Feedback to the board
Too many boards communicate with the owners but don't give the owners
means to communicate with them. Their attitude is that the owners
should talk to the manager and she will pass on their issues to us.
They don't understand, or don't care, that the manager often filters the messages that the board gets to hear.
"Complaints and
Suggestions" form
A standard "Complaints and Suggestions" form should be available at the
front desk or the management office. These complaints should be
reviewed and acted on my the manager and reviewed by the directors
prior to the next board meeting.
Surveys
If you ever do decide to employ a survey to get insight from residents,
it is important for the board to agree what the purpose is. Is the
survey meant to collect facts, gather opinions, or find out what course
the shareholders believe the board should be steering.
Keep surveys short so potential respondents won't be put off. One key
mistake boards make is asking open-ended emotional questions, such as,
"What do you think of the super's work ethic?" Focus instead on tightly
worded questions that elicit original suggestions that can be put into
action, such as, "What amenities should the building add?" or "Which of these two projects would you like to see the board
tackle this year: renovating the laundry room or expanding the storage
area?"
The easiest way to conduct a survey is digitally, but take a look at
the demographics of the building residents — paper surveys may be
necessary for those who are not technically savvy. Either way, allow
two weeks for responses.
Open-ended surveys
An annual resident survey can be very helpful. Make sure that it is an
opened-ended survey with only a few questions on how long did they live
there, are they an owner or renter and then ask two questions:
1. What do you like best about living in our condo?
2. What one thing would like to see improved?
This will allow the owners to express their thoughts about the condo
and the directors will get a far better idea what is important to the
residents.
Not binding
Legally, a board is not required to act on the results of a survey, but
it probably should. If you are going to ask for a shareholder's
opinion, be prepared to follow through, especially if you want to
encourage participation in future surveys.
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