Consistent inspections are critical to running clean buildings. They help property managers spot damages that could result in future costs. They ensure your buildings are up to code. And, most importantly, they keep your buildings safe for your tenants.  

Most property management companies have consistent inspection processes, and we’ve found that what they do with their inspection results is just as important as performing the inspection itself. 

Here are three missed opportunities that come with the way companies manage inspection results, and the tech-based ways companies are fixing them.  

1) The Results Aren’t Searchable or Shareable 

When inspection results aren’t easily accessible by property managers out in the field, it can be a huge time waster. 

For example, maybe a property manager is doing a move-out inspection and needs to compare the unit to its state before the tenant moved in. Without that inspection result, she can’t do her move-out inspection effectively. She’s left with less than ideal choices: sift through old emails, head back to the office to collect the right paperwork, or – in a worst-case scenario – move on without correct info, leaving management on the hook for damage costs. 

All these choices take time or worse, increase your risk. Your team’s time should be spent taking action, not figuring out what action to take. 

Solution: Make the Results Easily Accessible

Many property management companies use a mobile-app enabled checklist tool to capture inspection information, so any inspection result can be called up in a few seconds, whether in the office or on the go.  

If the maintenance staff is working on an elevator cab, they can scroll through old inspections on their phone. If there was a slip and fall during a snowstorm, the legal team can quickly pull up the inspection results of the hopefully cleared and salted sidewalk. 

2) Red Flags Can Go Unnoticed 

When results are only seen by one person, the follow–up work can be forgotten or put on the backburner when it needs immediate attention. That can lead to future damages that can cost you big.  

Maybe an assistant manager did a unit inspection and found some slight damage in the bathroom floor. He notes it and keeps moving – he has 10 other unit inspections to do that day. But if that inspection result doesn’t trigger any follow-ups, it will soon be lost in the shuffle – and could cause problems down the line.  

Onsite staff may deem some things low urgency, but team leadership needs to have the visibility necessary to optimize the health of every property.  

Solution: Make the Results Actionable 

There’s so much going on when running properties. Being able to optimize what repairs and resident issues are high priority is critical to operating efficiently.  

That’s why property managers are starting to use technology that automatically sends out the right tasks to the right people, based on inspection results from the field.  

For example, let’s say a property manager found mold during a routine move-out inspection. Upon logging the mold issue (with a photo!), the system would automatically trigger a task for the office staff to engage with the mold vendor to clear the issue. Quick and easy.  

Software can make your properties smarter, by ensuring that the right work gets completed by the right person, every time. That way your buildings are running smoothly, and you can focus on more important things. 

3) Teams Can’t Analyze Inspection and Maintenance Processes 

When inspection data isn’t saved in a way that allows for visibility and analysis, management teams miss out on insights into the effectiveness of their maintenance processes and other day–to–day operations.  

Inspection results hold key insights that, if found, can be used to increase effectiveness in operations, thereby reducing operating costs and wasted time.  

Solution: Make Sure the Results Can Be Analyzed 

Some savvy property management teams want to spend more time working “on” the business instead of working “in” it. That means asking questions like these:  

“How many move-out inspections resulted in additional maintenance work hours this month? How about compared to last year?” 

OR 

“Which equipment needs a vendor visit in the upcoming six months?” 

The best companies are using property operations software to analyze inspection results – and catch inefficiencies in current standard operating procedures.  

Learn More 

If you’re interested in that sort of automation, check out InCheck, and see how it’s helping 1000+ property management companies take advantage of the insights hidden in their inspection results.