Condominium management is becoming increasingly professionalized, leaving no room for amateurism. Many condominiums that don't opt for professional managers still have residents in management roles. However, regardless of the management approach residents deem most suitable, a professional management methodology is crucial. Managing a condominium today is akin to running a business: since the manager has a series of responsibilities defined by the Civil Code and is accountable for actions, expenses, and the financial and administrative management of the condominium, their role closely resembles that of a company manager or representative.
With so many concerns surrounding condominium management, it's important to standardize and establish procedures for routine activities to be carried out by employees, service providers, and for resident relations. Beyond standardizing daily activities, these procedures help increase the sense of impartiality in management and promote good corporate governance practices.
Although a condominium manager is elected for a defined term or a professional manager is hired for a set period, it's important to professionalize management through the principle of impartiality. This means creating, approving, and following standard procedures for activities such as purchasing products and services, developing and managing suppliers, security procedures, doorman management, maintenance and upkeep of common areas, handling and recording resident complaints, receiving packages, and more. This way, the manager is no longer solely responsible for how a complaint is recorded, for example, as whoever is in the role will follow the already approved methodology.
Developing these procedures, however, requires mapping the condominium's processes, which vary from case to case. Vertical condominiums differ from horizontal ones in several processes, as well as in the execution of those common to both (such as doorman services, for instance). Similarly, each process is carried out differently in each condominium (parameters for receiving packages and attending to visitors, for example, can differ in distinct buildings).
Utilizing concepts from established management systems, like the ISO 9001 standard, facilitates process mapping for each case. While it's not necessary to adhere to the standard's requirements for a condominium, developing procedures through process mapping by a qualified and experienced professional makes preparation easier and helps meet residents' needs.
Once procedures for daily activities are approved and the involved parties are trained, employees and residents no longer need to contact the manager for simple issues, as these are already covered by procedures. Discussions then revolve solely around compliance with established rules. The more robust the set of implemented procedures, the less the manager will need to get involved in routine matters, as both employees and residents will know the methodology to follow.
It's important to note that procedures, by describing daily activities, are hierarchically below the condominium's internal regulations, without, however, having the same bureaucracy for their review. Administrative and operational activities that can be described in procedures, without needing to alter the regulations, can be changed and approved more simply.
When defining the condominium's process mapping, it's also important to establish effectiveness and efficiency indicators for each one. This allows the manager to conduct more professional management without needing to get involved in minor issues. Just like in a business, the manager needs to know the performance of each process under their responsibility, thereby improving management efficiency and quickly identifying areas that require immediate corrective actions.
With well-defined processes and standardized procedures, coupled with a set of well-managed indicators, periodic audits can be conducted to assess the adherence of employees, residents, and visitors to established procedures, as well as to identify opportunities for improvement. The results of these audits contribute to better communication with residents when presenting process performance during the evaluated period.
A professional view of condominium processes helps provide better service to residents, greater peace of mind for the administrative team, and more regularity for suppliers and service providers. With clear and well-established rules, all providers know how to interact with the development. A well-established supplier management process also facilitates the selection and approval of new suppliers and the monitoring of current suppliers' and service providers' performance, allowing the manager to set performance goals and include periodic measurements that justify potential contract terminations due to poor performance or non-compliance with contractual clauses.
Contact us for an evaluation meeting. We can customize a package of processes, procedures, and performance indicators to meet your condominium's needs. Our services can include documentation development, training and dissemination to residents, employees, and suppliers, indicator development, and periodic audits. We have packages that can be adapted to your condominium's needs!