partnerships might require human input. A chatbot that lets someone take over when needed or sends an email to a designated inbox is a great way to maximize support with minimal effort.
Staying Vigilant with AI Tools
While AI can be a great addition to your toolbox, it isn’t perfect. The good news is that these tools can’t completely replace a human, but that also means that you cannot rely on an AI tool to take over any single task completely. Human oversight is crucial in implementing AI in HOA management. The goal is to save money by saving time, not cutting the workforce.
A great example is Chat GPT, a popular AI writing tool that many industries have recently taken advantage of. It’s powerful but can miss the mark regarding pesky details like accuracy and truth. Just last year, an attorney used ChatGPT to prepare a case filing that cited precedential cases, but those cases didn’t exist. He believed they were real because he’d asked ChatGPT if they were, and the tool said yes. The tool wasn’t lying; it was “hallucinating.” At a certain point in artificial content creation, the tool loses the thread and starts to invent its foundation of knowledge.
It is essential for a human being to clean up what the tool spits out especially if your management company hopes to use AI tools to handle important communications, like violation letters, meeting announcements, or addendums to community documents.
That doesn’t mean you can’t use these tools for those needs, though! The future of community management is using AI to alleviate burdensome tasks. So, even though legalese might be a tall order for an AI writing tool, drafting emails, meeting agendas, and general community announcements is a great way to start introducing AI in your management company. Those short writing pieces take up more time than you realize, and the minutes you save will add up.
Supplementing Your AI With a Human Touch
Any time you add to your company toolkit, whether a new software product or a new staff member, you’re trading one resource for another. Make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck when you’re ready to take the tech leap into AI.
You don’t want to use new technology that will only gum up the work for your managers. Instead, bring in a Virtual Employee to handle those tools, products, and processes. At a fraction of the cost of a certified property manager, HireSmart Virtual Employees can be trained specifically to support CAM management companies and shoulder your tedious workloads. Whether AI is in the cards for you or not, schedule a call today to see how a VE can improve operations in your management company.
Anne Lackey is the co-founder of HireSmart Virtual Employees, a full-service HR firm helping others recruit, hire & train top global talent. She can be reached at anne@hiresmartvirtualemployees.com
When you think about your last vacation, what comes to mind? The relaxation, the adventure, the quality time with loved ones? While the experience is certainly the main event, another aspect of vacations often gets overlooked: the power of anticipation.
That period of looking forward to something good, imagining the possibilities, and planning for the fun — it's a special kind of joy that can boost our happiness and productivity. And it's not just limited to vacations. As a business owner, you can create an environment of positive anticipation in your workplace daily.
At HireSmart, we've seen firsthand how excitement and forward momentum can transform a team. I love to visualize good things that will happen, so I want my team to do the same. When your employees have something to look forward to — a big project launch, a team-building event, or even just a virtual coffee chat with a colleague — they're more engaged, motivated, and productive.
Are You in Tune With Your Team?
So, how can you harness the power of anticipation in your business? Here are a few tips and tricks:
Want More Shining Lights on Your Staff?
One way our clients create anticipation environments is by partnering with HireSmart's virtual employees. When you have reliable, skilled VEs on your team, it frees up your in-house staff to focus on the exciting projects they can really sink their teeth into and look forward to.
Want To Turn ‘I’m Leaving’ Texts Into ‘I’m On It’ Replies?
Here's what a couple of our clients say about how VEs have helped their onsite team reduce stress and enjoy life.
"Abby is full-on amazing!" her client said. "She logs in 10-15 minutes early every single day for her shift and she stays late or will ask to work on a weekend to make sure all her tasks are done so that all our clients are serviced. She has learned all of our client brands and makes absolutely amazing graphics for them. She has mastered multi-tasking and learned how to triple check her work for errors. I can walk away and know that our clients are in excellent hands with Abby at the helm."
"April consistently goes above and beyond to deliver on her committed assignments," said her client. "One of her standout qualities is her ability to adapt and quickly grasp new concepts and technology. Her dedication has helped our company bring in leads outside of professional referrals. She has taken ownership of seeking leads in LinkedIn with the sales navigator tool by dedicating time daily to search for leads that match our niche profile."
When your team knows they have the support they need to take real breaks, dream big, and focus on the parts of their job that truly light them up, magic happens. They start to approach each day not with dread or drudgery but with a sense of possibility and purpose.
So, as you plan for the months ahead, consider how you can weave more anticipation into your workplace.
Are You a World Builder in the Business Realm?
If you're ready to explore how VEs can help you create a more anticipation-filled, engaging workplace, click here to schedule a consultation.
And hey, what are your vacation plans? What do you picture? I'd love to hear and imagine that scene, too.
Cheers!
Anne + The HireSmart Team
Summer is right around the corner, and you know what that means: Summer vacation. Not enough businesses are willing to admit that vacation time is crucial.
It's not just a luxury or a perk — it's a necessity. Ensuring that your staff members are mentally healthy and can separate work from play goes a long way toward business success.
That said, vacations can be challenging, especially in community association management, where managers are heavily involved in the HOAs and condos they manage. When you're hands-on, it can be hard to go hands-off, even for a much-needed long weekend.
Thinking of Adding a Global Flair to Your Local Team?
With fewer and fewer CAMs entering the industry every year, relying on coworkers to cover all responsibilities might be impossible. The trick to successfully navigating HOA manager vacations is to plan ahead.
Get Ahead to Stay Ahead
It all starts with a plan. You know that HOA manager vacation time will be challenging for your business operations, but, as we said, it is a huge component of overall success. Taking steps in advance will set that success in motion before the vacation requests come. Here are a few ways to give your team the sharpest edge this summer (and for all future vacation seasons)!
Tasks That You Can Delegate to a Virtual Employee
Keep Everything Updated
When managing communities, your databases are your keys to success. This covers everything from contacts within each community, like board and committee members, to vendor contacts for your technology and payment providers to internal team contact information. Anything can go wrong at any time, and somehow, it always happens when someone takes a day off, doesn't it? Having those files in order will keep everyone on the same page and make any fires that crop up simple to extinguish. Communication is a huge part of the task load someone will be shouldering during an HOA manager vacation. Keep your records, files, and contact information updated to streamline task delegation when the time comes.
Set Up Processes in Advance
The management company shouldn't be the only team keeping things in order to prep for vacation time. Managers should work with their boards (or any relevant points of contact in their communities) to establish processes to be used in their absence. This can include anything from general day-to-day outreach and communication to specific emails or notices regarding community activities, website or user portal maintenance, or vendor communication. Regardless of the task load, collaborating with the communities that will be seeing a new face for a few days and hearing from someone other than their standard point of contact can be a game changer when it comes time for HOA manager vacation time.
Delegate to the Right People
It's not enough to know that you'll need coverage for HOA manager vacation outages — it's essential to determine who covers whom and which tasks end up on each plate. Fellow CAM managers should be handling on-site needs like overseeing community meetings and recording violations. But off-site tasks can gum up the work for them. Instead of tasking managers with both sets of responsibilities, generate a list of off-site tasks like those communications we mentioned. Hand them off to administrative team members who will be more available to answer emails or phone calls quickly.
Break Out the Beach Chairs!
Vacation is not a dirty word, and it doesn't have to be a headache. Sure, your team of managers can handle a lot, but they shouldn't have to handle it all. Equipping them with the tools and processes they need to succeed guarantees everyone a worry-free vacation.
HireSmart VE Is Always Available for His Family and Profession
A virtual employee (VE) could be a useful tool in your toolbox. Bringing on a person dedicated to filling in the gaps during an HOA manager's vacation can be the difference between treading water and breezing through the vacation season.
For more information about how a VE can support your community association management company for vacations and beyond, click here and schedule your free 30-minute consultation.
Cheers!
Anne + The HireSmart Team
Co-Founder – HireSmart Companies
Direct: 678-389-9929
Helping Business Owners Find Great Workers – HireSmart Virtual Employees
www.HireSmartVirtualEmployees.com
Helping Kids – HireSmart Cares in Action
Thank you to our clients who are creating an impact
Need to talk? Schedule a time – www.MeetHireSmart.com
No business can succeed in a bubble. You have to put yourself out there. While some business owners dislike marketing — the "hey, look at us!" aspect — I find it quite fun. It's storytelling.
What stories do we tell? What purpose do the stories serve? What can we do to help customers improve their narratives, and then how do we tie that back to our storytelling? So let's talk about your story.
Here are five tips and tricks:
Beyond Words: Turning Your Company's Core Values into Daily Actions
HireSmart VE Is Always Available for His Family and Profession
When Tom Quits, Consider a VE Team Instead
"I really give credit for my virtual employees' success directly related to HireSmart going in and giving that one week of HOA training on the front side, prepping them and preparing them for what this world looks like on our side because, for a lot of folks, HOA is very new," said Philessia, a customer care representative for a community association management company, who works with 17 HireSmart virtual employees. "So the fact that you make sure they pass that training before you release them really sets them up for success on our side."
Don't feel put off by the "hey, look at me" duties in business. Have fun with that task. Start inward and develop your core values. Implement those values in your business and show them in action. Find your unique solution. Then, raise the volume on how that solution works, pulling in testimonials from customers who show why you're unique.
I'd love to chat if you want to discuss marketing or other business tips or learn more about our certification process and how we ensure our virtual employees are top-notch. Click here to set up a talk at your convenience.
We tend to think of “fun” as the quick dopamine jolt of joy, a side-splitting laugh, or a toe-tapping tune.
But there are more profound types of “fun,” which aren’t so fleeting. It’s “fun” to see incremental progress in learning an instrument, to lose yourself in a long novel, or to restore something old and make it new.
I view our professions as mental craftwork infused with many long-form fun possibilities if we know how to look.
Think about the next level of “fun,” that more profound thing. The challenges you overcome, the skills you acquire, and the milestones you reach provide a sense of achievement that quick-hit pleasures can’t match — the fun of growth and personal development.
A call to action: HireSmart Cares aims to help youth realize their potential
Think of the“fun” in building relationships and contributing to something larger than oneself. This joy takes time and effort to develop and is about the journey, the shared experiences, and the bonds you build.
My world, my business, my passion — it’s about creating this sort of “fun.” How do I help generate it? How do I help spread that joy?
It starts with helping my clients feel empowered. Work can be so hard, right? When we’re overwhelmed, it shows up in our bodies with issues like chronic fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, and stomach problems. We get irritable with others. We’re tense and unable to pull our minds from constant job-related stresses. This is no fun! And it’s not healthy.
Would You Like to Help Your Staff Improve and Succeed?
The whole point of my business is to flip that script for others. I meet daily with business owners and managers on workload management plans. How can we shift time-consuming tasks off their plates at a low cost in a quality way? How can we transform stress into fun? That’s it. That’s my work.
I connect stressed business people with highly vetted, smart, thoughtful Filipino virtual employees, and I watch clients’ pressures ease and their smiles return.
Burnout: Why it Happens and How to Reduce It
And it’s fun! I love hearing from clients who feel a heavy weight lifted and find more free time to pursue what they consider fun.
“I could walk away and go on vacation, and I know our business is in great hands with Brenda and Abby,” said our client Colleen about her two HireSmart virtual employees. “And Abby is communicating with all of our clients; our clients are communicating with Abby. It’s beautiful. It’s wonderful. It’s perfect. And Brenda is just one of those incredible people that’s just amazing. I think we just hit the pot of gold.”
What’s The Cure For the Work-Life Migraine?
I also have a blast working with our virtual employees to improve their lives. We provide our VEs free health and dental care at no cost to the clients. We provide educational scholarships to the children of our VEs. We have their backs in times of need, such as offering financial support to the families of 31 employees affected by Typhoon Rai.
HireSmart Cares Typhoon Assistance — Richan’s story
We provide our VEs with a 40-hour “certification” course before onboarding with our clients. This boosts the employees’ confidence and helps our clients enjoy a smooth onboarding process since our VEs are educated on terminology and industry practices before joining their teams.
Let’s chat if you’re interested in bringing some fun into your office by efficiently allocating tasks at a low cost, which leads to significant stress reduction. This conversation is my version of fun. Truly.
Whether we partner in business or not, I’ll enjoy hearing about your office outlook and talking with you about various efficiency possibilities. We’re a business success management agency. And our success only happens when we help others succeed. That’s goal number one.
Click here to set up a talk at your convenience, and while I can’t promise a toe-tapping tune, let’s share a laugh or two. Let’s have some fun!
Wasn't that fun?
Well, that's subjective, right? Some people enjoy a brutal roller coaster ride or two hours of a jump-scare horror flick, while such experiences are torture for others. The extrovert loves a party. The introvert can't wait for a pillow and a good book.
How we laugh, play, and find fun varies greatly. Are you a thrill-seeker, a chill-seeker, or something in between?
Most businesses include a mix of personality types, so bringing fun to the work environment requires thought about the people you want to engage. The best way to jazz things up is with variety, which gives different personality types the opportunity to find something appealing.
The Costs of a High Turnover Rate
But how do you do this in a remote work setting? Well, here are a few ideas for fun in the virtual office:
Want to Thrive, Not Just Survive, in the Face of Inflation?
Ready for Fun? Here's How to Prepare Your Business
In business, we're involved in a shared commercial purpose, but each of us brings something unique to the table, and employees need opportunities to express that and feel valued. Your team's curiosity, purpose, and fun matter. When employees feel personally engaged with others, they are much more likely to thrive.
I love talking to business owners about their staffing situations and how to be efficient, but I also want our clients to live their best lives, which involves spreading the "live-your-best-life" attitude to others. A big part of that is having fun in whatever you do.
5 Reasons to Be Grateful for Your Virtual Employee
If you're interested in discussing how to bring cost savings, greater efficiencies, and more fun to your office, I'd love to chat. Click here to set up a time that works best for you.
How can we help your business thrive? That's HireSmart's objective.
Co-CEOs Anne and Mark Lackey offer unique staffing solutions for U.S. companies, but the owners of multiple successful businesses also share entrepreneurial tips so others can succeed, grow, and improve the lives of many people.
Anne recently offered young professionals advice on "building your personal brand" at a Madison County Chamber of Commerce luncheon at Jackson EMC.
"You have a personal brand, whether you think you do or don't," she told the group. "And so the question that I want you guys to start thinking about is, 'Does your personal brand reflect who you want it to reflect?'"
Anne said branding begins with identifying your core values.
Beyond Words: Turning Your Company's Core Values into Daily Actions
"What do you stand for? What's important to you? And just as important, what do you stand against?" she asked the audience.
Anne spoke of HireSmart's "SMARTER" core values, noting that values are the compass for her actions and her staff's.
"My personal core value is that I leave everybody a little bit are better off than before they met me," she said.
Anne talked about being available, respectful, and working well as a team. These qualities are essential for creating a personal brand that attracts the right clients, employees, and partners.
She recalled working in the corporate world, where executives were often inaccessible.
"I had something I wanted to say, but they were never available," she said.
So, the HireSmart CEO vowed to be different by being easily accessible. She said entrepreneurs must be eager to meet and help customers solve their problems, and then availability will become a powerful part of their personal brand.
"I have an open-door policy," she said. That is no joke. If you want to meet with me, go to meetwithanne.com. That's all you need to schedule a virtual meeting with me."
HireSmart VE Is Always Available for His Family and Profession
Respect was another focus of Anne's talk. She said there's no room for belittling behavior from anyone when brand building. She said an "intellectual, respectful conversation," even during disagreements, is a necessity, adding that agreement isn't always helpful since "iron sharpens iron," but ideas should be challenged in a respectful way.
She also discussed ethics and integrity in brand building, adding that the "relationship is more important than the transaction."
"You have to be able to do business ethically," she said. "And that is a line in the sand I will not cross. I want people to trust me, and I want to be known as a person they can always count on to do the right thing."
She said being ethical requires a willingness to miss out on short-term gains if necessary.
"There were times in real estate where I could have made a big commission but felt terrible about the whole ordeal," she said. "And I realized I wasn't going to put somebody in a house or I wasn't going to do something for somebody that I didn't feel was the right thing to do."
Anne asked audience members to contemplate and discuss their core values, adding that people connect with businesses that genuinely work to improve lives.
"When you're in marketing, or you're the business owner, and you're trying to establish yourself, you have to stand for something, or you stand for nothing," she said.
Anne also discussed developing marketing strategies to build a brand identity with target audiences.
For instance, she talked about creating educational "how-to" videos related to everyday tasks associated with your industry, such as HVAC companies showing people how to replace their air filters.
Why Company Leaders Should Be In The Business Of Giving Back To Their Communities
She urged businesses in different industries but with common customers to develop referral partnerships, such as roofing companies and HVAC businesses steering customers to each other.
Anne emphasized the need to attend networking events regularly to build new contacts, even if it makes you uncomfortable. She urged entrepreneurs to ask for customer testimonials to use in marketing.
"Testimonials are the best," she said. "But you have to ask them: 'What was it about the experience that you really liked?' Because here's the thing: what you think is important in your business may not be exactly what your customers think. Find out what resonates with them."
She spoke of business owners determining their target audience and demographics and then identifying which social media platforms their target audience uses. She said it's important to maintain a consistent social media presence, not provide content in clusters and then disappear for months.
Anne said personal branding is about attention to details, particularly those inside the self — the attitudes, habits, and focus on respectful relationships.
"Does your brand reflect what you want?" she asked participants. "If it doesn't, you can change it. You start with what's inside here (chest). You start with your core values, your compass."
Every child deserves fun. We want kids to laugh and play because a growing mind without delight is like a garden without flowers and bright colors. “Fun” is where kids bloom.
I think of my grandchildren and their eyes of wonder. I hope they never lose the thrill of new things or the desire to explore.
My hope for our employees is similar. I want them to be thrilled by new experiences and driven to explore and grow.
So, how do we make work fun? Here are some tips:
How Do Your Employees Know They’re Valued?
Improving Your Team Takes Some Self-Evaluation
Want to Become a Better Virtual Team Leader?
We work with adults, not children. But it’s important to see the power of fun in the office. That’s where employees want to stay, and that’s where newcomers want to be. Every workplace develops a reputation, whether good or bad. And a “fun place to work” holds distinct value.
At HireSmart, we work with business owners to reduce office stress and create a fun, fulfilling workplace. Our virtual employees bring skill and positivity to your team, allowing for a happier environment.
“Fun” is where business blooms. And we want your staff to have an abundant garden in that way.
Click here to chat more about this at your convenience.
Spring is rolling in slowly but surely, and the season brings a few tasks on every agenda. Whether you're clearing out closet space, decluttering cabinets and drawers, or shuffling furniture about, spring cleaning time is here.
For a management company, spring cleaning means tossing the old saying of "not sweating the small stuff" out the window. Those tiny details will be critical right now, and ensuring they're properly sorted will give you a much cleaner customer experience.
'Small' Doesn't Mean 'Unimportant'
There's an assumption that quick, simple, or infrequent tasks are less important than the big ones we face daily. However, efficient management of lesser tasks can contribute to a greater sense of ease for your staff and clients.
All of the major tasks management company executives handle are important, but breaking free from the misconception that small tasks are less important will help you and your team better serve your clients, present and future.
Your board members expect unfettered access to whatever they want, whenever they want it. Setting up a portal with payment access, document storage, and general community information is a very large task that can make you feel as if you've satisfied that need forever. But the reality is that maintaining all of the portal's small pieces is critical and can be the difference between satisfaction and frustration in your boards.
Your staff have similar needs — they want to be able to do their daily tasks with minimal friction. Purchasing or building high-quality tools or creating data storage systems and access processes can help and are great large-scale successes. However, much like the finer details of your customer portal, maintaining internal information and the methods developed to help your team leverage it is just as crucial to the customer experience.
Tiny Tasks to Tackle Today
The good news is that the small stuff can be done pretty much in any order and by anyone. This is the equivalent of dusting behind the fridge or on the bookshelf. Things that we should have done once or twice a season already, but it's small stuff, so we didn't sweat it, right? But like dust, those small things can build up. Now is the time to handle it.
Ensure Homeowner Portal Functionality
If you have received complaints about links in your portal not working or missing altogether, now is an excellent time to resolve them. That might mean going into a website backend yourself or reaching out to your marketing or technology provider, but whatever the task entails, it will be a big contributor to a less agitated membership.
Update Document Repositories As Needed
Management company spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to take inventory of what documents are missing. Your audit should include the portals for every association you manage as well as your own management company's information stores. Updating financial packages or insurance certificates for your clients is just as valuable to your team as keeping internal client information organized and up to date.
Maintain Homeowner Contact Information
Connecting with homeowners is essential for board members and managers alike. Unfortunately, you might not be aware when those details change over time. Reaching out to homeowners to verify that contact information is still accurate and maintaining the contact lists can streamline important communication between managers, board members, and homeowners.
Refresh Business Continuity Plans
This should apply to your plans as well as your clients. For some management companies, these plans were only exercised in the winter storms. For others, you can expect to rely on them in the months ahead. Wherever you are in your local "natural disaster" calendar, updating contact information, local safety and shelter details, and making necessary changes if the original plans fail in some way will keep everyone ready and prepared should the worst-case scenario play out.
Other Duties As Assigned
At the end of every big cleaning session, it's wise to take stock of things that might not have made your list of tasks but are necessary nonetheless. Whether updating inventory sheets for in-office goods or setting reminders for upcoming activities like maintenance or renewals, looking at your current checklist and filling in any gaps will add more work but will keep you on track longer.
Small But Mighty
Remember that all of these tasks will help you do everything better. They are small and may feel tedious and taxing, but they have a lot of value. If your team is bogged down with spring cleaning, bringing in help is always an option.
Let a virtual employee shoulder any tasks you worry about falling through the cracks to ensure they get handled. You improve your customer service and optimize your staff so your managers can focus on what they do best.
Click here for your free 30-minute consultation to learn how a Hire Smart Virtual Employee can make this spring cleaning more effective for your management company and your portfolio of clients.
Cheers!
Anne + The HireSmart Team
Co-Founder – HireSmart Companies
Direct: 678-389-9929
Helping Business Owners Find Great Workers – HireSmart Virtual Employees
www.HireSmartVirtualEmployees.com
Helping Kids – HireSmart Cares in Action
Thank you to our clients who are creating an impact
Need to talk? Schedule a time – www.MeetHireSmart.com