AppWork Thrives at the OpTech Conference
AppWork Thrives at the 2024 NMHC Annual OpTech Conference
From maintenance to resident reviews to full-blown, all-things operations and technology, the National Multifamily Housing Council’s (NMHC) OpTech Conference in Washington, DC, was rich in information and strategy sharing.
Thousands of attendees, including AppWork, participated in the October conference, where they exhibited, met with clients, and created new industry relationships. As the leading maintenance mobile app, we demonstrated our product’s amazing efficiency and precise work-order management capabilities.
Specialized Maintenance Techs a Winner
Based on several education sessions at OpTech, maintenance was a focal point for many.
Buckingham Companies shared that while it might have one fewer maintenance tech on staff on-site, it can pay those it retains $27 an hour instead of $23 an hour, helping with retention—a common challenge in the apartment industry. The company stated these technicians are more specialized, focusing on specific crafts such as carpentry, plumbing, or HVAC, and they are assigned to a pod of communities geographically.
This approach aligns with AppWorks’ maintenance tech rating system, which is based on resident performance reviews. Community managers can determine which technician excels in which skills and ensure they are assigned appropriate work orders. Specialized skills help reduce work-order callbacks, saving time and money.
Maintenance as a ‘Virtual Doorway’ to Operations
One panelist noted that the maintenance team serves as a virtual doorway to a company’s operations. When maintenance performs well, it garners positive reviews, boosting the community’s reputation.
The AppWork system manages resident communication before, during, and after the work order, keeping residents consistently updated on the status of their request. Prospective residents frequently look for reviews on apartment community websites, and AppWork enables clients’ residents to post reviews after work is completed. Currently, AppWork’s reviews average a 4.2 rating on a 5-point scale—a solid accomplishment. This is especially significant given the Federal Trade Commission’s recent decision to crack down on fake online consumer ratings and reviews.
Other Important Topics at OpTech
OpTech also covered key topics, including:
- Full disclosure of fees on rent listings;
- Reviewing resident emails and using AI to sort and organize commentary;
- Trends in apartment unit design, particularly the inclusion of home office spaces post-COVID (spoiler: they aren’t building fewer);
- Best practices for infrastructure wiring during the development stage;
- Blending human touch and technology to create the ideal resident experience.
All in all, it was an enlightening and productive event for AppWork and the industry.