How to Reduce Operating Costs Using Automation
Automation is the fastest path to improving margins in property management. By eliminating repetitive tasks, you can scale your team more efficiently and reduce errors that cost time and money.
Fast Automation Wins
- Automated rent collection and late fee assessment
- Lease renewal reminders and online renewal workflows
- Automated maintenance request routing to vendors
- Tenant move-in/move-out checklists via online forms
- Automatic listing syndication to marketing sites
- Owner monthly reports sent via email automatically
Leasing Automation
- Online applications with automatic screening
- Self-showing technology (Rently, ShowMojo)
- Automated showing scheduling and reminders
- Digital lease signing (DocuSign, HelloSign)
- Move-in payments via online portal
- Welcome email sequences for new tenants
Maintenance Automation
- Tenant portal for maintenance requests (reduces phone calls)
- Automated routing to appropriate vendors based on issue type
- Approval workflows for repairs over a threshold
- Photo documentation requirements via mobile app
- Automatic invoicing and payment to vendors
- Follow-up surveys sent after completion
Financial Automation
- ACH rent collection with automatic retry on failures
- Automated late fee assessment on the 6th of the month
- Owner disbursements on a fixed schedule (e.g., 10th of month)
- Bill pay automation for property expenses
- Reconciliation between PM software and QuickBooks
- Automatic 1099 generation for vendors
Communication Automation
- Email sequences for lease renewals (90/60/30 days out)
- Automated reminders for lease expirations
- Welcome emails with tenant portal instructions
- Annual inspection scheduling and reminders
- Payment confirmation emails
- Owner update emails triggered by key events
Advanced Automation Plays
- AI-powered chatbots for common tenant questions
- Predictive maintenance based on property age and history
- Dynamic pricing for rent based on market data
- Automated vendor bidding and selection
- Smart thermostats and leak detectors with remote monitoring
- Automated compliance tracking (inspections, certificates, etc.)
Pro Tip
Start with rent collection automation - it has the highest ROI and lowest implementation complexity. Then move to maintenance and leasing workflows.
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