Board members are responsible for finding and partnering with an association management company that will best serve their needs and the needs of the community. When board members are satisfied and find value in their management company, they are more likely to stay with them, and also recommend them to other community associations.

However, now more than ever, board members' expectations of their management companies are high. Boards expect to be able to communicate instantly and carry out their tasks and duties anywhere and on any device. And many association management companies aren’t measuring up.

According to AppFolio and HOA-USA’s latest survey, which polled current and past board members, only 23% of respondents said they’d recommend their current or most recent management company – that’s a big gap for association management businesses to improve. More than half of board members surveyed, 66%, said lack of responsiveness was their number-one reason why they switched – or are considering switching – management companies, followed by failure to quickly and accurately follow through on projects (65%) and overall poor customer service (61%). These are major issues, because when a management company doesn’t communicate clearly with board members, misinformation can spread, leading to errors and frustration on all sides.

On this episode of The Top Floor, we sit down with an AppFolio expert to go deeper into the survey data to see exactly how board members' expectations are changing. We also hear how one association management company has been able to overcome challenges and better serve their boards by implementing mobile tools and on-demand experiences. Lastly, we get a firsthand account from an actual board member, who shares insight into how association management companies can pivot their customer service strategy to meet their boards’ and homeowners’ needs.