Anybody who has lived in an apartment block or complex will be familiar with the term ‘strata management’. Also referred to as body corporate management, strata management take care of the building or property as a whole, bridging the gap between individual unit dwellers and the shared responsibilities of the complex and its common areas.
It’s a big job, incorporating maintenance and repairs, financial management, legal compliance, organising meetings, handling insurance claims and communicating with multiple stakeholders. The work just doesn’t stop, but there are tactics you can employ to improve how you handle it.
One of the most effective ways to do this is to sign up with a strata company IT service. This is a dedicated service provided by IT pros like Smile IT, who will care for your entire tech infrastructure, keeping you up-to-date and aligned with best-in-class IT processes. Crystal-clear communications, smooth operations and holistic oversight are the result.
In this article we’re going to take a close look at Brisbane strata IT services, what they offer and how they can take the load off your strata management company and help you mitigate costs.
What are Strata IT Services?
Strata management has specific technological needs, and a strata IT service can be tailored to meet them and help in the management of multi-owner properties. From a practical perspective, the service would incorporate:
IT infrastructure support: Setting up and maintaining computers, networks and cloud solutions.
Communications: Setting up unified communications platforms to facilitate clear comms with tenants, homeowners and other stakeholders.
Data management: There’s a ton of data produced regularly around finances, maintenance and legal records, tenant communications and much more. Custom software solutions can help manage, backup and streamline accessibility to that data.
Cybersecurity: Top-tier cybersecurity measures, as well as disaster recovery procedures, are essential to safeguard your data, systems and processes.
IT Support: As a strata management company you’re going to encounter challenges at all hours of the day and night. You want an IT support company that can keep up, offering a 24/7 help desk, proactive maintenance and regular system updates.
Compliance: You want to ensure you’re on the right side of the rules and regulations regarding data privacy and other aspects of your strata management. Having an IT company assist with data storage and management helps achieve this.
Why Strata IT Services Are Important
Digital Transformation is the integration of technology into all aspects of a business to improve its processes and efficiency, which helps deliver value to clients. It’s weaved its way into most industries and sectors, and strata management is no exception. You want to build a safe, cohesive and well-run community, with solid communication channels and rapid responsiveness to any issues that arise. Strata IT services are incredibly important in building that community. It’s not just about the services we mentioned in the previous section – there’s much more that a managed service provider like Smile IT can offer a strata management company:
Access Control: Make sure only authorised people have access to your building or complex, or individual sections of it. Access control enhances security and protects residents, reducing the risk of theft and vandalism. Modern systems can also offer digital credentials, improving real-time monitoring and accountability.
CCTV Systems: Communal areas and walkways must have cameras recording 24/7. They not only act as a deterrent but also provide hard evidence in the case of disputes or crimes. CCTV creates accountability amongst guests and residents, promoting responsible behaviour and helping strata management meet safety requirements.
Data Analytics and Insights: It’s one thing to safely store and manage the data your strata business produces every day. When you start to leverage it in a way that boosts your decision making, that’s another level altogether! Your IT support company can provide the software dashboard to identify trends and patterns in your data, providing powerful insights into things like common resident concerns or frequent maintenance issues.
Cloud Solutions: Making full use of the cloud helps strata companies modernise operations and improve efficiencies. Platforms like Microsoft 365 make for seamless collaboration and communication amongst team members, with the ability to share documents and updates in real time. Cloud solutions are also easily scalable, growing with your company as you take on more staff or managed properties.
Unified Communication Platforms: There’s a huge volume and variety of interactions required in strata management. A unified communication platform is invaluable in streamlining this and helping you keep in touch with the large range of stakeholders. Video conferencing, external calls, internal team communications, enhanced collaboration abilities – your strata IT provider can integrate it all into a cohesive platform.
Challenges in Optimising Strata Management IT
If you’re a Brisbane strata management company looking to optimise your IT, there are a number of challenges you could run into. It makes sense to get a professional IT services company onboard to mitigate these stresses, which could include:
Security Concerns: Stringent security is required around the handling of personal private data. Anything less could lead to legal repercussions, plus negative relations with tenants or other stakeholders. Your IT provider needs to be a cybersecurity expert who can turn your systems into a digital fortress. If you try achieving this on your own as a non-IT professional, the negative ramifications could be huge.
Staying Ahead of Tech Advances: Quickly evolving tech tools requires companies to keep up by consistently updating their systems. If you’re not on the ball, you can get left behind – and this happens far too often with busy strata management companies. Outsourcing the running of your strata IT removes that headache for you. You’ll stay ahead of tech advances, while being able to focus on running and growing your business.
Contact the Strata IT Experts
As a strata management company, you offer specialised tools and strategies to solve the unique challenges of building and complex management. Strata IT services enhance these, giving you efficiency, security and agility, while optimising costs. Win-win, right? Particularly in Brisbane, where there has been an upsurge in high-rise accommodation and complex living, a trend set to continue as we gear up for the 2032 Olympic games.
Smile IT has a rich range of expertise in the strata IT niche, helping multiple Brisbane strata management companies digitally transform and future-proof their technology. If you’d like to be next, get in touch today!
When he’s not writing tech articles or turning IT startups into established and consistent managed service providers, Peter Drummond can be found kitesurfing on the Gold Coast or hanging out with his family!