There’s a lot you need to think about when managing a retirement village – you need to see to security, staff management, budget management, cleaning services, safety and health procedures, and general maintenance.
A village manager’s role is crucial to the success of the village, including the happiness and well-being of the occupants. Believe it or not, the company values of the contractors you employ can influence the way you manage your retirement village. Here’s how inefficient maintenance contractors could be affecting your retirement village management:
It could affect your bond with the residents
“As a village manager, you don’t walk in the door each day and treat it like a job.” Mandy Julian, Queensland village manager of the year, said it best in a Retirement Living news piece. Residents should feel like a part of the family. They want to feel respected and valued. If you’re stressed, or don’t have time to address residents’ concerns because you’re dealing with maintenance issues, they’re going to feel neglected and undervalued. A retirement village manager should be a good communicator, with a friendly and caring disposition. After all, the residents are your number one priority.
It could affect your budget management
A sudden change in your maintenance and budget plan can be frustrating and undo days of work. A bad contractor might lead you to spend more money because they don’t stick to the schedule they promised, or you might even have to rehire someone to fix their messy job. If your contractor’s company values don’t include finishing the job on time, it might reflect badly on you. Unexpected costs are not great for village managers, especially since they will need to justify these costs to the leaseholders and asset managers.
It could affect your procedures
Retirement village managers are responsible for safety and health procedures and general maintenance. You should make sure to hire a maintenance contractor with proof of insurance, license and reliable references. You should also make sure your contractor has a permit and does the necessary building inspections to verify the work has been done according to industry standards and local building codes. A contractor that doesn’t adhere to the necessary regulations could get you into legal trouble, especially in the event of an accident, injury or damage to your property.
It could take your mind off what’s important
Village managers are faced with a significant amount of factors that require an immediate response, which means you need to be available to deal with the more urgent issues. Your contractor’s company values shouldn’t affect the way you do business. If you find yourself having less time to deal with your residents’ and staffs’ concerns because you’re too busy trying to sort out maintenance issues with your contractor, then you may need to consider letting them go.
Even the smallest implementations like maintenance painting can affect your management style. Let’s face it, painting is no longer as simple as slapping a splash of colour on a wall. Suitable primers, waterproofing and spalling (rusting of steel reinforcing in walls) all affect paint application and product manufacturers’ guarantees. Hiring an efficient maintenance painting contractor with great company values will keep your buildings looking modern and attractive, while saving time and money, allowing you to focus on the more important aspects of retirement village management.
For more information on how Higgins can improve your retirement village management, download our guide to future proofing your retirement village.
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