Property Maintenance Tech Specs With Cortland
In today’s digital age, property maintenance teams are one of the few client-facing positions in residential buildings as much of the rental process and communication with residents happens online. Therefore, property maintenance technicians play a critical role at multifamily communities, and their importance has only increased over time. Cortland manages an 80,000-unit portfolio and average staffing ratio of 1:100, which means three or four service team members per community. But how does Cortland attract and retain these technicians and educate them to be successful?
Educating and Growing Existing Talent
Cortland invests in educating and growing their existing talent by offering opportunities for career advancement, as exemplified by Danisha Gonzalez, senior service manager at Cortland Colburn in Celebration, Fla., who started as a housekeeper in 2018. By offering her growth opportunities such as leading a pilot project researching centralizing and optimizing their property maintenance service, managing a budget, and analyzing metrics that reflect resident satisfaction, among others, Cortland helped Gonzalez build a real career.
Cortland also retrofitted a mobile training unit featuring several specialty training stations to offer convenient hands-on learning space for onsite training. Last year, this mobile training unit traveled 5,000 miles and provided hands-on training to more than 250 service associates.
Characteristics of a Great Maintenance Technician
Beyond technical skills, a good technician is willing to learn, curious about how to repair items, and loves to serve others, according to Jonathan Tucker, EVP of operations and facilities at Cortland.
The Importance of Onsite Maintenance Teams
An onsite maintenance team is essential for quick response times to residents’ needs and better physical plant maintenance. It also enhances residents’ experience and builds trust with familiar team members. Cortland strives to complete repairs as quickly as possible and aims to complete all requests within 24 hours by comprehensively tracking its spending, supplies, and demand patterns.
Renters’ Responsibilities for Repairs
One of the benefits of renting is that owners take care of the needs within their home. The maintenance team at Cortland is always ready to respond, and someone is on call 24 hours a day to ensure residents’ needs are promptly attended to, regardless of whether the repair is caused by the resident or the system/item ages out.
Preventative Maintenance in Apartments
Preventative maintenance is a critical component of Cortland’s service team’s responsibilities and is performed to prevent larger and more costly repairs. It includes regular, routine maintenance, such as changing air filters, checking smoke detectors, and inspecting appliances, among others. Regular maintenance is an opportunity to catch small issues before they become bigger and more expensive to repair.
Related Facts
– Cortland retrofitted a mobile training unit featuring several specialty training stations to offer convenient hands-on learning space for onsite training.
– Gonzalez studied all the components inside apartment homes to evaluate the inventory and stock extra materials and parts so problems can be fixed immediately.
– The mobile training unit traveled 5,000 miles and provided hands-on training to more than 250 service associates.
– Cortland aims to complete all maintenance requests within 24 hours.
Key Takeaway
Property maintenance technicians play a critical role in multifamily communities, and their importance has only increased in the digital age. To attract and retain these technicians, Cortland invests in educating and growing their existing talent by offering opportunities for career advancement. Cortland’s mobile training unit offers convenient hands-on learning to continue to grow their team’s knowledge and skills.
Conclusion
Having an onsite maintenance team is essential for quick response times to residents’ needs, better physical plant maintenance, and resident experience enhancement. Cortland invests in educating and growing its existing talent and retrofitted a mobile training unit featuring several specialty training stations to offer hands-on learning for onsite training. Preventative maintenance is a critical component of their service team’s responsibilities and allows them to catch small issues before they become larger and more costly to repair. Overall, Cortland’s investment in its maintenance team benefits both its employees’ professional growth and residents’ satisfaction.
