How has the system helped?
The Feedback & Quality feature plays a crucial role in our operations. Recently, we initiated the feedback process by sending out our first annual resident survey via paper, as our residents tend to be more old-school in their preferences. While handling it in this manner was frustrating, we understand that these things take time. As the completed surveys return, I have been diligently entering the data into the system to generate a comprehensive report.
Additionally, we have been utilising feedback for the 90-day post-moving surveys. These surveys are sent out after the cooling-off period, allowing us to gather insights into the sales process and determine if there are any areas of improvement or specific preferences residents may have for their units. This information has proved to be invaluable. Furthermore, we are also able to track compliments, complaints, and suggestions, which the board of directors greatly appreciates. It's providing us with meaningful reporting, as previously, we didn't have a proper mechanism to record such feedback. Overall, the feedback system has been highly beneficial.
The Maintenance & Asset Management feature, in terms of day-to-day reactive maintenance, has helped ensure that our daily maintenance operations run smoothly. However, one significant aspect of Centrim Life that sets it apart from other suppliers is the ability to incorporate preventative maintenance tasks which has made a notable difference to us. Currently, we have a recurring task in place for our maintenance coordinator; he visits each unit annually to perform various checks, such as cleaning the filter in the range hood and ensuring the proper functioning of the air conditioning system. These routine inspections allow us to keep a close eye on the units, identify potential issues, and ensure the wellbeing of our residents.
We have also utilised the system to manage our contractor quote requests and invoices and invoice residents for tasks that require additional maintenance beyond our general maintenance services, such as building bookcases. While we are still learning and fine-tuning the system's features to meet our specific needs, we understand that every company uses it in a unique way. We have also started to label each of our assets with a QR code and are compiling all the information within the asset management feature - this will be a game changer because we will finally be able to see all the assets we have and where they are located. South Australia does not have asset management plans like New South Wales, which require reporting on assets valued over $1,000. However, I anticipate that this will change soon. The asset management feature is a great starting point for storing information and understanding asset locations and movements.
I have also found the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) feature to be a valuable tool for my waitlist management reporting. It provides insights on where inquiries are coming from and helps identify points where potential residents drop off. Sometimes, people leave the waiting list because they have found housing elsewhere and are unable to continue waiting. Since we have a long waiting list, this information is crucial. To streamline the process of checking addresses and ensuring prospective residents are within the council's jurisdiction (as we are council-owned), we can generate a report showing their current place of residence. While this functionality may not be applicable to everyone, understanding our catchment area and where most residents are coming from is beneficial. Moreover, we have utilised the CRM to send confirmation emails for viewings and tours, which has helped store relevant data.
