WeconnectU News

In a recent industry survey, WeconnectU asked property managers of Bodies Corporate and HOAs a few important questions about value. Their answers revealed a stark contrast between two critical success factors: value delivered vs value perceived.

Property inspections aren’t the most popular activity. Property professionals find them tiresome and fiddly, tenants find them inconvenient and stressful, and investors often struggle to see the value behind their expense.

Did you know that very few rental management businesses in South Africa are launched for the sake of it? Most are created as extensions to existing sales or community management businesses. According to Schalk van der Merwe, Director of WeconnectU Intelligent Property Software, the goal for these rental “add-ons” is usually simple: to add value and help with client retention by meeting a more complete selection of their property needs.

There’s nothing worse than working day and night to deliver a quality service to your customers only to receive constant pushback over fees that barely cover your overheads. It’s an all-too-common occurrence in the property management industry, and one that stems from a very simple, yet pervasive problem.

Let’s face it: Good maintenance management may be essential if you want to keep your investors and tenants happy, but it’s fiddly, time consuming and brings in little or no extra income.

The unpopular truth is that, by working in rental portfolio management, you’re going to be working in inspections and maintenance management too. Few property managers rejoice in this element of their role – particularly since it brings no additional income – and many neglect it to their detriment.

This August – just over four years since our inception – WeconnectU officially reached half a million property units under management on our cloud-based platforms.

The Protection of Personal Information Act, or POPIA as it is more commonly referred to, has been well documented and discussed for quite some time now. The reality is that as of 1 July 2021, any business or legal entity that is not compliant with the POPI Act is risking prosecution and a high fine. The pressure is now on Sectional Title trustees; Homeowners’ Association directors; landlords and service providers like Managing and Rental Agents; other industry related third parties like security companies; and operators like WeconnectU to ensure that they fully comply with the regulations as set out by the POPIA.

Are you that Property Manager who struggles to manage the performance and service delivery of your staff – whether operational, financial or otherwise? Here is the thing: We are in a people-driven industry.

Your Property Management business and the technology it uses are inseparable – especially in the “new normal”. You want to be profitable, relevant, and competitive in the long run, but you need the right combination of tools.