If you’re an estate manager, you probably remember a time, not too long ago, when you had to juggle all the moving parts of your job with nothing more than your mind and an Excel sheet – maybe even a pen and paper. The industry has been historically resistant to technology, largely because so many things could be handled in person, over the phone, or via email. However, as novelist Sherrilyn Kenyon (and Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park) said, “Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.” Hopefully, you acknowledged this truth, incorporated estate management software for vendors and subcontractors into your best practices, and realized what a game-changer it was. More recently, all-in-one platforms have improved things exponentially by allowing you to store documents and share them others in a safe space. There is also the messaging feature, which facilitates transparent communications with those you collaborate with. But what do you do when the principal is too busy to collaborate and vendors’ and subcontractors’ idea of cutting-edge technology is the flip phone?
There are pros and cons to having a principal who is involved with the day-to-day. A hands-off approach means you have more autonomy – a good thing in any job. However, there will often be things about which you need their input, and using a single platform where they can view documents and discuss them is much more efficient than jumping between a cloud and texts and/or calls, especially when the parties are in different time zones.
Then there is the small army of people who help the estate run like a well-oiled machine. As the “CEO” of the estate, you can make the use of a digital platform mandatory… not so much when it comes to vendors and independent contractors who deliver supplies and do repair work. Some businesses simply don’t have the “infrastructure” for technology. Perhaps they did not have to scramble to revamp the way they work during the pandemic as so many industries had to do, or they’re just not as vulnerable to disruption by technology in general. Either way, they are content to keep things business as usual, even if that means business is not as efficient as it could be.
Whatever the case, you can still maximize your performance, and your collaborative relationships, with an all-in-one platform like EstateSpace. First, as mentioned, you can use it with staff to share work schedules and tasks. Second, you can upload all the data you need – for example, the household budget and a digital library of physical assets – to your mobile so it’s always at your fingertips. Third, and perhaps most importantly, when you use this twenty-four access to streamline your own processes, the work flows much more smoothly, no matter how you share it with others.
Bottom line: it can be frustrating when your clients are not ready to embrace technology, and even more so when it comes to vendors and subcontractors. That said, estate management software for vendors and subcontractors is revolutionizing the estate management ecosystem, so it’s only a matter of time before even the most tech-averse embrace it – and be happy they did. In the meantime, choosing one platform that is simple, intuitive and has stellar security will make your job a heck of a lot more manageable – and perhaps make it easier to convince others to jump on the bandwagon.
