Property Managers are Information Managers too
As with all of life’s responsibilities there are only so many hours a day in the lives of property managers and owners. Yet all of us are bombarded with email, text messages and loads of social media opportunities like Facebook and LinkedIn. Our clients and residents all want to communicate with us as well. The only way to effectively manage the information in your life is to begin by prioritizing what you should devote time to and what you should either delegate or delete. To manage information while you’re managing a business one has to begin by making critical decisions and sticking with them.
Decide the following when it comes to managing the many sources of information you come in contact with each day, and not necessarily in this order:
1. Like your physical snail-mail, only deal with it once. If you decide to open an email, a text message or an article, come to a conclusion as rapidly as you can, reply and if possible delete.
2. What information do you really need regularly? Are your social network sites helping you succeed or to reach your goals? If you’re reading this article then this site is an example a more important and dependable source of information.
3. What information will help you to support your decisions and manage more effectively? If you don’t want to deal with text messages from residents and clients, for instance, let them know and give them alternative ways to keep in touch with you.
4. Are you able to manage the data, communications and record-keeping responsibilities effectively or do you need help? There are effective solutions and specialists who can set you up with a system that will work for you, save you time and prevent costly mistakes.
Computer and information systems managers, often called information technology managers (IT managers or IT project managers), plan, coordinate, and direct computer-related activities in an organization.
Now you’re probably thinking, “I can’t afford to hire one of them for my business.” That’s probably true on a full-time basis, but there are unemployed and under-employed specialists who will work by the hour to help you create an information management system custom-tailored to your needs. Ask colleagues, professional acquaintances or local businesses for referrals. Create a Craigslist advertisement and specify what you need and who they need to call.
By deciding what you’re looking for and being very specific as to what kind of solutions you’d like to find, you’re likely to get responses from qualified and capable people who work independently. Find out what applications and software solutions are available for your profession. I use the search engine “GoodSearch” (because every search I make raises money for my favorite charity) and I typed in the words “information management software for property managers.”
That’s how I found a web page that compares and ranks the best known multi-family property management software programs. You can search by the criteria that are most important to your management style and priorities. Find a software program or system that has outstanding technical support and is dedicated to keeping informed and ahead of the challenges and needs of property managers like you.
The remarkable fact about the information management technology that’s available today is that it exceeds our imagination and expectations. You’re likely to find that a top-ranked software company that specializes in property management can offer ways to save you time and money that you didn’t know exists. That’s why the property managers I’ve interviewed have all agreed that it’s well worth your time to talk to a knowledgeable representative who can explain the many functions and solutions they can offer.
Determine right now to manage the many streams of information you’re confronted with on a daily basis with a proactive, open-minded approach that won’t waste life’s most precious commodity…your time. Take action and you’ll not only save time but you’ll find that your career becomes more rewarding and enjoyable.