Property managers and maintenance staff often have a limited relationship. While they play vital roles to each others’ functioning at a facility, oftentimes property managers and maintenance workers do not communicate unless absolutely necessary. This leads to a minimal level of performance by the maintenance staff, and a lack of knowledge and leadership capability of the property managers.
Your maintenance staff does more than perform the necessary service. They make your facility a great place to work, serve, and conduct business. Without them, your business would quite literally fall apart at the seams. If you want to get more value out of your investment in preventative maintenance service, consider establishing a stronger relationship with your maintenance team. There are several ways in which you can do this.
First, you must communicate clearly and often.
Building a relationship with any department takes time and effort. If you work to make the team feel included in decisions regarding your facility’s preventative maintenance schedule, they will likely give you double the value you were receiving before. Clear and open communication will help you make better, more cost-effective preventative maintenance choices.
Next, you must set expectations.
As the property manager, you are responsible for the smooth operation of the facility. Set expectations with your maintenance staff on when, why, and how often maintenance services should be performed. You will also want to ask questions about preventative maintenance best practices to ensure you’re covering all your bases.
Include maintenance in your strategic planning.
Maintenance is more than preventing disaster. It is an investment in property value and customer retention. A facility that is well maintained will be more attractive to tenants or clients, and will retain its market value longer than one that is minimally maintained. Talk to your maintenance staff to ensure you’re not just covering the bare minimum in your preventative maintenance service.
Don’t treat maintenance calls as a last resort.
Your maintenance staff should be an ally, not the people you call when you’re at your wit’s end. By communicating and setting clear expectations, you can prevent most emergency maintenance calls. Use your maintenance team as a resource as much as possible.
MaintenX is a leader in facility maintenance in 13 states across the U.S. We work one-on-one with clients to help achieve their maintenance goals while cutting costs whenever possible. At MaintenX. We believe a job well done doesn’t have to break the bank. Our technicians will take care of your facility needs and help you create a better preventative maintenance plan.
Contact us today to learn about our services and rates.
