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Streamlining Property Management: The Role of HandyTrac in Enhancing Administrative Efficiency

Posted on by clapointe
administrative efficiency

Property management involves a multitude of tasks that require precision, organization, and efficiency. In an era where technology is reshaping the way we manage various aspects of property management, innovative solutions have emerged to alleviate the challenges faced by property managers. One such solution, HandyTrac Systems, offers a comprehensive approach to key control that not only enhances security but also significantly streamlines administrative processes. Here’s how HandyTrac empowers property managers by boosting administrative efficiency and simplifying key management.

Automated Reporting and Data Accessibility

Gone are the days of sifting through piles of paperwork to generate reports. HandyTrac’s digital approach allows property managers to access comprehensive and up-to-date reports with just a few clicks. This feature ensures that vital information, such as key usage logs and access history, is readily available whenever needed. By automating reporting, HandyTrac minimizes administrative overhead and allows property managers to focus on more strategic tasks.

Updates and Notifications

HandyTrac’s key monitoring capabilities provide property managers with instant access to key usage information. When a key is accessed, property managers can receive notifications, offering a clear overview of who is using keys and when. This real-time visibility enables rapid responses to any irregularities and ensures that access is managed effectively.

Efficient Permissions Processes

Transitions in property staff often present logistical challenges for property managers. With HandyTrac’s digital system, managing permissions processes becomes a seamless endeavor. Property managers can swiftly update access permissions and revoke privileges as needed, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access units.

Simplified Key Tracking and Accountability

Property managers are responsible for maintaining a detailed record of key assignments and usage. HandyTrac’s system simplifies this process by digitally tracking key movements and access. This comprehensive record enhances accountability and minimizes the risk of key-related incidents. Property managers can easily review historical data and identify any discrepancies or patterns.

Reduced Administrative Errors

The shift from manual key management to HandyTrac’s electronic key control system significantly reduces the likelihood of human errors. Misplaced keys and miscommunication regarding key assignments become rare occurrences. This reduction in errors fosters a more secure and organized environment within the property.

Enhanced Communication and Collaboration

HandyTrac’s cloud-based approach facilitates seamless communication and collaboration among property management teams. Authorized personnel can access the system from any location, promoting efficient coordination and ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding key access and security.

In an industry that demands meticulous attention to detail and effective organization, HandyTrac Systems stands as a game-changer for property managers. By automating reporting, providing accurate updates, streamlining key tracking, and offering efficient permissions processes, HandyTrac significantly enhances administrative efficiency. As technology continues to reshape property management practices, HandyTrac is leading the way in simplifying key management and allowing property managers to focus on strategic initiatives that contribute to the success of their properties.

Audit Trail: A Community’s Best Defense Against Key Loss and Liability

Posted on by clapointe

audit trailMultifamily communities come in all shapes and sizes; however, they all require an equally effective key control policy to ensure resident safety and reduce liability exposure. Here are three reasons why an audit trail can be a multifamily community’s best defense against key loss and liability.

#1 Who has the keys?

The main security issue presented by traditional key systems and hook boards is keys going missing without a trace. Missing keys are not only a source of stress, they put the community’s management company at risk. How, you ask? Consider that a potential resident has arrived and is waiting to view an apartment home. If the key hunt takes too long, you could lose the prospect for good. “I’ll come back later”, often never happens and losing potential residents hurts your occupancy rate. And what if an employee needs to inspect a unit or make a repair? Every minute spent searching for the key kills productivity and wastes money.

Employee resentment can also quickly build-up when keys go missing. Everyone dislikes the exhaustive search and unhappy, frustrated employees are more likely to seek employment elsewhere. As a result, the property management company then faces understaffing issues in addition to future hiring and training costs.

#2: Accountability

When there is no accountability, it is easy for individuals involved to shirk responsibility:

– Imagine that an employee is working with a potential resident when someone interrupts and asks where a set of keys are. The easiest thing to say is, “I don’t know” and go back to the task at hand. And in the event the employee shifts their attention to the key search, he or she might lose the prospect.

– That same key we spoke of earlier, might have been accidentally taken home. If the employee knows there’s no audit trail in place, they may be inclined to stay quiet and return it the next day when no one’s around. Otherwise, a trip back to work to return a key will take away free time.

– A vacant apartment home is left unlocked after a showing and is vandalized overnight. No one owns up. This costs money to repair.

– Keys are lost and truly missing. The property has to pay for a replacement, wasting money.

Using an electronic key management system like HandyTrac, property managers can instantly reveal who last checked out a specific key using a secure audit trail. The system can also run a report of the key’s checkout history. Instead of hassling everyone, only this single employee is contacted. Employees will immediately understand that they are responsible for all keys they check out. A key control system creates a culture of accountability. A key hook board doesn’t.

#3: Instant reporting

By running reports generated using a secure audit trail, managers can quickly see:

– At the end of a shift and close to closing time, which keys are still checked out? Go round up any that should be checked in!

– How many times has a specific apartment home been viewed? Who has checked out the keys, when and for what purpose?

– What is a specific employee doing? What keys have they recently taken out and why?

With HandyTrac’s audit trail generated reports, managers are fully aware of community ongoings and can ensure a safe environment for residents and employees alike.

HandyTrac offers two excellent electronic key management systems including the new Touch system; featuring a large touch screen display and biometric technology for added security. Ask us for a quote and build a culture of accountability at your community today!

What is Premises Security Liability?

Posted on by clapointe

security liabilityIn any type of multifamily housing — be it apartment communities, student or military housing — the safety of your residents is an ongoing point of concern. Without proper security measures in place, if someone becomes a victim of a crime while on your property, that person could potentially hold your company legally responsible on the grounds of premises security liability.

Simply put, premises security liability means that as a property owner/manager, you are expected to have reasonable security measures in place, and if you are found negligent on that front, you could be legally liable for any harm or damage deriving from a crime. This article in Justia explains further:

“An injured person is able to bring a negligent security suit based on the duty imposed on landowners and possessors of property to offer reasonable security measures and protect lawful visitors from foreseeable crimes of third parties. Negligent security assumes that the crime could have been prevented or at least made less likely by using appropriate security measures.”

The Hidden Weakness: Key Control

Most multifamily housing communities understand and implement basic security measures to reduce the risk of crime — for example, installing security cameras and gated entry systems, or implementing ample lighting across the premises. However, proper key control is one aspect of premises security that can be easily overlooked.

With a large number of home invasions, robberies, burglaries and sexual assaults, the predator didn’t need to break in because they were able to obtain a key. In fact, as we mention here, one of the biggest jury awards given in a premises security liability case was one in which a rapist broke into the management office and found the key to his victim’s apartment clearly labeled.

Since the management oversees keys to all units, protecting and monitoring the use of those keys is one of the most important parts of keeping residents safe — and also one of the aspects most likely to be targeted for negligence. Not only do the keys need to be kept secure, but their use needs to be tracked. You need an audit trail — you need to be able to document and trace who had use of the keys, when they obtained them and when they were returned.

Obviously, not all crimes can be prevented, but one of the best ways you can improve safety for your residents is by implementing a secure system for key control. This also serves as a tremendous safeguard against premises security liability.

HandyTrac offers a variety of state-of-the-art key control systems that keep keys secure while generating a reliable audit trail. To learn more, contact us today.