In this article of the series, I’m sharing my best practices for motivating and developing a strong team of service providers. After all, you are only as good as your worst service provider. If just one is not dependable or is just plain incompetent, it reflects on the management company. But, if your service provider is reliable, quick to respond and competent at resolving the tenants’ requests then the property management (and the landlord) looks like the star.

Build a proven network of trades. Have tradespeople and service providers that are reliable and quote accurately, both timing and budget. Know how long the tradesperson has worked on the property and how much experience they have on the systems and machinery. The trade who is servicing your property knows its history, problem areas and best solutions better than anyone.

Here are some great practices to put in place to ensure you build a strong team of service providers that give you the support you need:

1. Pay promptly

If you expect your plumber to show up promptly then likewise, you have to pay them promptly. If you are asking them to do a job, and they are six months behind on being paid from their last job, it would be hard for them to make you their priority.  Sometime paper work is not always a person’s strong point and that can slow the payment process. Make your process clear and easy as well as prompt. Prompt payments promote professionalism.

2. Show loyalty

Small jobs initially require three quotes. Once you have established a reasonable cost with a reliable supplier to continue to request three quotes for every job may not give you the costs savings you require and will aggravate those who continue to quote and not receive any work and the trade that has consistently kept their pricing competitive but is always declined.  Switching suppliers for the lowest price may cost you more in the long run.  Keep them competitive, by all means, but remember without loyalty you may not receive the service or workmanship that you depend on.

On the larger jobs three quotes are always necessary; again remember the lowest price is not always the best. Consider the after service to that product. If someone has priced the job too low they will be looking for corners to cut to make up the difference.  Ask yourself, if they lost the last big job, how motivated are they to rush to your next service call? Show loyalty to get loyalty.

3. Say thank you

Show appreciation for a job well done. Even a simple but sincere thank you is sufficient. Show people respect for the work they do and don’t take advantage of them

 4. Refer business

Give your trusted service providers leads and referrals to business beyond your properties. They will do the same for you and a profitable relationship can easily develop that will help grow both your businesses.

5. Understand how they think

Never make light of a person’s work.  They have families to feed and mortgages to pay.  Often it may be your lack of supervision or direction that can pose more problems, not the lack of workmanship. Be clear, be there, read your quotes carefully!

Recognize the different strengths and weaknesses from your trades’ people and you’ll get the most out of them.   Not everyone is the same, even if they are in the same trade.