Condo Media - September 2011 - 45
community that runs more smoothly. Most community website software is both easy to use and easy to update. Even if your technological knowledge is subpar, the bulk of the work tends to be the entry of the initial information. Do your research and find a program that you feel comfortable enough to use on a weekly or even daily basis. Now that you know it is important to update, your next question should be, “how often?” The frequency of which you update your site has a lot to do with personal preference and community needs. Obviously, the larger the community, the more information will need to be passed from person to person. The site can be updated as often as information changes. For example, you might have a pool that the community shares. Perhaps you have an unexpected maintenance issue that needs to be addressed that will change the hours the pool is available. In that case, you can change the hours in the portion of your website
where the pool information can be seen while keeping the rest the same. If you want to include a calendar of community events or important information about a maintenance project that people should know about, it should be updated more frequently. When residents see that you keep an updated calendar with information that is pertinent to them, the chances of them coming to the website more often are greatly increased. Although it seems trivial, the website also should be aesthetically appealing for the site’s visitors. You should have the capability to change the background, format, fonts and colors for the website as a whole as well, as for individual pages. Above all else, people will continue to visit your community site if it makes their lives easier. Be sure to include important documents that occupants are required to fill out on the site. For example, if residents can obtain and return online a form giving them
authorization to park in the building’s parking lot, the likelihood of them filling it out more quickly is increased vs. their having to make a trip to your office. When an occupant is on the site looking for one thing, there also is a greater chance they will take a couple of extra minutes to check out other aspects of the site, so make sure you go over all information on a regular basis. Always keep your eyes peeled for new and improving software. Technology is constantly evolving and anything to make your life easier is something worth looking into. That could be a better version of the product you already have, or a new product that a different company is putting out. So happy product hunting and here’s to an easier, more organized life as a community manager. CM Ashish Patel is president of Pilera Software Systems, which provides association management and community website solutions.
CONDO MEDIA • SEPTEMBER 2011
45
Condo Media - September 2011
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - September 2011
Condo Media - September 2011
Table of Contents
From the CED’s Desk
Editorial Board
CAI News
CAI Regional News
Asked & Answered
Homeowner’s Corner
Maintenance
Painting
Environmental
Work in Progress
Vendor Spotlight
Volunteer Spotlight
Technology
2011 CAI New England Fall/Winter Vendor Directory
Advertisers Index
Classified Service Directory
Condo Media - September 2011 - Condo Media - September 2011
Condo Media - September 2011 - Cover2
Condo Media - September 2011 - BB1
Condo Media - September 2011 - BB2
Condo Media - September 2011 - Table of Contents
Condo Media - September 2011 - From the CED’s Desk
Condo Media - September 2011 - 3
Condo Media - September 2011 - Editorial Board
Condo Media - September 2011 - 5
Condo Media - September 2011 - CAI News
Condo Media - September 2011 - 7
Condo Media - September 2011 - 8
Condo Media - September 2011 - 9
Condo Media - September 2011 - 10
Condo Media - September 2011 - 11
Condo Media - September 2011 - CAI Regional News
Condo Media - September 2011 - 13
Condo Media - September 2011 - 14
Condo Media - September 2011 - 15
Condo Media - September 2011 - 16
Condo Media - September 2011 - 17
Condo Media - September 2011 - Asked & Answered
Condo Media - September 2011 - 19
Condo Media - September 2011 - Homeowner’s Corner
Condo Media - September 2011 - 21
Condo Media - September 2011 - Maintenance
Condo Media - September 2011 - 23
Condo Media - September 2011 - 24
Condo Media - September 2011 - 25
Condo Media - September 2011 - Painting
Condo Media - September 2011 - 27
Condo Media - September 2011 - Environmental
Condo Media - September 2011 - 29
Condo Media - September 2011 - 30
Condo Media - September 2011 - 31
Condo Media - September 2011 - Work in Progress
Condo Media - September 2011 - 33
Condo Media - September 2011 - 34
Condo Media - September 2011 - 35
Condo Media - September 2011 - 36
Condo Media - September 2011 - 37
Condo Media - September 2011 - 38
Condo Media - September 2011 - 39
Condo Media - September 2011 - Vendor Spotlight
Condo Media - September 2011 - 41
Condo Media - September 2011 - Volunteer Spotlight
Condo Media - September 2011 - 43
Condo Media - September 2011 - Technology
Condo Media - September 2011 - 45
Condo Media - September 2011 - 2011 CAI New England Fall/Winter Vendor Directory
Condo Media - September 2011 - 47
Condo Media - September 2011 - 48
Condo Media - September 2011 - 49
Condo Media - September 2011 - 50
Condo Media - September 2011 - 51
Condo Media - September 2011 - 52
Condo Media - September 2011 - 53
Condo Media - September 2011 - 54
Condo Media - September 2011 - 55
Condo Media - September 2011 - 56
Condo Media - September 2011 - 57
Condo Media - September 2011 - 58
Condo Media - September 2011 - Classified Service Directory
Condo Media - September 2011 - 60
Condo Media - September 2011 - 61
Condo Media - September 2011 - 62
Condo Media - September 2011 - 63
Condo Media - September 2011 - 64
Condo Media - September 2011 - Cover3
Condo Media - September 2011 - Cover4
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