Conquering Student Turn with Mobile Technology

Time is money when turning student housing units. Management and maintenance teams have to synchronize their efforts, and the best way to accomplish this task is through open, efficient communication. Facilities management software provides an accessible solution for student housing operators to see a more complete view of maintenance processes  ̶  from assigning work orders to completing on-the-spot transactions  ̶  as properties turn over apartments. A mobile app compatible with iOS and Android smart phones shows student housing operators real-time workflow that updates in the field. With mobile technology, maintenance teams and property managers can assign work orders and make readies, receive detailed reports and perform move-in/move-out inspections much faster. The app enables monitoring and measuring of performances along the way, so property managers know where they need to make improvements in real time. Additionally, property maintenance software integrates with existing property management systems. With this technology, property managers and maintenance technicians can see the status of every unit to be turned anytime, anywhere. Facilities management software helps operators improve turn times, save money Bob Ishikawa, a product manager for RealPage’s Facilities Mobile App, stresses that such mobile helpers are assisting student housing operators improve maintenance productivity. These improvements translate to cost savings in labor and recovery of charges assessed due to damages. “The big draw is the mobile connectivity,” Ishikawa said. “Anything you have on your desktop can be accessed and updated on the technician’s phone. All of that information is available so that the technician isn’t going back and forth to the office. It get updated automatically.” The move-out/move-in process is a bit of a frenzy. In these instances – possibly the most crucial times for studen...