Enhancing communication with an HOA portal
Good communication is a pillar of any successful HOA community. The more owners know about their association, the more likely they are to participate in meetings, follow rules, and engage with others.
Think about it this way. If people like where they live, then they will take appropriate actions to maintain their property and neighborhood. Having easy access to information, and receiving prompt responses from management after submitting a question or request are some good strategies to keep owners happy.
But the opposite is also true. If people feel disgruntled, resentful or invisible, they are much more likely to act without considering others. Failing or forgetting to respond to questions, and keeping owners in the dark creates a negative experience for them.
So, what can HOAs do to fix a communication issue? Start with a portal.
Table of contents
- What is a portal?
- What is the purpose of a portal?
- What types of things can a portal do?
- Isn’t a website better for communication?
- Enhancing communication with an HOA portal
What is a portal?
Often referred to as a resident portal or owner portal, a portal is a digital platform or application that provides members of your community with the tools they need to stay informed and connected.
Portals are generally accessible through computers and smartphones, making them convenient and cost-effective communication solutions.
What is the purpose of a portal?
Portals have two core objectives:
1) To empower owners by consolidating information and self-serve tools
2) To reduce manual work and streamline operations for management or the board
Portals benefit both owners and managers (or the board if you are a self-managed HOA). Members can access messages or documents 24/7, and management can make and share updates in seconds.
What types of things can a portal do?
There are dozens of portal options to explore. Some portals are very basic, while others offer premium features. However, most HOA portals have the following capabilities:
- *Section to host HOA announcements/notices
- *Online payment processing for dues and other fees
- *Service request submissions and tracking
- *View/edit personal information
More advanced portals may offer:
- *Access to HOA forms and documents
- *A chat functionality that allows you to send questions directly to the management team
- *Amenity booking
- *Classified ads
- *Event calendar
- *Guest pass reservations
Isn’t a website better for communication?
A website isn’t necessarily better, but depending on demographics, some owners may be more comfortable with the idea of a website. But we can assure you that using a portal is just as easy as using a website.
Websites and portals are similar; HOAs can use both platforms to share information and events with owners. The key difference is that a portal is a password-protected platform. Only people with an authorized login and password can get into the portal. Anyone can view a public website. But you don’t necessarily want everyone to see the HOA’s records, contracts or budgets.
The other difference is that websites are extremely customizable. In theory, an HOA could spend $10,000 on a professional website, but most communities will spend between $2,000 – $5,000 for a site designed by a professional.
Portals are less concerned with aesthetics and more focused on functionality. However, because of their simple layout, they can also be easier to maintain.
A portal can be integrated with a website, which is something many communities choose to do. The website acts as the homepage, which anyone can view. Owners then click on the login button, often placed at the top right-hand side of the website, to get into the portal.
Florida law actually requires HOAs with 100 or more parcels to maintain a website or application, and post several of the community’s records on the site, too. Furthermore, the website or application must contain a subpage, web portal or other protected electronic location that cannot be accessed by the general public. So, if you are in Florida, having both a website and portal is the easiest way to stay compliant.
Enhancing communication with an HOA portal
Now that you know what an HOA portal does, let’s explore how communities can use them for communicative purposes.
Centralized messaging and information
This is the most popular portal feature, and is generally the reason HOAs elect to use portals in the first place.
Portals organize messages and notices so that owners can get that information at any time, on their own.
The sender simply logs on to an admin account, writes the message, attaches relevant documents, and hits send. That’s a much faster and more affordable storage than printing and mailing or hand-delivering physical letters. Plus, it ensures every owner has access to the information, even if they aren’t home.
Depending on the portal’s functionalities, notices are usually emailed to owners in addition to being posted on the message page, and in the event of an emergency, there could even be an option to send messages via text or voice message.
Owners are far more likely to see your message when they can find it online and in their inboxes. As a result, they remain up to date with the latest changes, events and requests.
Easy access to forms and documents
In addition to announcements, HOAs should select a portal that has a storage library. By creating a safe place to share budgets, contracts, forms and governing documents, you empower owners to proactively seek the items they need, and you reduce the workload for your team.
HOA Central even allows you to control access to files. That means you can maintain files just for the board and management in addition to files for the whole community.
Streamlined issue resolution
Owners can submit service/maintenance requests from their accounts, providing them with a very convenient way to notify management of a problem. They can send a request through the mobile app on their way to work instead of having to try to remember to report the issue directly to the manager after they return home.
When a request has been updated or resolved, the reporter can see the update automatically, giving them peace of mind and closure.
Not only does this create more transparency, but small issues can be addressed before they develop into bigger, more expensive problems.
Improved resident engagement
Chats and forums give owners an opportunity to speak. Communication shouldn’t be unidirectional, and this allows owners to share ideas and concerns in a safe, private space.
Chats and forums can be particularly appealing because not everyone can speak during member meetings. These tools give owners an additional opportunity to make suggestions or follow up on community issues.
Admins may decide to approve post submissions before they are added to a forum in order to keep conversations productive and free of harmful or hateful language.
Getting started
Getting started with an HOA portal is probably the hardest part. It’s not the activation part, rather, it’s getting owners to use the portal. They will need to create an account and receive authorization from the HOA in order to access the portal since it is a password-protected platform.
The signup process is not complicated though, so do your best to provide step-by-step signup instructions to each owner. Make it clear that owners simply need to download an app and fill in a few fields to complete the registration process. And highlight all of the benefits owners will enjoy once they’re on the portal.
