Condo Media - March 2010 - 34

VENDOR SPOTLIGHT NextGen Property Management of New England by Pamela Schweppe Putting the “Wow Factor” Back into Property Management “ e’re doing things differently from what’s out there,” declares Ken Foley, founder and principal of NextGen Property Management of New England. “The next generation has arrived.” With offices in Newburyport and Merrimac, Mass., NextGen will service properties throughout the North Shore, Boston, Metrowest and southern New Hampshire, and seeks to become what Foley terms “the gold standard of management.” W now and in the future. No one has to go into a closet and dig out a big box.” That effort also involves digging into past history, so previous documents can be posted — and that can sometimes Info Online Keeps Properties in Line Strategic use of technology is one of the key tools the company uses in its forward-looking approach to management. Toward that end, customizing online tools for each client is standard practice. “We can do exactly whatever the client needs,” he says. “They can post pictures, access documents, make maintenance requests. Every property and every client has different needs, and we accommodate them.” He adds that having information available online and on-demand also keeps costs down, since it reduces the cost of printing and mailing hardcopy (though these services are available for unit owners who are not online). Another advantage of NextGen’s focus on online management is the consolidation of information. “We keep a welldocumented history of contractors, contracts, bids, legal information and all other important decisions regarding a property so they can be accessed by boards and unit owners at any time — (l-r) Ken Foley, Janet Sargent and Thomas Fournier oversee property management, accounting and software, and maintenance quality assurance, respectively, for NextGen, while (below) attorney Charles Palmisano oversees legal services. yield surprises. In looking into the financial records of one new client, for example, the NextGen “forensics” team discovered that a bank account everyone thought had been closed in 2000 actually still had a balance of $1,000. “What a great way to start a new contract!” Foley grins. The availability of Blackberries and iPhones frees NextGen staff to spend more time at the properties they manage, identifying problems — or developing suggestions for how to prevent problems from occurring in the first place. “The manager’s desk is the steering wheel of the car,” Foley explains. “In the age of Blackberries and iPhones, it makes more sense to be at the properties than behind a desk.” In order to make the best use of its managers’ time, NextGen takes a regimented approach to the job. “One of the most feared words to a property manager is ‘regimented,’” Foley says. “But that’s what it takes to be on your game in this business.” He explains further that structuring a property manager’s schedule leads to accountability, predictability and awareness. “We want our associations to see our service as nothing but spectacular,” he says. Once a problem is identified, or a work order or homeowner request is received, it is acted on immediately. The manager takes a photo of the problem area with his or her Blackberry and sends it to Foley or the trustees, along with a description of how to fix it and the estimated cost. The day after the problem is resolved, a follow-up photo is transmitted to show what was done. “Ken always has his Blackberry with him,” reports Catherine Phelan, trustee of a condominium complex at 100 State St. in Newburyport, Mass. “We had a problem recently with snow. He was skiing with his family, but he jumped right on it.” The 100 State St. complex is centered around a building that is 230 years old ADVERTISEMENT

http://www.NextGenPropertyManagement.com

Condo Media - March 2010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - March 2010