I Submitted a Maintenance Request—Now What? Tracking Work Orders on Your HOA Portal

Key Takeaways

• Without a centralized, automated system, work service requests can get lost or be delayed, decreasing member satisfaction and cratering confidence in the HOA.
• PayHOA makes it simple for homeowners to input maintenance requests, track progress, and receive updates, all through their HOA portal.
• With customized forms and work approval pipelines, HOA software keeps requests moving and landing in the right inboxes. 

Utilizing technology in the work order process can help keep the HOA in compliance with any local regulations, avoiding unnecessary fees and fines. One of the main benefits of having an HOA and paying dues is, ideally, having a streamlined process for requesting repairs, maintenance, and other necessary work on shared community spaces. Rather than seeking out vendors on their own, members have access to the HOA’s preferred and trusted service providers, which should generate confidence and a speedy response. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work that way. 

When self-managed HOA boards rely on volunteer time and don’t have easy-to-navigate HOA software in place, residents may submit work requests and be kept waiting for weeks, or never hear back at all. Worst case scenario, they may not have a way to submit a request at all. HOA software can eliminate these frustrations by giving members the ability to check the status of repairs and ensure that no work request falls through the cracks ever again.

The Obstacles of Providing Maintenance Without Technology

Most of the time, neglected or delayed work requests have nothing to do with “lazy” volunteers or bad intentions. It’s usually an issue with systems and processing. Common problems include:

• Lost and neglected work requests
• Redundant or bad-faith work requests
• No formal approval process
• Lack of timely updates

Fielding and managing maintenance requests without a centralized system can be a huge strain on an HOA, even if the board wants nothing more than to see issues quickly and satisfactorily addressed. It’s not as though work orders are being thrown in the trash, but with the amount that can come in from a busy community, items can easily get lost or be forgotten. 

Consider your current system: How are requests submitted and where do they end up? Who’s in charge of responding to them? Is there a limited amount of time they can remain open or do some projects inevitably end up dragging on indefinitely? Who’s responsible for keeping the member who requested the work in the loop?

Losing track of work order requests has broader implications beyond disgruntled members, too. They can also lead to possible compliance issues and fines if more serious issues in common areas are left to fester for too long, depending on your location. 

That’s where user-friendly technological solutions come in.

How an HOA Portal Can Help

The right HOA software will offer your organization much more than just an easy way to collect and transfer dues. PayHOA’s full-service software solutions include a work request ticketing system that can benefit both parties, and can even be tailor-made for self-managed HOAs. 

A simple, organized method for collecting and prioritizing requests enables volunteer board members to address issues promptly and in the right order. And once homeowners have made a request via their HOA portal, they can look to the same system for status updates or even opt in to be notified instantly about any progress.

HOA-specific software ensures accountability by defining a work order process and holding all requests in one place, so there’s never a question of who is handling what. Requests can be followed up on and completed more efficiently, leading to happier neighbors and cleaner, safer common spaces.

As USA Today notes, community portals are the future of the HOA system, giving every homeowner access to information impacting the community and a way to effectively communicate their needs.

Embracing technology to manage work requests is easy, saves time, and helps homeowners feel more in control. PayHOA offers features that allow for detailed requests, approval transparency, and immediate reporting, among other benefits.

Custom Request Forms

Making and receiving maintenance requests can feel like a game of telephone, with necessary elements lost in translation. Every modern HOA needs access to customizable request forms specifically designed to suit their community. Establishing a consistent format for these requests instills confidence in those reporting and should lead to shorter delivery times. Digitize your existing forms or create new ones to better suit your needs with our Custom Form Builder.

Threaded Communications

Centralizing all the information related to a request ensures that pieces don’t get lost and everyone is kept updated on the progress. With HOA software, the entire conversation and all activity related to a given ticket, from receipts to phone messages, is kept in one place and accessible to all stakeholders. The information is available 24/7 and doesn’t require multiple follow-ups.

Approval Workflows

No longer will requests get stuck in the pipeline due to confusion over who is responsible for processing them. With HOA software, the board can establish an approval process, ensuring that each request is viewed and approved (or followed up on) by the appropriate person and ultimately ends up in the hands of the correct vendor. Different approvers can be designated for different types of requests, keeping things moving and ensuring everyone’s inbox is clear of requests that don’t apply to them.

Efficient Reporting

By following an approval process, board members won’t have to constantly update the individual who requested the maintenance on how the repair is progressing. The software itself will keep track of the status, enabling the requestor to log in to the HOA portal and check on it at any time. Additionally, they can sign up to receive notifications by email or text.

Another benefit of thorough reporting is having a record of response times, numbers of requests, and other data that can help board members make decisions and allocate budget. 

A Fool-Proof Paper Trail

All of this documentation and transparency will give HOA members faith in the process and increase satisfaction with the HOA itself. It can only be a positive to see how their dues are being used to improve and maintain the neighborhood.

Requesting Repairs Through Your HOA Portal

To make a repair or maintenance request, simply log into your HOA portal and follow the instructions on the dashboard. This is a feature that general accounting software such as Quickbooks, which may otherwise seem attractive and sufficient, can’t offer HOAs.  PayHOA makes it easy for any registered user to access and submit customized work request forms, check their status, and view communications relevant to the request. 

Handling requests promptly and keeping homeowners informed is an excellent morale booster and helps avoid bigger problems, such as city fines. While overhauling the process may seem daunting, PayHOA makes it simple to convert forms, collect requests, and communicate with members.

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PayHOA offers an HOA management software solution for HOAs of any size or managerial priorities. To find out if PayHOA fits all your HOA management needs, try our software free for 30 days.