Creating exceptional living experiences in multifamily properties is a fundamental goal for many property owners and management companies. From fulfilling service requests, maintaining the building, and preserving the feeling of "home”, management companies play a huge role in maintaining happy residents. 

Despite their significant influence on resident well-being, numerous management companies struggle to implement effective strategies and employ the right personnel to provide outstanding living experiences. Whether attributed to inexperienced property managers or inadequate maintenance and vendor services, management that falls short of expectations can lead properties to experience rapid resident turnover and financial losses.

With over two decades of experience in the industry, CHARLESGATE understands the resident experience inside and out. Our team recognizes the significant influence management has on resident satisfaction. After many trials and learnings, it's evident: "pod teams," is the solution for providing exceptional property management experiences in multifamily properties. 

Introducing the Pod Team Solution

The "pod team" framework enhances property management by addressing the challenge of lacking a budget or resources for dedicated on-site staff at multifamily properties. By employing a team of highly skilled property management experts and a team of maintenance and janitorial staff, property owners can establish full support for their portfolios.   

Within this structure, each pod manages a portfolio with an average of 350-450 units. Every team member within the pod is specialized in a particular set of responsibilities that contribute to the overall management, from service requests to rent collection. On average, each member of the pod allocates 25-30% of their time to each property in their assigned portfolio, ensuring that every property receives the attention and expertise it needs. This system allows the pod to be nimble in their work and adjust their focus as property needs change over time.

“It is not common to have the same team managing all of these functions internally across multiple properties.  The consistency and collaboration of working together on a daily basis creates a more efficient and responsive approach to management. CHARLESGATE is a trailblazer in implementing the Pod structure.” -Todd Mikelonis, Managing Director of Property Management at CHARLESGATE.

Key Roles in the Pod Team Structure

All pods at CHARLESGATE consist of a Senior Property Manager, Property Manager, Property Coordinator, and a rotating or dedicated team of maintenance and janitorial staff. 

Each role has specific responsibilities:

• The Senior Property Manager oversees the property's business plan, budget, and financial aspects, ensuring smooth operations on behalf of the owner and keeping them informed of all matters.
• The Property Manager focuses on ensuring a positive resident experience through effective communication with residents.
• The Property Coordinator supports the team with administrative tasks and rent collection.
• The Maintenance, Concierge, and Janitorial maintain the building services orders, attend to resident requests, and handle cleaning needs. 
• The Centralized Leasing team collaborates with the pod to swiftly and effectively fill unit vacancies through tours and lease agreements, ensuring a prompt and efficient process.

With this strategic team, communication between the residents and property managers is streamlined, building issues are resolved quickly, and the resident experience dramatically improves. 

“When you have an allocation of staff between the Senior Property Manager, the Assistant Property Manager, and Property Coordinator, then even further integrating to leasing and services; including maintenance, cleaning, landscaping, and snow for example, you effectively have much more of a closed loop team who serve as eyes on site just about every day of the week.” - Todd Mikelonis, Managing Director of Property Management at CHARLESGATE.

Benefits of the Pod Team Structure

The pod team structure brings numerous advantages to property owners:  

• Scalability across portfolios.  Enables efficient management of multiple properties that could be more conducive to having a dedicated site staff.
• Better communication between the management team and residents. Communication is crucial for creating a positive and enjoyable living experience. It is further improved through a dedicated role, the Assistant Property Manager, within the pod to specifically focus on the resident communication and experience.
• Increased net operating income (NOI). By having a team service all aspects of the property we can address and triage issues more quickly and have our centralized leasing execute to reduce vacancy and maximize rents. 
• Cost savings. A pod structure reduces the need to employ multiple full-time employees dedicated to a single property. The “right people” are allocated to the “right seats” to handle all of the property's needs. 

You Should Implement a Pod Team Structure

The pod team structure has set a new standard in property management, bringing expert help without needing on-site staff. With smooth communication and efficient operations, residents get a better experience, and property owners see improved financial results. Let CHARLESGATE transform your property operations and enhance resident living with the Pod Team structure. Contact us to learn how we can implement this into your portfolio.