As a busy property manager, you’re undoubtedly stretched thin, juggling multiple time-consuming tasks and doing it all with few resources. You might be using several outdated systems just to keep up, and now you’re noticing redundancies and inefficiencies due to the overlap. Although your current technology may be clunky, upgrading to a more efficient system seems too daunting.
How do you streamline operations without disrupting your daily operations?
Transitioning to a new property management operations platform might not be as difficult as you think.
With the right technology, training, and support, a successful operations platform implementation is just a few clicks away. It all starts with a team of professionals dedicated to your success.
As the BeHome247 Director of Operations, Ali Lauria strives to streamline the implementation process for every new customer. A former BeHome247 platform user as a property manager for ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals, Lauria not only learned the system and set the internal processes but served as the subject matter expert (or “SME”) implementing the software throughout Northwest Florida. Now responsible for training, implementation, account management, and more, Lauria considers her number one job to make both her team and end users knowledgeable and pleased with the product.
Having onboarded over 90% of the customers and dozens of new client implementations under her belt, we took a deep dive into her best tips for a successful operations platform implementation.
Understanding the User’s Platform Needs
Each property management company functions differently, and every portfolio presents unique and diverse challenges. Digging into the small details of each customer lends insight into how best to improve operational efficiencies. From there, BeHome247 tailors solutions that meet current user requirements and expectations while anticipating future needs.
“We customize the implementation for each client. A Kick-off Discovery call allows my team to fill in any gaps from the sales side. We also confirm everything is in order on the tech side, whether the property management system, type of hardware, or BeHome247 modules requested. We focus on understanding their operation and formulate a training plan from there,” says Lauria.
This deeper dive into operational processes clarifies the challenges and barriers often presented by legacy software and siloed data. Productivity, organization, and communication issues are common but quickly remedied with BeHome247’s end-to-end platform.
Implementation Tools Paired with Training and Support
One of the most valuable components of successful operations platform implementations is the support provided to property management teams. Since they’re training regularly on the BeHome247 system, access to tools is imperative. Aside from in-person and remote training sessions, customers receive a training plan that includes guides, videos, and other helpful information. Recordings of all training sessions and access to the BeHome247 Knowledge Base also prove vitally important, and a BeHome247 support department is available for additional assistance. A designated Account Manager is assigned and stays with customers post-implementation to ensure success.
“Our Account Managers take the time to get to know their accounts so that we can provide the best implementation possible. We don’t settle for just teaching customers about our product. We work with them directly to learn the product and embed it into current procedures. We want the technology to work for them,” says Lauria.
Managers’ involvement is critical, particularly when getting end users like cleaners and inspectors to utilize the system. Having leaders engaged enables them to train their field teams on the platform, which is invaluable given the personnel changes that occur in the industry. BeHome247 also designates Supers Users, individuals within the customer’s company that fully grasp the platform and can readily assist others in the organization.
Maintenance technicians receive training tools, step-by-step instructions, and hands-on training with their Account Manager, leaving little room for error. Training is conducted remotely or on-site, depending upon the customer and their bandwidth, with some implementations taking just a few days. Once the training is complete, BeHome247 takes the account live.
BeHome247 Seamless Implementations
The right technology can make all the difference. Most property management software transitions require tremendous legwork before the system is operational, but BeHome247 connects through an API, expediting the procedure. Established API integrations with notable property management platforms on the market mean the system is ready to go in just a few clicks.
Although businesses and operations may differ in size and structure, most tend to see similar pain points, primarily security, maintenance, and communication. BeHome247 consistently addresses each pain point during operations platform implementations, offering Guest Connect to expedite guest communication and Status Management for fast and efficient internal communication. Property Control tackles preventative maintenance and security issues, ensuring secure access while optimizing energy efficiency.
By integrating with best-in-class hardware and software providers, BeHome247 continues enhancing its platform, notifying customers as new features are rolled out and updating its Knowledge Base with new content. “We’re not going to pass off the keys and disappear,” says Lauria. Given how busy the vacation rental space has been for the past two years, identifying the best time to make the change can be challenging. BeHome247 offers flexibility, working with clients to understand what works best with their schedule.
BeHome247 Customer Feeback
Continued positive customer feedback reveals customers are adjusting and utilizing BeHome247 to the fullest, with the biggest compliments coming from the end user.
“We’ve found that third-party services (for example, cleaners) can be resistant to adopt the platform, citing that their current methods like SMS texting work well. We understand because they are so busy and texts are extremely accessible on-the-go. However, once we have onboarded a client and the cleaning service start reaping the benefits, it’s rewarding to see how quickly their impression changes. They realize we are not adding to their workflow but replacing much of the back-and-forth communication with workflows. They also have the added benefit of easy access to the information they need to complete their job,” says Lauria.
Managing as many as 750 properties during a single operations platform implementation, Lauria relies heavily on her team for each implementation. She also keeps an eye out for resources with a great pulse on what’s happening in ‘#proptech.’ Drawing inspiration from other women in the industry, Lauria cites Dawn Frazier, National Account Director at BeHome247, Wendy Glover, Owner at 30A Vacation Rental Consulting, Michelle Marquis, Chief Revenue Officer at TravelNet Solutions, and Alex Husner and Annie Holcombe a few of her favorites.
Want to see what the BeHome247 team can do for your operations? Contact us to schedule a demo.
