Diaries of a Building Manager

Well, it's more of a long-term plan rather than a simple todo list! I spent the whole weekend to think and review past issues to come with this. Be proud of me 😋 Upgrade building systems (e.g. heating, cooling, ventilation) to increase energy efficiency and reduce costs Timeline: 2 years Improve communication channels with tenants (e.g. regular newsletters, social media presence) to increase engagement and satisfaction Timeline: 6 months Implement a tenant feedback system (e.g. online surveys, suggestion box) to gather insights and suggestions for improvement Timeline: 6 months Install security cameras in common areas to increase safety and deter potential criminal activity Timeline: 1 year Update landscaping and outdoor spaces to create a more attractive and inviting environment for tenants Timeline: 6 months Review and update building policies and procedures to ensure they align with current best practices and legal requirements Timeline: ongoing Invest in technology and softwar...

 So, today was a surprisingly calm day for me. It was a nice change of pace from the usual chaos of being a building manager. I started my day with my usual cup of coffee and went through my emails. After that, I checked on the building's systems and made sure everything was running smoothly. I decided to take a walk around the building to enjoy the quiet and take in the sights. I chatted with a few tenants who were out and about and even got to meet a new resident who had just moved in. The rest of my day was pretty uneventful, but that was just fine with me. I used the downtime to catch up on some paperwork and get organized for the upcoming week. I even took a quick nap in my office (shh, don't tell my boss). All in all, it was a nice, peaceful day. It's funny how sometimes the quiet moments can be just as rewarding as the busy ones, right?

 You guys remember the issue we had with the elevator the other day? I wrote about it in  this post  and also this one . Well, I'm not sure if these are exactly "crazy" ideas, but below are my thoughts for how we could make the whole elevator booking and payment process a lot smoother and less time-consuming for everyone involved. Online booking system: We could set up an online booking system that tenants can use to reserve the elevator for their move. They could choose a time slot that works for them, pay the moving fee online, and even sign a digital waiver. That way, everything is taken care of before the move even starts. But still not sure how they can get their hands on a physical key without me or a security guard being involved. Robot building manager: Okay, hear me out on this one. What if we had a robot building manager that could handle all of the booking and payment stuff? It could answer tenant questions, manage the elevator schedule, hand over the key,...

Let me tell you about the time I helped the maintenance team find a contractor for gutter cleaning. It was a rainy day and I was in my office sipping on my coffee, when I heard the maintenance guys grumbling about how expensive the quotes were for the job. I could see they were getting frustrated, so I thought I'd step in and offer my assistance. I put on my detective hat and got to work. I spent the next hour or so scouring the internet for the best deals on gutter cleaning services. I called a few contractors and negotiated some prices. Finally, I found a guy who seemed perfect for the job. He was a little quirky, but hey, who isn't? When the maintenance team met with the contractor, they were pleasantly surprised to find out that he was charging a fraction of what the other companies had quoted them. They couldn't believe their luck and thanked me for my help. Fast forward a few days and the job was done. The gutters were clean and the maintenance team was happy. But tha...

So, the tenant moved out yesterday, and I had to handle their payment for the moving fee and return their deposit. Simple enough, right? Nope. Here's the thing: the tenant had paid the moving fee and deposit with two separate checks. Why? I have no idea. Maybe they just really love writing checks. Anyway, it was a total pain in the neck. First, I had to deposit the moving fee check, which was a whole ordeal in itself. Have you ever tried to deposit a check that's written out to a strata building? It's like trying to teach a cat to play fetch. It's just not happening. And then, I had to write out a separate check for the deposit refund. But of course, I didn't have the right checkbook with me, so I had to run to the store to buy a new one. I felt like a total doofus. All in all, it was just an inefficient and unnecessary mess. Can't we just stick to one check for everything, people? Let's simplify our lives a little, huh?

 Okay, hold onto your hats, folks, 'cause I've got a story for you. So, one of our tenants is moving out, and we needed to lock the elevator so they could move their furniture in peace. Simple, right? Wrong. On the day of the move, we realized that the tenant didn't have the key to the elevator. The movers were waiting, the trucks were idling, and the clock was ticking. We had to act fast. But then we found out the security guard who had the key was out of reach. D'oh! It was chaos. We were running around like headless chickens trying to find a solution. We even considered asking the tenant to move their furniture up the stairs. (Ha! Good luck with that one, buddy.) But then, in a stroke of genius (or maybe just pure luck), we found an extra key. It was a miracle! We quickly delivered it to the tenant, and the move went off without a hitch. Crisis averted, baby! Lesson learned? Always have a backup plan. And if all else fails, pray for a miracle. Hey, it worked for us!