How Maintenance Uses Mobile Apps to Track Performance

KPIs are what successful real estate companies use to execute and improve their operations. By tracking specific metrics based on performance, they can improve net operating income and overall profitability.

This strategy has made its way into the maintenance of these assets, particularly multifamily housing communities.

Mark Cukro, President, Plus One Inc., spoke to the trend during the Texas Apartment Association’s annual conference on April 24 in San Antonio.

If you want any business to thrive, you have to learn how to run your business,” Cukro said.

“Too many people say they don’t have time, or they don’t have the money to do something. It is crucial during hiring that you find individuals who not only say that they can help make the company better, but actually do it.”

That happens, Cukro said, when a set of metrics is in place it should define a clear objective to be achieved, develop a way to understand cause and effect, identify specific activities that will achieve it, and evaluate results.

Some of the metrics he suggested are measuring how long it takes to do a work order, what percentage of work orders have callbacks, and which maintenance team member is best at performing a certain skill, such as HVAC repair.

Today, there are maintenance mobile app platforms that help properties track the performance of their maintenance techs such as AppWork, which creates dashboards and digital whiteboards that can be used for scheduling and driving greater efficiency.

“For example, you can use your metrics to better achieve a 3- to 6-hour response time for work order requests. That’s the golden zone for customer service.”

These can also help staffing, such as giving certain jobs to techs who have proven to be most proficient at that task.

It will also show management where it is lacking in training. By identifying those employees who need more training, the company can incentivize them by offering that training rather than punishing them for subpar performance.

“As an industry, we have to do better at training,” Cukro said. “Poor resident work order service because of poor training should not be the cause of the demise of a company. Service should be the reason for its success.”

As for the property’s financial performance, Cukro said maintenance supervisors should learn how to read a budget, as it will help improve site performance and expenses.

“Maintenance employees should ask their managers to sit down with them and explain a profit and loss statement,” Cukro said. “That will make their day. And doing so and applying it to day-to-day operations will help the company to succeed.”

Cukro said that when it comes to rewarding staff based on how they performed against their budget, preventive maintenance should not be one thing the bonus is tied to.

“If you do, the maintenance team will cut costs or avoid necessary repairs and upkeep, trying to save money against the budget,” he said. “The property will be degraded over time.

It’s bad practice if owners disassociate themselves from the on-site field staff, they should be more engaged.