Communication is vital to a community’s success.  It enables boards and managers to operate the community more efficiently and increase transparency with residents.  However, boards and managers often struggle with keeping residents informed in an ever-changing world.  Which HOA communication tools can you use to meet your resident’s expectations? How do you choose the right tools for your community\’s unique needs?

The importance of having multiple HOA communication tools

It’s important to have multiple communication channels in your community outreach. Let’s first dive into the reasons why this is important. 

Increase Reach

Your message will get across more effectively when you utilize tools that resonate with your residents.  It’s a good idea to let your residents choose how they prefer to hear from you.

Increase Engagement

Residents will feel included when they are informed in a way that works best for them.  They are more likely to tune in to what is going on in the community and become engaged.  Using multiple communication methods to keep your residents engaged makes you more likely to reach a quorum in your annual board meetings.

Meet Different Needs

Different needs call for different communication methods. For example, some of your residents might like to receive text message reminders for upcoming board meetings.  You may also have different groups of residents who would like to receive newsletters in an email format vs print.

Protect

The lack of communication or not using the right channels can increase your community\’s risk of getting sued by homeowners.  Your community can save thousands of dollars in litigation costs when communicating frequently and clearly.

Comply

Every community’s governing documents or state laws differ, so it’s important to understand what they require to comply. For example, a Florida law that went into effect in 2019 requires condo associations with over 150 units to post documents on a password-protected site or portal.  By contrast, Nevada now requires all community associations to send postal mail for all communications and other electronic means they already use.

10 HOA Communication Tools

Now that you understand the role of good communication in your community, we’ll dive into various forms of communication you can use.  You can click on any communication method in the table of contents to learn more about it. 

1) Email

Email is a quick, convenient, and inexpensive way to communicate with your residents. It\’s also one of the best ways to send out mass communications.  Its non-intrusive nature and the fact that almost everyone has an email address means you can communicate respectfully with the largest percentage of your community. 

Use cases for HOA email communications:

• Notices – Send notices about important things happening in the community.
• Reminders – upcoming events, maintenance alerts, or payments due.
• Events – Invitations to board meetings or other social in-person or virtual events.
• Customer service – Updates on resident support requests, maintenance, violations, or architectural change requests.
• Newsletters – Digital newsletter showcasing the community’s culture, achievements, upcoming events, and more.

When to avoid email communications in your HOA:

• Urgent communications – Emails often get buried, which means it\’s not a viable option for emergencies when time is of the essence.

How Pilera\’s email platform can improve your communications:

• Rich text editor – You can create professional-looking newsletters with images to send to their community.
• Documents – Attach files that you need to include in an announcement. 
• Unlimited emails – Many email providers limit how many emails you can send in 24 hours.  Since Pilera doesn’t limit the number of emails, you can email a single community or your entire portfolio in just minutes.

2) Automated phone calls

An automated phone calling system translates your text into an audio message to place hundreds of calls in minutes.  It’s a great method to incorporate into your communications mix because almost everyone in the United States can access phone lines.  It’s also a great option for elder demographics who may not have text or email.  For your community, automating phone calls reduces costs and increases staff efficiency over traditional methods like placing individual phone calls. 

Use cases for automating phone calls in your HOA:

• Emergencies where timing is very important.
• Reminders.
• Maintenance alerts.

When to avoid automated email phone calls:

• Non-urgent communications – Since phone calls are the most intrusive form of communication, it\’s important to use them sparingly and respectfully. For example, email is a better form of communication for letting residents know their work order is completed.

Automated phone calls through Pilera:

Managers can easily send out automated phone calls through Pilera.  Since Pilera is a web-based application, there’s no hardware or software to install.  Simply type in your content, and Pilera will automatically translate it into a phone call in English or Spanish for your residents.  Real-time analytics in the app shows if a person picked up a call or a voicemail was left, so you know the phone call was made. 

3) Text Message/SMS

Text messages have one of the highest open rates of all communication tools.  According to studies, 99% of all text messages are read within just 3 minutes of receiving them. Text messaging is becoming a preferred communication method because it’s fast, convenient, and cost-effective. 

Use cases for HOA text messaging:

• Short and concise messages.
• Regular reminders.
• Maintenance alerts.
• Emergencies.

When to avoid using text messaging in your HOA:

• When you need to send out detailed messages. Longer messages can often be seen as intrusive to individuals.
• As we mentioned, residents may become frustrated when a company sends them too many text messages. Thus, it\’s important to use this form of communication when needed and clearly inform residents of what type of messages they will be receiving text messages for.

Text messaging through Pilera:

Pilera’s communication platform lets you send text messages in the resident’s preferred language.  You can then view analytics in real-time to see who received the text message.    

4) Postal Mail

Even with many online communication tools available, traditional methods like postal mail can still be effective.  In a study by DMA, 56% of Americans say they like receiving direct mail.  Residents can also save letters they receive in the mail for reference whereas texts and emails can get buried rather quickly. 

Use cases for postal mailing in your HOA:

• Cater to resident preferences – Send letters to individuals who do not have an electronic communication preference in your system.
• Increase engagement with printed newsletters – Create a newsletter to share what is happening in the community, highlight achievements, and promote upcoming events.  You can also use newsletters to direct residents to other online channels you use such as social media or a resident portal.
• Non-urgent communications – Send any correspondence that is not time-sensitive.  

When to avoid using postal mailing in your HOA:

• Urgent communications – Postal mail can take days to reach a resident. Even when they receive it, it can take many more days for a resident to read your letter. Thus, it\’s not a viable option for urgent communications.
• Concerned about high costs – Since postal mail is a more costly form of communication, it\’s important to set aside a budget. If your community is more concerned about reducing costs, use more digital communication options. The cost of a single outgoing postal mailing could equal many months of other digital options.

Pilera\’s PDF letter generation feature:

Automated solutions can reduce a lot of manual work to mail out letters. Recently, Pilera introduced a new PDF letter generation feature that makes it easy for managers to prepare their letters for postal mail.  You can add a header and footer, customize recipients, and generate letters in bulk.  These letters can then be uploaded to a third-party solution such as SouthData to mail to residents.  

5) Resident Portal

You may not think of a resident portal as a form of communication, yet it can be one of the best ways to bring important community information in one place.  It’s also a great way to connect with your most engaged residents. As a self-service tool, residents can update information and request support from managers or board members without calling the office. The resident portal also gives them a way to receive information from you with very minimal effort and upkeep on your part. 

Use cases for a resident portal as an HOA communication tool:

• Online payments – Residents can look up their financial information without contacting the office. 
• Customer service – Enable residents to request services like work orders, support, or approval for architectural requests.
• Event notifications – Inform residents about upcoming events, such as board meetings, to improve attendance.  
• Document sharing – Post documents to keep residents informed about community policies.

When a resident portal may not be an ideal means of communication:

• Demographics – If most residents in your community aren\’t tech-savvy, getting them to use a resident portal could be a challenge. In this scenario, traditional methods such as postal mail or other electronic options like a phone call may serve their needs better.

Pilera\’s resident portal

Many HOA software platforms include a resident portal in their product offerings. Pilera\’s resident portal enables residents to manage their communications preferences and view a history of communications and updates to their work orders, support, ACR requests, and more in one place. Residents can also get instant answers to questions like guest or pet policies through a knowledge base.

6) Collaborative HOA Software

Communication between board members and their management team is vital so that they can make decisions that are in the community’s best interests.  HOA Software helps to improve communication and collaboration between the board and managers.

Use cases for HOA software as a communication tool:

• Keep track of important community action items – Board members can create and assign tasks to managers (and vice versa) during a board meeting for further research and completion. 
• Better understand community operations – Boards want to know if tasks are being completed promptly.  Managers can share reports with board members detailing how many maintenance, ACRs, violations, and support tickets are open or have been completed.
• Process architectural change requests – Board members can comment and approve/reject architectural requests.  
• Share important documents – Managers can share documents with board members only.  

Pilera\’s Collaborative HOA Software

Managers and board members can collaborate on various projects through Pilera’s HOA Software and specifically, the Board+.  Board+ helps managers and board members to improve accountability and compliance through task management, architectural request management, and rule violations tracking. Email notifications are automatically sent out to boards and managers when work is assigned to them. They can also post comments and updates as each item on their task list progresses, so everyone is on the same page.     

7) Social Media

Social media is a great tool for informing residents and cultivating a sense of community.  It’s a fast way to communicate with residents.  Social media also reduces communication costs over other traditional methods because platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are free to use.  

Use cases for social media in your HOA:

• Event invitations – Invite residents to in-person or virtual social events.  The Facebook Events feature lets you post event details, notify your followers, and view live RSVPs.   
• Share Event Photos – Bring back the good memories and fun of any events you’ve hosted by posting photos on platforms like Facebook or Instagram.  
• Support the community – Keep your community informed of any local causes and businesses they can learn about and support.  
• Educate your community – Share expert tips on different topics such as how residents can maintain their properties during each season or ways they can get involved with the community. 

As you’ve seen in these examples, there are many ways to connect with residents through social media.  However, check with your governing documents and local laws on what information can be shared. 

Disadvantages of social media in your HOA:

• It\’s public – Because of its public nature, many boards and managers are skeptical of using social media. All conversations are open for anyone to see unless using a private group such as Facebook Groups.
• Out-of-control conversations – Residents may use social media platforms to share their frustrations about the community and its operations. Conversations among residents and board members may, at times, spiral out of control. This could lead to friction in the community among boards and residents and even liability.
• Loss of privacy – When you\’re on a public platform, the community\’s information and issues become public, leading to a loss in data privacy.

When done right, social media can be a great way to keep residents connected. If your community wants to utilize social media, monitor the conversations and reduce friction. To do this, be sure to assign someone the responsibility of monitoring conversations and taking discussions offline before things get heated.

8) Resident Discussion Board/Forum

As we mentioned earlier, many communities use Facebook Groups or Nextdoor to communicate without the oversight of management or board members. If the board and management aren\’t seeing complaints, they can\’t address them before it gets out of control. If your community is looking for a better way to facilitate resident discussions but also manage community issues internally more effectively, a Discussion Board is a good choice. Discussion Boards are available within a password-protected resident portal where residents can communicate with each other and managers/board members gain better oversight into community issues.

Use cases for discussion board in your HOA:

• Exchange ideas on home improvements
• Provide feedback on community amenities
• Get recommendations for products and services
• Find ways to stay connected with other community members, such as through a book or gardening club.
• Gain insights on issues or topics that matter most to your residents, how they feel about it, and ways to improve the resident experience.

With Discussion Boards such as Pilera\’s, you can assign moderators to oversee conversations, remove inappropriate topics or comments, submit private comments for other managers/board members to view, and publish rules to create a more enjoyable experience for your community.

9) Virtual Meeting Solutions

Many communities have transitioned to virtual meetings and social events in the past two years.  The convenience of being able to join a meeting or event from any location has led to communities seeing an increase in attendance at their monthly or annual board meetings.  

Use cases for a virtual meeting solution in your HOA:

• Host Monthly Board Meetings – Discuss current agenda items, resolutions, and next steps in your monthly board meetings.  Invite residents to join the virtual meeting and dedicate some time for residents to voice their opinions or ask questions.
• Social events – Host fun virtual events such as trivia or other events.  
• Emergency meetings – Setting up and inviting attendees is simple if a board needs to call an emergency meeting. Board members can attend the meeting from any location.

Virtual meetings will likely continue in the future because they offer a convenient and safe way to build a sense of community.  The availability of many meeting software solutions, such as Zoom, GoToMeeting, and others, make it easy to conduct organized meetings.  Check out our recent blog post on how to improve improving your board meeting, including tips on running successful virtual meetings.  

10) Website

A community website is one of the most effective HOA communication tools to keep your current and prospective residents informed. A well-organized website that answers residents’ questions can reduce calls to the office and improve operations.  It also improves resident satisfaction because they can now access important information related to the community on their own time. 

Use cases for a community website in your HOA:

• Community culture – Talk about the community lifestyle, such as what it is like to live there. This information will help prospective residents to learn more and make informed decision. 
• Amenities & policies – What type of amenities the community has, hours of operation, and rules. 
• Community Activities – List any activities your residents can participate in, such as a book club, and when they occur.
• Events – Share a calendar of upcoming events your residents can participate in. 
• Rental properties listing – List properties for rental with descriptions and photos so you can help prospective buyers make a decision. 
• Dues/Rent Payment – Allow your residents to make payments conveniently online.  
• Private web pages for board members and residents where you can post documents and other information specific to each user role.  

Situations when a website is not the most ideal form of communication:

• Requires an internet connection – Websites are not viable in an emergency if an internet connection is unavailable.
• Requires upkeep of information – Residents will not find it useful if you don\’t keep a website fresh with new, relevant information.

Pilera\’s HOA website feature

From popular content management systems to HOA-specific platforms, there are many website options available.  Through Pilera’s HOA-specific website, you can build a professional-looking website without needing technical experience.  Here are some ways in which Pilera’s websites can take your online presence to the next level:

• Mobile-friendly site – Your residents can view community information on their own time on any device or location. 
• Optimized for SEO – This makes it easy for current and prospective residents to find the community on search engines.
• Custom content – Websites are easy to build and manage without technical experience.  
• Secured content – Create private pages for your residents and board members only.  
• Integrated with other Pilera features such as calendars, documents, marketplace, and payments. 

HOA Website Examples

Our clients have created beautiful, professional, and informative websites for their communities.  Here are a few examples to inspire a community website of your own:  

• Longboat Harbor in Florida – https://longboathoafl.pilera.com/ 
• Old Town Villages – https://oldtownvillagesfl.pilera.com/
• Equinox on the Battenkill – https://equinoxbcavt.pilera.com/ 

Conclusion: HOA Communication Tools to Inform & Engage Your Residents

When boards and managers can effectively communicate with residents and one another, they can improve operations and increase resident satisfaction. Using various HOA communication tools enables you to reach every resident in the best way for them. It’s important to clearly inform your residents what you will use each communication method for. 

All of the HOA communication tools we highlighted have their own unique uses:

• Email is a diverse tool for sending updates, reminders, and even more detailed information in an e-newsletter. 
• Phone calls are essential during emergencies and for resident demographics who do not have text or email.  
• Text messages can be instrumental during emergencies and can be used for non-intrusive reminders and updates. 
• Postal mail is useful when a resident doesn\’t have electronic means of communication and for non-urgent, transactional communications.
• Community websites and resident portals provide a one-stop shop for residents to access all community information. 
• Social media, discussion boards, and virtual meeting solutions take resident engagement a step further when everyone can have productive conversations about the community in real-time.  

When there are so many HOA communication tools available, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.  However, you don’t need to use every tool out there.  It’s more essential to use tools that cater to your residents’ needs and comply with your governing documents and local laws. Try a combination of these tools today and you will surely see increased resident satisfaction.

About Pilera

Pilera Software is the premier property management software that has helped thousands of community managers and back-office personnel improve communication and customer service. Request a personalized demo so you can learn how Pilera’s community management suite can increase work efficiency for your company.

As a community manager, staying up-to-date with the latest technology is essential.  That way, you can meet board and resident expectations as they evolve.  If your team is currently losing time to outdated software or handling tasks in many applications, it is a sign that it is time to change your software.  With efficient community management software, you can reduce time spent on repetitive tasks and improve your team\’s workflow.

When migrating to new community management software, it is natural for your team to feel concerned.  Though you may face some challenges, such as learning a new system or how it will impact residents, the rewards of change far outweigh the risks.

In this article, we talk about eight common myths about changing community management software.  Then, we will talk about how you can overcome these challenges.

1) Learning new software is too time-consuming.

As a community manager, you manage many communities and handle daily tasks. Learning new software can start to feel overwhelming. Some software platforms are challenging to use, demanding more time and effort from your team.  

We recommend ensuring software providers can offer the following services:  

• Easy to use software to communicate, create tasks, respond to resident or board requests, and more.  
• Help set up your communities and answer any questions you have. 
• Flexible support options such as email, phone, videos, and help articles so you can get the help you need when needed.
• Support should be part of your ongoing subscription, so you don\’t have to worry about paying extra.

Pilera’s property management software is one of the easiest-to-use platforms in the industry.  We help you avoid the headaches that come with new software implementation.  In addition, Pilera provides onboarding, training, and ongoing support at no extra charge. 

2) We’re already using our email service provider. Why use a communication platform?

Effective communication with residents, board members, vendors, and staff is vital to your operations.  Many managers use their company\’s primary email service provider to communicate with residents.  Relying on your company\’s email provider for communication can feel overwhelming.  Searching for emails takes too much time.  It can also take hours to update your email list whenever a resident\’s contact information or preference changes.  Communication software helps you cut down on manual tasks while keeping residents informed. 

Your technology provider should offer the following capabilities to enhance your communications:

• Phone, email, text, and postal mailing to cater to broader community demographics. 
• Distribution groups update when a resident\’s contact information changes or they join/leave the community.
• Message delivery confirmation to know if a resident opened an email or received a text. 
• Reverse 911 functionality to send out emergency blasts by phone or text. 
• Language translation so you can ensure every message is received and understood.

With Pilera\’s automated communication platform, each community saves an average of $4,927 per year over traditional methods.  You can reach an entire community or group of residents the way they want – through phone, email, text, and postal mailing.  Translate emails and text into more than 100 languages, and send phone calls in Spanish.  Pilera also tracks the delivery of each message you send and tracks email replies in a message inbox. 

Download Whitepaper: Understanding return on investment for your community’s technology

3) An all-in-one solution is the best option.

There are many accounting software platforms in the community management industry.  Accounting platforms specialize in account receivables, payables, budgeting, and forecasting features.  Many accounting platforms also include basic management features.  These may include work orders, ACRs, violations, and other features.  Although an all-in-one system may sound attractive, most providers started with accounting and built the management piece later.  That means you will likely miss out on the more advanced communications and operations features that management platforms focus on. 

Even though using two separate systems means splitting your budget between the two, you can benefit by gaining a return on investment in the long run.  By integrating your accounting software with a management platform, your team can enjoy the strengths of both systems.  Through accounting software, your team can track the financial health of your communities.  Management software helps you improve customer service, operations, and resident satisfaction.  

Pilera has 2-way integration with some of the best accounting platforms in the market.  Pilera enhances the accounting features you love with advanced communications, client support, operations, and resident engagement features.  Through the integration, you can save time, reduce manual errors, and improve data accuracy.   

4) Implementing new software will disrupt residents.

Another concern we often hear is that switching to new software will cause disruption for residents, and they will have to learn how to use new software.  Is the change going to cause an influx of residents calling in? How will residents perceive this change? 

Change can be daunting, especially for residents. But, an easy-to-use portal and seamless sign-up process can bring a sense of calm to the transition process. 

Look for a provider with the following capabilities: 

• Access to community information anywhere and on any device.
• Simple resident registration
• Convenient online payment options
• Features that get your residents coming back for more, such as discussion boards, documents, events, and a marketplace.  
• Residents can easily manage their data.
• Self-help videos and instructions for residents to use the resident portal.  

Pilera’s onboarding team has helped ease transitions from single associations to management companies of more than 50,000 units.  PAS, a California management company, transitioned thousands of residents from their previous platform to Pilera.   

\”Pilera\’s support has been exceptional. Having us migrate from one platfrom to the other without that support, we would not have looked as good as we did. It gives our company a finished polish.\”

Carlos Molina, CTO
Professional Association Services, Inc.

5) Already using spreadsheets to track community data

Many managers use spreadsheets to organize and track their tasks, including work orders, resident contact information, violations, and support issues.  Yet, managing several spreadsheets over time can be overwhelming.  Since spreadsheets don\’t readily facilitate manager collaboration, tasks can easily slip through the cracks.  

You can organize your team\’s work under a single roof with community management software.  Community management software helps you to manage community tasks and resident requests.  Features such as comments, documents, and real-time updates help your team to work better together.  You can respond to resident requests faster and even empower them to check the status of their tickets.

With Pilera’s community operations software, your team can work together on and manage work orders, architectural control requests, rule violations, and tasks.  Our clients increased efficiency by 25% and saved $5,000 per staff member per year with our ticketing system.  Features such as email reply tracking, audit logs, documents, and comments give your team visibility into each task.

6) Software has too many features that we don’t need.

Every HOA community has unique challenges to solve every day. When transitioning to new software, you may be concerned about software providers requiring you to use features you don\’t need.  

Some software providers offer one or two pricing plans, often leaving communities overpaying or needing more value.  

When evaluating software providers, see if they will offer solutions that fit your community\’s needs: 

• Customized software packages – Do software providers allow you to select which products/features you want?
• Start slow as you go – If you don\’t need all the products a provider offers at the get-go but see potential down the line, do they allow you to choose what you want now and scale later?  Your software platform should be customizable, allowing you to add new features as you grow.

Pilera works with thousands of HOAs, condos, co-ops, and apartment communities. Each has unique challenges and needs. Our a-la-carte pricing model enables our customers to choose the products that are right for them.  

7) New software will change how we currently operate.

Another myth about transitioning to new software is it will change how you operate. Community management platforms should help you organize your existing processes. Software shouldn\’t change how you operate! 

Here at Pilera, we recognize that each community operates differently. We designed our software to give you flexibility in creating, managing, and overseeing your tasks:

• Enable different products and features based on your community\’s needs.  
• Distribution groups enable you to combine units and people to send a message to. 
• User roles help you control who has access to send messages, create tasks, manage documents, and more. 
• Categories enable you to organize the type of work orders, RFPs, support tickets, ACRs, violations, and tasks you manage to identify patterns or trends.
• Ticket permissions give you control of whether residents can view work orders, ACRs, support, violations, and their associated comments. 

8) Our current process/software is good enough.

Is your current HOA management process or software just functional, or is it helping you create more efficiency for your team? 

Suppose you are spending too much time on manual data entry, constantly chasing your team members for task updates, struggling to identify community issues, lacking an overview of your team’s work, dealing with constant complaints from board members, or fielding too many calls from residents. In that case, it may be time to consider switching software. 

By changing to community management software that automates tedious tasks, improves collaboration with board members, and creates self-sufficient communities, you can deliver a better resident experience and boost efficiency for your team. 

Pilera has helped community management companies and associations regain efficiency by 25% and reach residents 30x faster.  Additionally, each community saves over $4,900 over traditional communication methods such as company email service providers and postal mailing. 

Conclusion

Changing software can be scary, but it can be worth it for better efficiency, growth, and client satisfaction.  As you check which community management software is the right choice, consider the following criteria for a successful transition: 

1. A software that is easy to learn and offers onboarding, training, and self-help options. 
2. A communication platform that keeps you organized saves your community money and improves resident satisfaction by offering many ways to stay informed. 
3. Leverage the strengths of both your accounting platform and management platform to monitor financial performance and deliver an excellent resident experience. 
4. Ease the transition for residents to your new platform with a simple registration process and easy-to-use features. 
5. Replace static spreadsheets with an online system that helps your team stay focused and improves collaboration. 
6. Select a platform that lets you choose which products your communities need.
7. Software that enhances your processes without changing how you operate.
8. Software platforms that help you automate tedious tasks and empower you to improve the client experience.

About Pilera

Pilera Software is the premier community and property management software that has helped thousands of community managers enhance communications, improve customer service, and manage compliance and operations. To learn how Pilera can help to improve efficiency and reduce costs, book a personalized demo. 

As a community manager or board member, you’re just beginning to create a budget to plan expenses for the community next year.  However, creating a budget that saves money for your community can be a challenging job.  You have to take into account how to forecast expenses for utilities, insurance, vendors, reserves, maintenance, legal fees, and more.  With many expenses to consider, how do you effectively save money on your HOA budget?  

There are many ways to save on a community\’s budget – energy efficiency, vendors, reserves planning, etc. However, a surprising and often understated way is to include HOA Software into your budget as a way to save money.  Although HOA Software requires an investment in time and money, it can reduce the cost of many daily administrative tasks and unforeseen expenses.  Studies show that automating business processes can reduce labor costs by up to 50%. In this article, we’ll explore the five different areas where HOA software can help you save on your community\’s budget. 

Resident Communications

Communicating with residents on a frequent basis is key to running a successful community. However, you need to send a wide variety of messages to residents. You frequently send messages about maintenance, events, payments, support requests, and emergencies. Mailing these letters in-house means that you are paying for paper, ink, envelopes, stamps, and employee labor. Depending on how many units are in the community and how frequently you communicate with residents, these mailing costs can chew up a significant amount of the budget. That\’s where automated email comes in.

Automated email saves your community money

Email is a great way to save on your community\’s budget. Let\’s say that you manage a community of 100 units. You send notices to each unit three times a month. The community does all the mailing in-house. A staff member spends 2 hours to put the mailing together and they are paid $20/hour. Let\’s break down the costs:

If you send 3 mailings to each unit per month (36 per year), the annual cost is $3,996. ($1.11/unit x 100 units x 36 notices = $3,996).

An HOA software with emailing features does the automating for you, so your community can save thousands of dollars each year. For example, Pilera\’s email communication tool costs $0.05/unit/month. With Pilera, you\’ll spend only $80.40 per year sending emails to a community with 100 units ($0.067 x 100 x 12). That means each community can save more than $3,800 on the budget. With Pilera\’s fast and reliable communication platform, you can send any type of email notification for less than the cost of a stamp. Every email saves you money.

Online documents and electronic forms save even more

You also need to share important documents like CC&R\’s and resident satisfaction surveys with your residents. Imagine printing lengthy CC&R documents every time a new resident joins the community. Mailing contact forms or resident satisfaction surveys are costly not only to the community but to your residents as well. An HOA software provides incredible cost savings for your community by storing an unlimited number of documents and organizing them so your residents can find what they need. You can also email the resident whenever you post a new document to keep them informed. When you send residents an electronic form to fill out, they will appreciate the ability to submit their responses online and not have to spend money on postage to mail the survey back.

Maintenance

Maintenance is an integral part of any community\’s operations; however, communities often encounter unexpected costs. A community may end up spending thousands of dollars if equipment breaks unexpectedly. To keep residents safe and the equipment functioning, it\’s essential that the community conducts preventative maintenance on a regular basis. Preventative maintenance helps to identify issues with the unit or common area equipment before it becomes an emergency.

An HOA software provides you with the ability to create and assign work orders so you can quickly identify and fix issues. The software should also allow you to set and track work orders by priority and due dates. By tracking maintenance items on a regular basis, you\’ll know how much to budget for repairs or replacements. In that way, the community lessens the risk of depleting its reserves fund. Your residents also won\’t be surprised or disappointed with an expensive special assessment fee.

You also need a system that can easily adapt to emergency maintenance situations. Through Pilera\’s work order system, you can post an alert directly in the ticket to instruct residents on what to do when there is an emergency. For example, you can direct residents to call the maintenance hotline instead of submitting a work order if their basement is flooding.

Administrative Tasks

Have you ever taken a long phone call from a resident trying to find their payment balance? You didn\’t expect the call to take hours long and so you ended up delaying an important project you were working on. This is a hidden cost that many managers face on a daily basis.

Promoting self-service within your communities is a great way for your residents to access essential community information on their own time. Residents can view documents, events, and past communications so they are informed. They can look up their financial balance and make a payment online. When residents are more informed and engaged, the community runs a lot smoother. You are more productive as a result. Instead of dealing with daily questions on payment balances, you can work toward improving the community experience for residents.

HOA software can also help free up the time it would otherwise take to manually perform tasks. These include sending messages, responding to customer support tickets, streamlining maintenance, and more.

HOA Fees

Collecting and processing HOA dues is another challenge that many communities face. Communities often have to set aside a budget to account for homeowner delinquency. How HOA Software helps is that it brings more predictability into the community\’s budget. A resident portal provides residents with an easy way to make their payments online. This is a faster, more convenient way for the community to collect dues. No more delayed or lost mail.

Another hidden cost of managing communities is processing checks that residents mail in for their dues. With the ease and convenience of online payments, managers or the board treasurer can save a trip to the bank, cutting down administrative costs.

With Pilera\’s integration with Authorize.net and Paylease, residents can pay their HOA dues online, hassle-free.

Vendor Services

Hiring the right vendor is critical to keeping residents safe and improving property values. To save the association money, board members might be tempted to hire a vendor who presents a lower bid. However, if the vendor is not insured and an employee or resident is injured on the property, the HOA can face legal issues. Additionally, if an employee of the contractor files for workers\’ compensation, it could come at the cost of the residents. It is worth more to the association in the long run to hire a vendor who is insured.

Your HOA software should allow you to track vendor contact information, license expiration dates, and your rating of their service. Keeping track of vendor license expirations ensures that you are not sending a vendor who is uninsured to perform work on a property. In Pilera, managers and board members can track each vendor\’s license expirations and receive automated notifications so they are informed.

Software – A unique way to save on your HOA budget

When identifying ways to save on your community\’s budget, many consider technology to be an added cost. However, there are surprising ways in which the right technology can actually help your community save money as you budget for the next year. When considering new HOA software, ask the following questions:

• Communications – Can you automate sending emails to the community? How much more will automated communication save the community compared to manually mailing out notices? As a bonus, think about how you can save money for the residents too.
• Maintenance – Can you create and assign work orders, set priority and due dates, and track progress so nothing falls through the cracks?
• Administrative Tasks – How can the software save time, rather than spending more time? Can residents easily access important information on their own, so managers can save time?
• HOA Dues Payments – Does the software automate online payments so delinquency is reduced and managers don\’t have to manually process checks?
• Vendor Services – Does the vendor management solution allow you to keep track of key information like license expiration notifications?

With the right technology, communities can save money on next year\’s budget by reducing mailing expenses, emergency maintenance costs, and hidden administrative costs. Pilera\’s HOA software solution has helped thousands of communities save money by automating many community tasks, increasing efficiency, and keeping residents informed. If you\’d like to learn how Pilera can work for you, contact us at [email protected].