Best Practices for Submitting HOA Work Orders
The homeowner association (HOA) work order process is critical to keeping a well-maintained community. Submitting accurate, detailed work orders can help preserve the “curb appeal” and value of your community association. Below we have laid out the best practices to follow when submitting work orders to a vendor, so keep reading!
What is Considered a Work Order?
A work order is a request for a service or repair of any community equipment (i.e., pool, volleyball courts, playgrounds, etc.). Work orders can help track, manage and pay for vendor services. They are used by homeowners, property managers, and community managers.
Understanding the difference between a work order and a community improvement is also important to note as these are separate items and should be handled as so. Again, a work order is submitted when something existing needs to be fixed or repaired. A community improvement would be a nice item for the community to have or add to its current amenities. An example of a community improvement would be to add lighting to tennis courts to so it can be used at nighttime. This is not a work order to fix lighting that is already existing, but instead to add lighting that isn’t already there.
Is There HOA Software That Can Help Manage Work Orders?
Yes! There are many options for HOAs to submit work orders for their community associations. Our software SmartWorkers helps you automate your work order process and help keep everyone informed along the way. Homeowners submit requests online and receive an automated email notifying them that it’s being processed. Staff will review the submission and assign a vendor who will be notified via email, text, or voice message. Then you can easily track work orders with our unique link, so you always know the status.
Our mobile app gives you on-the-go access to view all HOA work orders quicker! Virtual community maps with GPS navigation can route vendors to the item’s exact location. Vendors have immediate access to all information to get started and capture real-time updates with photos that notify everyone of progress.
Best Practices for Submitting HOA Work Orders
When you submit a work order, it’s important to follow these best practices to ensure your request is processed as quickly and efficiently as possible:
Make Sure It’s Detailed
Include as much detail as possible about the nature of the request, how long it has been an issue, how frequently (or infrequently) it occurs, and any other relevant details that may help the vendor understand the problem.
Include Photos
Include photos of the problem area(s). Images are helpful because they provide visual proof of what needs to be addressed and can also help with identification purposes if there are multiple people submitting similar requests for different reasons. Regarding specifically related issues such as interior damage caused by leaks or exterior damage caused by storm damage/wind storms/etc., including photos may also help determine whether additional repairs might be needed.
Include Your Contact Info
Even if you submit a very informative and thorough request, a vendor could still have questions regarding the issue. That’s why it will be important to include the best way to contact you for any questions regarding the work order.
Conclusion
HOA work orders help your community stay ahead of issues and make sure things are fixed promptly. It will be essential to keep track of any work orders, so your community thrives. Having software in place helps you do it! The process can be automated, so you no longer have to use pen and paper to ensure your issues are resolved.
Our team would love to show you the power of SmartWorkorders. We will walk you through a detailed demo showing how your community can use our software to solve some of your work order pain points. Contact us today to schedule a demo!