Do you have a streamlined work order process?
Whether unexpected or routine, maintaining and repairing assets at your property can seem like a never-ending job. On top of that, you or your team have to manage preventive maintenance, tenant/guest maintenance requests, equipment breakdowns, and more. If you’re manually managing maintenance, it can be hard to remember everything and fix problems quickly.
However, forgetting preventive maintenance can shorten equipment lifespan, costing you in the long run. And, responding slowly to tenant maintenance requests can lead to disgruntled tenants/guests and low property occupancy.
Manual work order management isn’t the only way. Instead, you can use work order management software that can automate tedious maintenance tasks, make work order tracking easy, help you remember preventive maintenance, and more.
Wondering if work order management software is right for your rental portfolio? You’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll cover what you need to know about work order management software and the top 8 options. Let’s start with a look at what work order management software is.
Table of Contents:
- What is work order management software?
- How does a work order management system work?
- What are the benefits of work order management software?
- What features should you look for in a work order management system for rental properties?
- What is the best work order software for rental properties?
- BeHome247
- Axxerion
- Buildium
- Doorloop
- Fiix
- Jobber
- MaintainX
- UpKeep
What is work order management software?
Work order management software helps you track and manage tenant maintenance requests, preventative maintenance, equipment repairs, and any other maintenance/repair tasks. This software stores everything in one place, making it easy to keep track of maintenance info.
Some work order management software also has automation. With automation, this software can respond to tenant/guest requests, keep tenant/guests updated on progress, assign tasks to your team, schedule preventive maintenance, and more. This can save you and your team hours each week.
Many work order management systems are point solutions. As such, these solutions only handle work orders. If you want to manage other aspects of your property (like tenant/guest communication, leasing, or online payments), you’ll need to adopt additional tech – which can be expensive and hard to use.
Instead of choosing a standalone work order management system, you should look for a complete property and device management platform with work order management. That way, you can manage work orders and any property and smart device tasks from the same, easy-to-use platform.
How does a work order management system work?
Work order management software begins by centralizing all your work order, maintenance, and repair data in one place. The most common way to aggregate work order data is with a dashboard. This allows you to see all work-order-related info and metrics in one, easy-to-understand visual.
After centralizing your work order data, tenants/guests and your team can log work orders. Some software allows tenants/guests and your team to submit work orders from a mobile device. Tenants/guests can also track progress in real-time on their work orders from the same smartphone app.
Once maintenance work orders are submitted, you can then use work order management software to assign the work order to the right team member. This software can track how quickly your team is resolving issues. Plus, it can automatically remind your team about work orders if they’re taking too long to fix issues.
Along with tracking work orders, this software allows you to schedule preventive and routine maintenance. Work order management software can also automatically remind team members to do preventive maintenance. This makes it more likely your team will do preventive maintenance – extending equipment life and saving you money.
What are the benefits of work order management software?
You now know what work order management software is and how it works. But, you might be wondering why you should use maintenance management software for your rental portfolio. Here are the top benefits of work order software for your property:
Extend equipment lifespan
One benefit of work order management software is that it can help you prolong the lifespan of equipment – saving you money. If you manually handle maintenance and asset management, you have to remember to routinely service all equipment at every property. However, it can be difficult to manually keep up with all preventive maintenance – which can lead to your equipment failing sooner.
With work order management software, you don’t have to remember preventive maintenance. Instead, the software can remind you and your team to do routine maintenance when each asset needs it. That way, you won’t forget preventive maintenance. This extends your equipment lifespan. And, it saves you money by not having to replace assets as frequently.
Reduce unexpected equipment problems
Another benefit of a work order management system is that it can reduce unexpected problems. Manually managing your equipment can involve a lot of guesswork. You think you’re up to date with all preventive maintenance and that your equipment should last for at least a few more years. When equipment fails, you’re surprised and unprepared.
Work order management software can take the guesswork out of maintenance. This software can automatically remind you to do preventive maintenance, reducing the likelihood of early equipment failure.
Plus, a work order management system can digitally store all documents. So, you can quickly find out crucial info about your equipment (like how often to service it and how old it is). That way, you won’t be surprised when your equipment needs replacing – saving you money and minimizing tenant/guest interruption.
Improve team efficiency
Along with reducing unexpected equipment problems, work order management software can also improve your team’s efficiency. Manually managing maintenance involves your team sorting through work orders, finding a team member with availability to fix a problem, communicating with tenants/guests, and more – all of which can make work order management time-consuming.
With work order management software, your team no longer has to manually collect and assign work orders. Instead, the software can collect, prioritize, and assign work orders. By automating work order administrative tasks, work order management software can boost team efficiency – allowing your team to focus on higher value tasks (like keeping tenants/guests happy).
Boost the tenant/guest experience
Work order management software can also create a better tenant experience. Tenants and guests will likely need you to fix something while they’re on your property (like a broken HVAC, leaky faucet, or clogged toilet). Manual maintenance management can make the work request and resolution process frustrating – which creates a negative tenant/guest experience.
With a work order management system, tenants/guests can submit and track work order requests right from their smartphones. Work order management software can also help you resolve work orders faster. This easy submission/tracking process and quick resolution can create a better tenant experience – leading to higher retention and reviews.
What features should you look for in a work order management system for rental properties?
While work order management software offers many benefits, you have to choose the right software to see any of these benefits. Here are the top features to look for in a work order software solution:
Comprehensive
The first feature you should look for in work order management software is comprehensiveness. Many work order management solutions only help you manage work orders. However, that’s only one aspect of managing your property. You also need to manage tenant/guest communication, vendor scheduling, leasing, invoicing, check in/out, and more.
If you choose a standalone work order management system, you’ll need other tech tools to manage your property and devices. Having multiple tech solutions is expensive and hard to use.
So, you should look for a complete property and device management platform with work order functionality and features like:
- Work order creation/management
- Maintenance history
- Preventive maintenance scheduling
- Mobile app
- Dashboard
- Analytics/reporting
- Tenant/guest communication
That way, you have everything you need to manage your property and devices in one, easy-to-use platform – saving you money.
Automation
Another feature you should look for in a work order management system is automation. If you choose work order software without automation, you’ll still have to manage tasks like scheduling, reminders, work order sorting, tenant communication, and more. This slows down your team and makes it more likely you’ll forget crucial maintenance.
So, you should look for work order software with automation. With automation, your work order management system can streamline your workflow, help you stay on top of preventive maintenance, and resolve work orders faster – boosting the tenant experience and cutting costs.
Integration
Along with automation, you should also look for work order management software with integration. Your work order software needs to interact with other tech you use (like equipment sensors and tenant/guest communication apps). Without integration, your work order management system won’t be able to communicate with your other tech – limiting its usefulness.
When choosing work order management software, you should look for a solution with wide device and software integration. With wide integration, your work order management solution can read data it needs and transfer data to other systems automatically.
Responsive human support
Lastly, you should look for work order management software with responsive customer support. While tech can help you manage your property more efficiently, cut costs, and increase revenue, it can also have technical problems that are hard to resolve. Without good support, you’ll be on your own to solve these issues – which can be time-consuming and frustrating.
To avoid this, you should look for work order management software with responsive human support. That way, you can resolve issues quickly – saving time and reducing downtime.
What is the best work order software for rental properties?
Now that you know what features to look for in a work order management system, it’s time to choose the right one for your portfolio. Here are the top 8 work order management solutions for rental properties:
1. BeHome247
Top Features:
- End-to-end platform
- Device agnostic
- Middleware for legacy tech
- Responsive human support
- Tenant/guest communication app
BeHome247 is a property and device management platform with work order management software for multifamily, single family, vacation rental, and hospitality properties. If you’re looking for the best work order management software for rental properties, BeHome247 is the way to go.
In terms of work order management, BeHome247 has a tenant/guest smartphone app for submitting and tracking work orders, maintenance schedules, automated maintenance reminders, equipment alerts, maintenance reporting, and more.
Unlike many other work order management solutions, BeHome247 is a complete property and device management platform. As such, BeHome247 has everything you need to manage operations, tenant/guest experience, and communication. Plus, BeHome247 can automate day-to-day operations like – invoicing, inspections, vendor scheduling, leasing, tenant/guest communication, digital rental agreements, and more.
Along with being comprehensive, BeHome247 is also a middleware solution. This means that BeHome247 works with your existing legacy technology and can add new features (like EV charging). Plus, BeHome247 is a device agnostic platform, so it integrates with a wide variety of smart devices.
Final word: BeHome247 is the best work order management system for rental properties because of its comprehensiveness, automation, wide integration, and responsive support.
2. Axxerion
Top Features:
- Scheduled maintenance
- Maintenance reporting
- Project management
Axxerion is a maintenance management solution primarily for residential and commercial properties. Although it offers solutions for multifamily and single family properties, Axxerion doesn’t work for vacation rental and hospitality properties. Along with maintenance management, Axxerion also offers limited property management features like lease management, accounting, and a tenant portal. However, it doesn’t offer device management. If you need to manage smart devices, you’ll need additional tech if you choose Axxerion. In terms of work order management, Axxerion offers features like work order dispatching, scheduled maintenance, and reporting.
Final word: If you’re looking for a maintenance management solution for multifamily/single family properties with limited property management features, Axxerion could work for you.
3. Buildium
Top Features:
- Mobile work order submission
- Vendor payments
- Schedule reoccurring maintenance
Buildium is a property management platform for property managers of residential properties, student housing, and community associations (like HOAs). If you’re a property owner or manage vacation rental or hospitality properties, Buildium won’t work for you. As a property management platform, Buildium has a maintenance management module with features like work order submission, vendor efficiency tracking, scheduling reoccurring maintenance, and vendor payment. While Buildium offers maintenance tracking, it isn’t as robust as other solutions. Buildium also doesn’t offer device management or wide device/software integration.
Final word: If you’re looking for a property management platform with some work order management features but little integration, Buildium could be a good choice.
4. Doorloop
Top Features:
- Owner portal
- Online work orders
- Maintenance progress tracking
Doorloop is a property management solution for landlords, investors, and property managers of residential and commercial properties. While Doorloop works for multifamily and single family properties, it doesn’t work for vacation rental or hospitality properties. In its property management solution, Doorloop offers maintenance management with features like online maintenance requests, work order progress tracking, and vendor payments. Since Doorloop focuses mostly on property management, its work order management features are limited. Doorloop also doesn’t offer device management.
Final word: If you’re looking for property management for multifamily or single family rentals with limited work order management features, Doorloop could work for you.
5. Fiix
Top Features:
- Work assignment
- Cost tracking
- Maintenance calendar
Fiix is a work order management platform. Its solution is targeted to general maintenance teams, so Fiix works for most industries with maintenance departments. However, Fiix isn’t specific to real estate or rental properties, so it won’t have the specialized features (like tenant communication) you need. As a work order management solution, Fiix also doesn’t have any property or device management capabilities. In terms of work order management, Fiix has features like owner/manager portal, maintenance scheduling, mobile maintenance, prioritizing service requests, and work order reporting.
Final word: If you’re looking for a general work order management solution without rental-property-specific features or property management functionality, Fiix could work for you.
6. Jobber
Top Features:
- Drag and drop calendar
- Work order templates
- Reporting and analytics
Jobber is a maintenance scheduling solution for service businesses, field technicians, and maintenance teams. While Jobber serves many related industries (like home maintenance or landscaping), it isn’t specifically designed for rental properties. As such, it doesn’t have property management capabilities or real-estate-specific features (like smart device management or access control). In terms of work order management, Jobber has features like maintenance scheduling, invoicing, online booking, work order dispatching, credit card processing, and reporting. Jobber also has limited software integration.
Final word: If you’re looking for a maintenance scheduling solution without property management features or wide integration, Jobber could be a good option.
7. MaintainX
Top Features:
- Work order customization
- Repeatable work orders
- Team collaboration
MaintainX is a work order and maintenance solution for industries like manufacturing, property management, facility management, and hospitality. Because MaintainX is for a variety of industries, it doesn’t have property or device management functionality. In its work order management solution, MaintainX has features like work order creation/assignment/tracking, preventive maintenance scheduling, parts inventory, inspection checklists, reporting, and team communication/collaboration. MaintainX has limited integration, so it may not integrate with your property and device management platform.
Final word: If you’re looking for non-rental-property-specific maintenance management and don’t need property/device management integration, MaintainX could work for you.
8. UpKeep
Top Features:
- Central maintenance hub
- Automatic work order assignment
- Reoccurring work orders
UpKeep is a maintenance management system for industries like agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and real estate. While UpKeep serves a variety of industries, it lacks specific features for each industry. If you need a solution with specialized rental property management features (like tenant communication or housekeeping scheduling), UpKeep isn’t right for you. For maintenance management, UpKeep offers features like work order tracking, preventive maintenance scheduling, work order assignment, request management, analytics/reporting, and parts/inventory management. Like other general maintenance management solutions, UpKeep has limited property management software integration.
Final word: If you’re looking for enterprise maintenance management without property management functionality or integration, UpKeep could be a good option.
Conclusion
Work order management software can help you extend equipment lifespan, reduce unexpected maintenance problems, increase your team’s efficiency, and boost the tenant/guest experience. Choosing the right work order management software, with features like comprehensiveness, automation, integration, and responsive support, can help you maximize these benefits.
All 8 work order management solutions can meet some of your needs. But, if you want the best work order management software for rental properties, BeHome247 is the way to go.
As a complete property and device management platform, BeHome247 not only has everything you need to streamline maintenance but also to manage your entire property and all your smart devices. Complete with automation, integration, top-notch support, and middleware functionality, BeHome247 is the clear choice for rental property work order management software.
Book your BeHome247 demo today to see get started streamlining your rental property work order management.
