Moving to Mobile First
Today, we live in a mobile-first world when it comes to technology. We do our banking and shopping on mobile apps, and we even manage our home appliances and thermostats through mobile apps. Unfortunately, the same is not currently valid in the HOA Management industry. AAM is looking to address this oversight with the rollout of the HOA Toolkit.
No Wi-Fi, No Problem
Our initial rollout of the HOA Toolkit focused on allowing our managers to perform community inspections on an offline mobile app. The offline mode has been a critical feature for us since several communities are in areas without cellular coverage. In the past, this could mean long wait times when uploading pictures or, worse yet, timeouts. Caching violation information on the device and uploading it later ensures faster, more accurate inspections, even in areas with coverage.
Secure, Fast & User-Friendly
The transition from a mobile-friendly webpage to a mobile app has also paid significant dividends. This shift has allowed us to create a more intuitive interface and enable features on the device that would not have been possible in a traditional web format.
The results have been better than we could have hoped. Even the most technology-resistant users have fully and gladly embraced the new tools. We believe our Managers’ feedback has been overwhelmingly positive because the tool is familiar and preferred. Additionally, it enhances their efficiency by cutting typical inspection times in half.
Resident Information a Few Taps Away
This success encouraged us to deploy a module for Resident Information. We realized that Managers are often away from their computers, whether conducting inspections, meeting vendors, or attending Board meetings. As a result, many issues that could be quickly resolved must wait until they return to their desks. Issues can be addressed more rapidly by providing a tool that allows Managers to access residents’ information from their phones. This also reduces the number of tasks on their to-do lists. This is especially beneficial for our Afterhours Team, who need quick access to information while resolving emergencies in real-time.
Expect More
Seeing how impactful these tools have been for our staff has caused us to shift our thinking from “What can we deliver via a mobile app?” to “What can’t we deliver via a mobile app.” We have already added work orders, architectural processing, and vendor management to our roadmap for what we want to add to our toolset. We hope that the HOA Toolkit will add new modules over the next few years, transforming into a primary device for how most of our staff will do their jobs.
