Whether you’re actively evaluating potential property management software providers or perhaps taking a second look at the system you currently have in place, customer service is a top priority. No one wants to work with a company that disappears after deployment – but it can be tricky to determine the level of support you should be receiving. In order to gain transparency into a platform support system, there are three important questions to ask:

1. Can you get a live person on the phone when you need them? You never know when you’re going to need assistance with a work order task or a lesson in setting up preventive maintenance schedules. Live customer service should be easily accessible from anywhere, at any time – the effectiveness of your operations depends on it.
2. What is the average tenure of a support employee? If a provider’s staff members are coming and going every few months, you can be sure that no one is knowledgeable of your business needs or history. In addition, this would bring into question the company’s commitment to their brand. If they can’t even get their own employees to invest in it, why should you? Here at Building Engines, our average support employee’s tenure is four years, with the department head nearing eight. Building relationships between our clients and our workforce is a priority for us.
3. Does the company deliver proactive customer service? When new features are rolled out or there is a system-wide update, you shouldn’t have to dig for information. A superior support team would already have documentation ready and have reached out with everything you need to know. In addition, support should always be working to help you get the most from their platform. For example, Building Engines customers are assigned a dedicated Client Relations Specialist who consistently monitors system usage, periodically reviews account activity and recommends improvements, and communicates upcoming product releases and other relevant information.

The ultimate success of your property management system is contingent upon what happens after the sale. The right provider will partner with you to help improve operations through a deep and ongoing commitment to service and support that makes the difference between “just implementing software” and achieving real success.