As a property owner or manager, keeping tenants and guests happy is a top priority. But, if you manually manage work orders, it can be difficult to do. Between collecting tenant requests, assigning work to team members, managing preventive maintenance, addressing equipment breakdowns, and more, it can seem like you never have enough time to manage work orders.
With so much to do, it’s easy to miss a work order or resolve work orders slowly. However, slow work order resolution and dropped work orders can lead to low tenant and guest satisfaction. This can make it hard to keep your rental property occupied and attract future tenants and guests.
The good news is that you don’t have to manage work orders manually. Instead, you can use a property management work order system. This system can help you stay on top of work orders, resolve issues faster, and provide great service to keep tenants happy.
Wondering if property management work order software is right for you? You’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about property management work order systems. Plus, we’ll discuss the top 8 solutions for rental properties. To start, let’s take a look at what a property management work order system is.
Table of Contents
- What is a property management work order system?
- How does property management work order software work?
- What are the benefits of a property management work order system?
- What features should you look for in property management work order software?
- What is the best property management work order system?
- BeHome247
- Avail
- DoorLoop
- FMX
- Innago
- Propertyware
- RentRedi
- Resman
What is a property management work order system?
A property management work order system helps you manage work orders, preventive maintenance, equipment upkeep, and more in one software solution. With this software, you can see tenant/guest work order submissions, who’s working on requests, preventive maintenance scheduling, equipment documentation, and more in one place.
Some property management work order systems also have automation. This software can automate scheduling, work order assignment, progress reports, preventive maintenance reminders, task reminders, and other work order tasks. That way, you and your team have fewer work order tasks to remember. Automation can also save you hours a week in work order management.
Many property work order systems are point solutions. As such, these software options only focus on work-order-related tasks. If you want to manage tenant/guest communication, access control, vendor payments, or any other property task, you need additional software. Having a bunch of software solutions can be hard to use and expensive.
To cut costs and keep your tech stack manageable, you should look for a comprehensive property and device management platform with work order functionality. That way, you only need one tech solution to manage all your day-to-day operations.
How does property management work order software work?
Property management work order software begins with tenants and guests submitting work requests. Depending on the software, tenants/guests can submit a work order with a mobile app, website, text, email, or call. If your work order software has a mobile app, tenants and guests can easily track work order resolution from the same app.
After tenants/guests submit a work order, you can see it in the property management work order dashboard. Then, you can assign the work order to the right team member. The work order management software can automatically remind team members to resolve work orders if they take too long.
Along with displaying tenant/guest work orders, your property management work order software can help you schedule preventive maintenance – and automatically remind your team to do it. This can extend equipment life and reduce repair and replacement costs.
A property management work order system can also analyze work order data and generate reports. These reports can help you spot areas to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and create a better tenant experience.
What are the benefits of a property management work order system?
The right property management work order software can do more than simply track work orders. Here are the top benefits you could see from a property management work order system:
Faster resolution
One benefit of property management work order software is that it can help you resolve work orders faster. Traditional work order management requires tenants/guests to submit work orders through email or a phone call. It can take time for you to see the work order. Then, you have to manually assign the work order and remind your team to resolve it. This whole process can take weeks – leading to frustrated tenants and guests.
With a property management work order system, tenants/guests can submit work orders from an app or website. As soon as tenants/guests submit a work order, your software can assign it to the right team member. This software can also automatically remind team members to resolve work orders. So, you can resolve issues in hours or days instead of weeks – boosting tenant/guest satisfaction.
Save time
Property management work order software can also help you save time. With traditional work order management, you have to manually sort work orders, assign them, remind team members, inform tenants/guests of progress, and schedule preventive maintenance. This can suck hours of your time every week.
The right property management work order software can automate much of the work order process. So, you no longer need to sort and assign work orders, remind your team to get everything done, or schedule routine maintenance. Instead, your work order software can do these tasks for you – freeing you up to focus on high-value activities.
Cut costs
Another benefit of property management work order software is that it can help you reduce expenses. Routine maintenance is crucial to keeping your equipment in good shape for as long as possible. But, it’s easy to forget preventive maintenance when you have so much else to do. Forgetting to do routine property maintenance can cause your equipment to break down more frequently and require repairs sooner – increasing your expenses.
With a property management work order system, you no longer have to remember to do preventive maintenance. Instead, you can set up a routine maintenance schedule. Then, your software can remind you and your team when it’s time for preventive maintenance. By helping you stay on top of routine maintenance, maintenance management software can help you save thousands.
Improve the tenant/guest experience
Lastly, a property management work order system can help you create a better tenant and guest experience. It’s frustrating for tenants/guests when things don’t work. However, a slow work order resolution process can be exponentially more frustrating. Having to wait days or weeks for you to resolve even simple issues can create a poor renter experience.
Work order management software can help you fix work orders faster. Plus, this software makes work order submission and progress tracking easier for tenants and guests. By resolving issues faster and making it easier to submit problems, property management work order software can help you improve the tenant and guest experience.
What features should you look for in property management work order software?
While a property management work order system can greatly benefit your property, you’ll only see those benefits if you choose the right one. Here are the top features to look for in property management work order software:
Rental-property-specific
The first feature you should look for in work order management software is that it’s designed for rental properties. Most industries require work order software. As such, many work order systems are designed for a variety of industries. These general systems lack specialized features (like tenant/guest communication and progress tracking) you need.
To get the most out of your work order management software, you should look for software built for rental properties. That way, you’ll have all the features you need to cut costs, save time, and boost the tenant/guest experience.
Comprehensive
Along with being rental property specific, you should also look for work order management software that’s comprehensive.
A property management work order system that’s not comprehensive only focuses on work orders. If you want to manage other aspects of your property (like tenant communication or online payments), you’ll need additional software – which can be hard to use and costly.
With an all-in-one property and device management platform with work order capabilities, you have everything you need to manage your property in one place. So, you don’t have to pay for a large tech stack – while still getting the benefits of both property and work order management software.
Easy to use
You should also choose property management work order software that’s easy to use.
A property management work order system should make your life easier. However, hard-to-use software with a clunky user interface, non-cloud-based architecture, and convoluted dashboards can cause more headaches than traditional work order management. Because of this, your team will hardly use your work order software – wasting money.
So, you should look for property management work order software that’s easy to use. It should be cloud-based, have an intuitive user interface, easy-to-use navigation, and straightforward dashboards. That way, your team will use your work order software – maximizing your ROI and the benefits you see.
Responsive support
The last feature you should look for in a property management work order system is responsive human support. Even top-of-the-line work order software will eventually have technical problems. Without good customer support, you’ll be stuck trying to fix those issues yourself – which is frustrating and time-consuming.
Instead of having to solve everything yourself, you should look for work order software with responsive human support. When problems crop up, you can talk to a real person to quickly resolve any issues – saving time and minimizing tenant/guest interruptions.
What is the best property management work order system?
Now that you know what to look for in property management work order software, it’s time to choose the right one for your property. Here are the top 8 property management work order systems:
1. BeHome247
Top Features:
- Tenant/guest app
- End-to-end platform
- Middleware for legacy tech
- Responsive human support
- Device agnostic
BeHome247 is a complete, cloud-based property and device management platform for single family, multifamily, vacation rental, and hospitality properties. Its property management work order system is the best choice for most rental properties.
For work order management, BeHome247’s rental-property-specific platform has features like a tenant/guest mobile app to submit/track work orders, automatic work order reminders, maintenance scheduling, equipment alerts, work order reports, and more.
Along with work order functionality, BeHome247 is also an all-in-one property and device management platform. It has everything you need to streamline operations, tenant/guest management, and communications. BeHome247’s platform can help you automate day-to-day tasks like inspections, vendor invoicing, payment processing, tenant/guest communication, access control, smart device management, housekeeping scheduling, and more.
Additionally, BeHome247 has middleware capabilities. As a middleware solution, BeHome247 works with existing legacy tech and can add features (like EV charging). So, you don’t have to get rid of tech that works for you to use BeHome247’s platform. BeHome247 is also a device agnostic platform, allowing you to use almost any smart device with its software.
Final word: BeHome247’s easy-to-use, comprehensive, and rental-property-specific platform with responsive support is the best property management work order system for rental properties.
2. Avail
Top Features:
- Online maintenance requests
- Maintenance record
- Tenant communication
Avail is a property management platform for DIY landlords. If you’re a property manager, Avail won’t work for you. In terms of work order management, Avail has basic features like online work order submission, tenant communication, maintenance tracking, and maintenance record. If you want more advanced features like automated reminders or preventive maintenance scheduling, Avail won’t work for you. As a property management platform, Avail also has features like tenant screening, online rent collection, and digital leasing. However, Avail doesn’t have smart device management capabilities.
Final word: If you’re looking for a DIY landlord property management platform with limited work order functionality, Avail could be a good option.
3. DoorLoop
Top Features:
- Tenant portal
- Vendor management
- Auto-assign requests
DoorLoop is a property management platform for owners and property managers of single family, multifamily, and commercial properties. However, DoorLoop doesn’t work for vacation rental or hospitality properties. If you have a mixed portfolio, DoorLoop might not work for you. In its work order offering, DoorLoop has features like a tenant portal, progress tracking, work order prioritization, auto assigning work orders, and vendor management. While DoorLoop has general property management features like rent collection and tenant screening, it doesn’t have device management.
Final word: If you’re looking for work order software that only works for multifamily or single family properties, DoorLoop could work for you.
4. FMX
Top Features:
- Labor tracking
- Work order checklists
- Preventive maintenance scheduling
FMX is a maintenance management platform for a variety of industries like property management/real estate, manufacturing, and restaurants. Because it’s a general maintenance management solution, FMX doesn’t have many property and device management features. If you want to manage other aspects of your property with tech, you’ll need additional solutions. In terms of work orders, FMX has features like tenant work order submission/tracking, vendor management, preventive maintenance scheduling, team reporting, and inventory management.
Final word: If you’re looking for a general maintenance management solution without property management functionality, FMX could be a good option.
5. Innago
Top Features:
- Work order image upload
- Tenant status updates
- Maintenance assignment
Innago is a property management platform for residential, commercial, and student housing properties. It has solutions for property managers, but Innago’s main focus is landlord solutions. Although it has offerings for multifamily and single family properties, Innago doesn’t work for vacation rental or hospitality properties. In its work order module, Innago has features like image/video work order submissions, work order status updates, tenant communication, and maintenance assignment. For general property management features, Innago has capabilities like online rent payments and digital lease signing.
Final word: If you’re looking for a landlord-focused work order management system for single family or multifamily properties only, Innago could work for you.
6. Propertyware
Top Features:
- Reoccurring work orders
- Maintenance task standardization
- Time tracking
Propertyware is a property management solution for single family property managers. If you’re a landlord or manage any other property type, Propertyware won’t work for you. For single family rentals, Propertyware has work order features like vendor management, work order dispatching/tracking, task standardization, reoccurring work orders, and work order reporting. As a property management platform, Propertyware also has features like inspections, payments, lead tracking, and a tenant/owner portal.
Final word: If you’re looking for work order management that only works for property managers of single family rentals, Propertyware could be a good choice.
7. RentRedi
Top Features:
- Maintenance timeline
- Tenant updates
- Budget tracking
RentRedi offers property management software for landlords. If you’re a property manager, RentRedi won’t work for you. With its focus on leasing and payment activities, RentRedi has limited work order offerings. In terms of work orders, RentRedi has features like income and expense tracking, tenant work order communication and updates, work order timeline, and tenant troubleshooting. For general property management, RentRedi has features like rent collection, tenant screening, property listing and marketing, and lease management.
Final word: If you’re looking for a leasing and payment focused platform for landlords with some work order functionality, RentRedi could work for you.
8. ResMan
Top Features:
- Maintenance notifications
- Inventory management
- Work order dashboard
ResMan is a property management solution for property managers of multifamily, affordable housing, and commercial properties. If you’re a property owner or manage single family, vacation rental, or hospitality properties, ResMan won’t work for you. In terms of work orders, ResMan has features like a maintenance dashboard, inventory management, workflow management, online portal, team notifications, and maintenance forms. Resman also has general property management features like accounting, marketing, and online leasing.
Final word: If you’re looking for a work order system that only works for property managers of multifamily/affordable properties, ResMan could be a good option.
Conclusion
A property management work order system can help you cut costs, save time, resolve work orders faster, boost the tenant/guest experience, and more. However, you’ll only see these benefits if you choose the right property management work order software. You should look for features like comprehensiveness, rental-property-specific design, ease of use, and responsive support.
All 8 property management work order systems can meet some of your needs. If you’re looking for the best property management work order software, however, BeHome247 is the way to go. Its end-to-end platform is easy to use, rental property specific, and has everything you need to manage work orders better. Plus, BeHome247 has great support.
If you’re looking for work order management software to add to your existing property management system, BeHome247 can also help with that. Its middleware capabilities mean BeHome247 can add work order management to many legacy property management tools.
Whether you’re looking for an all-in-one solution or just work order management, BeHome247 has what you need.
Book your BeHome247 demo today to get started cutting costs and saving time with better work order management.
