In technical property management, efficient case management is essential. It is crucial for effectively handling service/maintenance requests, orders, repairs, maintenance, and maintaining high levels of service and communication with tenants and suppliers. However, there are numerous challenges, and many companies are seeing the benefits of adopting a more digital approach.
One of the most common and significant challenges with case management is the sheer volume of cases that can accumulate. It’s not unusual for a property management department to handle hundreds or more cases at once, ranging from simple inquiries to complex maintenance issues. Keeping track of cases and setting priorities can be challenging, especially when multiple individuals or departments are involved. This places a high workload on property managers and maintenance technicians. With limited resources, this often leads to an imbalance and a negative cycle, where urgent cases are prioritized over preventive maintenance such as inspections and upkeep. Addressing this imbalance can be difficult.
The lack of real-time information and the difficulty of obtaining a cohesive and unified overview of all ongoing tasks and cases is another challenge. This often complicates prioritization and resource allocation. Companies using outdated systems or manual processes, where case management cannot be tracked digitally, typically lack access to real-time information, which hinders planning and follow-up efforts.
Resource allocation and communication
With limited or incomplete information, allocating the right resources at the right time becomes difficult. This can lead to misunderstandings and delays, as well as unnecessary costs and more extensive damage when urgent cases are not identified or prioritized quickly enough. When multiple individuals are involved and case handling is entirely or partially manual, it’s not uncommon for information to be misinterpreted. Misinterpreted or incorrectly transferred information results in poor communication with tenants, suppliers, and internally. It becomes challenging to ensure that all parties are updated on the status and any changes.
A more cohesive process and digital case management, integrated into the property system, provide better oversight and ensure that all parties are updated on status and changes. Today, systems with more visual interfaces and digital twins are also available, making it easier for more people to understand the information.
With real-time updates and automatic notifications, collaboration between teams and departments becomes simpler and more efficient. When certain steps are automated, such as cases being sent directly to the correct department or supplier, problems can be resolved faster, leading to more satisfied tenants and reduced friction in internal collaboration.
Traceability and cost control
Ensuring that all steps in the process are carried out correctly and are traceable requires thorough documentation. With partially manual handling, documentation often becomes inadequate or difficult to interpret, complicating analysis and efforts to drive future improvements.
The same applies to cost control and efficiency. Without a system and detailed documentation, analyzing cost drivers and ensuring efficient resource allocation becomes challenging.
Traceability—knowing who did what, where, and when—is becoming increasingly important. A digital solution that logs all actions performed on a case in real-time makes it easy to trace and follow up on the impact of various efforts. This information is also valuable for future planning and budgeting.
Smart support for Management and Operations
With a modern, digital, and integrated case management solution in the property system, data is collected in a structured way. This simplifies analyzing the root causes of recurring problems, optimizing workflows, and anticipating maintenance needs in the short and long term.
For management, this enables more informed decisions, better follow-up, and reporting. It increases the ability to work more proactively and cost-effectively. With real-time data in the system, the same information is available to all involved parties simultaneously, reducing the risk of omissions or misinterpretations. For operations, the coordination offered by a unified system and the increased transparency are some of the main advantages in the daily work of case management, inspections, and upkeep.
How does your organization handle cases?
At Pythagoras, we are passionate about helping companies with complex property management create smarter, more efficient, and integrated property management solutions.
