How 20 Years Makes a Diffference
When Houston-based PM Realty Group SVP and director of operations for the Southeast division Julie Motsinger started out in the ‘80s, property management was all about walkie-talkies, pagers, and lots of paper. (Similar to the A-Team.) How times have changed: Among her favorite things is Angus Systems software (used in buildings she manages), which enables management teams to quickly respond to service requests, track building trends, and run reports. Documents are securely shared and edited through Microsoft collaboration web app SharePoint, which allows everyone on her team to stay informed and connected. For billing and invoicing, she also likes using AvidXchange.
While tech has changed the biz, it isn't the solution for everything. “All of this technology saves time and money, but it’s critical that you go back to the basics and have consistent face-to-face interaction with each tenant," she says. "We manage by walking around.” (When is someone going to create an app that moves your feet for you?) For her, this includes meeting with her buildings' tenants on a regular basis to strengthen the relationship, clearly define expectations and satisfaction levels, and to boost tenant retention in buildings like Atlanta's One Buckhead Plaza, above, which Julie manages.
