Smarter Week

How to automate it

How to automate “take and sort maintenance requests”

Here are 2 ways to spend less time on this, best first. Each comes with steps you can follow today.

60 min
typically, every day
55%
of the time can be automated
Some setup
to set up

Fix 1 of 2

Software featureBest fix

Take maintenance requests through the portal with photos, and dispatch vendors from it

Residents submit requests with photos in the portal; your property software or a tool like Property Meld sorts them, books vendors and updates the resident automatically.

Typically saves about 45% of the time2 h to set up
  1. 1Ask residents to submit all non-emergency requests in the portal app (AppFolio, Buildium, Yardi, Entrata, RealPage or Rent Manager).
  2. 2Require photos and a short troubleshooting step for common issues.
  3. 3Set preferred vendors by trade so work orders go out in a few taps.
  4. 4Turn on automatic status updates to residents.

Tools: AppFolio, Buildium, Yardi, Entrata, RealPage or Rent Manager · Property Meld

Fix 2 of 2

Software feature

Let an AI leasing and resident assistant handle routine messages

Property AI assistants answer prospect and resident questions by text, email and phone, book tours, take maintenance requests and follow up after tours, handing tricky cases to staff.

Typically saves about 45% of the time3 h to set up
  1. 1Check what your property software offers (AppFolio Realm-X, Entrata ELI+, Yardi or RealPage AI tools) or a dedicated tool such as EliseAI.
  2. 2Load your property details, policies and approved answers.
  3. 3Set handoff rules for complaints, legal issues and emergencies.
  4. 4Review a sample of conversations each week.

Tools: AppFolio Realm-X · EliseAI · Entrata ELI+ · Yardi or RealPage AI tools

Quick wins

Have you tried…

Does an AI assistant handle routine resident and prospect messages at your properties?
Tools like EliseAI or AppFolio Realm-X answer common questions, book tours and take maintenance requests, and pass tricky ones to staff.

Who does this task

Roles in our library that list this as one of their common tasks. Each guide covers the rest of that role’s week.

Property managerLeasing agent

HourLeak · the 8-minute work audit

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Other common tasks for Property managers