Ever wondered why huge companies such as HOAs lose profit? We’ll make the answer short and sweet - communication. In fact, David Grossman reported in “The Cost of Poor Communications” that a survey of 400 companies with 100,000 employees each cited an average loss per company of $62.4 million per year because of inadequate communication to and between employees. Communication plays a large role in how we work, function and operate a business. As a property manager, a large part of your job is to strategize, operate and most importantly, communicate.  

Common communication challenges

Just like any business, property management companies, along with their managers often face challenges — communication being one of the most critical. Here are just a few common examples of what causes communication challenges. 

1. Being absent 
2. Hierarchy problems
3. Emotional management 
4. Dishonesty 
5. Micromanagers  

7 tips for Managers to Create the Perfect Communication Strategy

1. Be honest

‍You’re a manager. People rely on you to tell them what they need to hear and what they may not want to hear. It’s not always easy hearing the truth. But a good manager will always know how to make the best of both worlds. Think about a time when you may have experienced feedback from a manager that was dishonest or worse, gave excuses for everything. How did the relationship feel after your conversation? Perhaps undervalued or untrustworthy? Unfortunately, we’ve all been there at some point. As a property manager, your job is to make people happy, while at the same time doing your job. When delivering your message, be honest and transparent. Allow your team to ask questions. If there are details that can’t be shared, allow the person to know why — remember, we’ve all been there. 

2. Over communicate ‍

You may think over communicating may come off as annoying or overbearing. In fact, people want more communication. The largest part about communication is how you communicate — tone, consistency, and actively listening are all strong characteristics of the best type of communication. Communication is also a two-way street — it’s an important part of learning information and works as a form of taking care of one another. 

• Actively listening - Active listening is when one is able to listen and respond to the other person's words — it improves the mutual understanding between you and the other person. It’s about being present, listening to understand (not respond), and showing active interest and engagement in the dialogue. 

• Use paraphrasing to show understanding. 
• Use body language such as: nodding or learning forward. 
• Use verbal affirmations such as: “ I see” or “I understand.” 

• Forms of communication - You’re a busy manager — your inbox is filled with emails and constant notifications. As a property manager, it’s important to be aware of how your team communicates. Do they prefer verbal, written or more in-person communication? Why not try all three! Regardless of whatever method works, remember everyone communicates differently. The message the receiver receives is not only in what they say, but what they used to communicate the message.

3. Promote virtual communication ‍

One of the most successful ways to create a perfect communication strategy is by incorporating a third-party software application. For example, TownSq 

• TownSq works as a leading HOA community application that provides HOA communities with the ability to operate and effectively communicate. It works as a single platform that offers a number of comprehensive solutions for property management companies, property managers, HOA boards and the communities they oversee.
• Provide real-time updates and maximize productivity with online announcements
• Communicate securely and privately with messages
• Engage with users through forums and polls 
• Streamline processes
• Accounting and invoice management 
• Resale documents
• ARC request
• And more!

4. Be available ‍

If you’re not present, you can’t communicate. Many times communication can get lost in the weeds when we stop being present. Whether that be in-person, over the phone or just through a simple email, if you’re not available to communicate, those around you will lose trust and slowly begin to repeat the same pattern. Think of a time when you tried to reach out to someone, but they never replied. Days go by and no response —your ability to trust that person may slowly come into play. Over time you realize how unreliable that person may be. The same goes for communication — you can quickly lose it, just as fast as gaining it. 

• Be present in meetings and never leave early unless necessary.  
• Engage in conversations and be available for questions and feedback. 
• If not available, provide a short reasoning and reschedule if necessary. 
• When rescheduling meetings with your team or board, be flexible and open to the times that they may have available to them.

5. Leave the emotions aside

‍When we communicate, we experience emotions. We not only decide how we will communicate, but we also use both verbal and nonverbal communication. A significant sign of emotional miscommunication is when we start to make assumptions or imply motives. In the property management world, it’s easy to put the blame on others or get caught up in the emotional hardships of your community. When we step aside to look at both sides of the story, you may come to realize there’s no one to blame, but communication — the underlying factor of what started the initial problem.

• Sensitive topics - when discussing sensitive topics, consider using a mediator or someone that can work as a liaison between you and the other person. 
• HALT - HALT stands for hungry, angry, lonely or tired. Four of the worst states to be in when communicating are: hungry, angry, lonely or tired. If you experience any of these states, you may notice a lack of performance or even worse, a strong inability to effectively communicate. Have you ever been “hangry?” If so, you may have felt tired, moody or even a little irritated at everything around you. If you come to find yourself in this position, you’ve been HALT! 

6. Big picture ‍

Another way to create an effective communication strategy is by painting the big picture. When you provide a vision for people to see and strategize, you’re providing them a way to better communicate. Like the saying goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” communication is worth a thousand pictures. One way of doing this is by providing a visual approach — this provides a method of taking in information. When all is said and done, a big picture is a tool, albeit a powerful one. To fully exploit its potential, it needs to be used with skill in the context of good old-fashioned face-to-face interaction.

• Metaphors - metaphors can work as a visual reference to help people strategize the overall goal. Whether that be through a picture, written text or a symbol, using a metaphor communicates the desire to reach one common goal.

7. Recognize employees ‍

One of the best ways for property management companies to enhance communication is recognizing employees. When we communicate employee value, we recognize that an employee is able to exhibit core values to the company and the communicates they manage. Communication is key in connecting desired attitudes and behavior to rewards.

• Create a recognition program - An employee recognition program can come in many forms such as a printable card, email announcement, a verbal recognition or even a gift. Regardless of whatever form the recognition is being communicated, it’s important to relay how that person brought value to the company and what value they bring to others. When developing your recognition program, take consideration of what your team may value as a recognizable award and what those awards mean such as: trust, honesty, leadership, teamwork, respect or quality of work.
• Software with insights- Adopting software like TownSq, allows you to track the performance of your management company, managers, and the communities you manage. TownSq Business allows you to track behind the scenes info such as response time and performance to help you identify communities and managers that may need additional attention or are performing well. This is a great way to keep in the know on how your business is performing. Want to learn more? Set up a demo to see the way this software can increase your communication and satisfaction!