High-performing multifamily properties are those that emphasize operational efficiency. Communities don't become well-oiled machines by accident. Property management companies strategically establish efficient operations through calculated practices and implementations, targeting tasks that demand an inordinate amount of manpower.

When onsite teams can focus on core functions like leasing, customer service and maintenance, without sacrificing time on peripheral tasks, they solidify the foundation for positive resident experiences. Organizations that allow associates to dedicate themselves to core functions can find ways to fill in the remaining operational gaps.

Here are three ways to improve on-site efficiency and ensure that property teams spend their time on central operations.

Outsource Non-Core Functions

When customer service suffers at multifamily communities, it is typically because onsite associates are stretched too thin. Outsourcing vital but not core services effectively frees up time for teams to focus on their primary tasks.

For example, package management responsibilities can consume enough hours each week to equate to a full-time position. During high-volume periods like the holiday shopping surge and consumer events such as Amazon Prime Day, package management at multifamily communities can become overwhelming. Receiving, logging, sorting, storing, notifying residents and distributing packages often requires the involvement of entire leasing teams, with maintenance crews pitching in, as well. Overflowing on-site package facilities create additional work, forcing teams to pick up packages discarded by couriers and clean up the continual clutter that resurfaces with every delivery.

By outsourcing package management to a third-party, off-site service, properties completely separate their teams from package duties and restore significant time to their workdays. That time translates into improved accessibility for resident needs, and rapid response times for more urgent requests.

Whether it's package management, valet trash, pet registration and service animal verification, event planning or online review response, outsourcing peripheral tasks and services streamlines operations and contributes to more productive property teams.

Empower Residents Through Technology

Breakthrough technologies like self-guided touring have reshaped the multifamily landscape in recent years, returning valuable time to onsite teams. The industry is beginning to recognize the value in making residents more self-sufficient and putting them in control of basic aspects of the renter experience.

Like self-guided touring apps, resident portals for lease payments, maintenance requests and amenity reservations enable residents to conduct routine functions that would have previously required them to engage with an on-site associate. Apps for services like third-party package management — which empower residents to track their packages and schedule deliveries direct-to-door — further put residents in control.

Collectively, technologies that enable renters to complete basic tasks absorb a tremendous portion of property teams' peripheral workload, making them more efficient and effective and streamlining operations.

Optimizing Workflow

Once management companies have distilled the responsibilities of the on-site teams by lifting non-core functions via outsourcing or proptech solutions, they can turn their attention to optimizing the remaining essential workflow.

Mobile platforms that provide digital checklists for key points/tasks in the lease life cycle — move-ins, move-outs, inspections and renewals — save time, build process consistency and provide instant and robust reporting. Mobile maintenance platforms that simplify service request submissions and automate task assignments by proximity and skill set, improve both response and completion times.

On-site associates need both the time to do their jobs well and the tools to take their service to a level that creates a competitive market advantage.

Creating a system that supports associates, promotes productivity and streamlines processes reduces operating costs and enables operators to better leverage and allocate their existing resources. Residents who experience a higher level of operational efficiency from their communities express higher levels of satisfaction, which translates to improved retention rates and ultimately bolsters property performance.