Condo Media - November 2014 - 41

ized in condominiums and homeowner
associations. As if the condominium
industry weren't specialized enough,
the firm has made a point of catering
to niches within the industry that have
unique needs, such as 55-and-older
communities and the resort industry.
Among the services it offers are site
management and planning, financial
management, construction management oversight, administrative functions, property maintenance, home
interior services, and builder/developer
transition to homeowners.
It takes that level of experience and
expertise to sort out the tangle of conflicting interests at Village at Merrimac
Landing in Tyngsborough, Mass., where
a property created by a single developer
now consists of three separate entities:
a 104-unit condominium association, a
separate 32-unit association, and 32 Residences, or rental units. "It's challenging," says Toni-Lynn Robbins, a member
of the board of the larger association.
"There can be a lot of confusion over
whose resources are what, because each
one has a different property manager."
Issues involve everything from dumpster maintenance to snowplowing and
landscaping.
The property transitioned from the
developer to the association in March
2012, and Great North was instrumental in obtaining maps to the property,
clarifying ownership boundaries, and
submitting the association's FHA reapplication. "Great North went above
and beyond on our behalf," Robbins
says. "Obviously, that is huge for us
and the resale value of our property."

A Wide Range of Resources:
Human and Electronic

Excellent customer service has been
the company's core value from the
beginning. Despite its size and reach,
Great North remains independently
owned, allowing the Gargiulos to
maintain policies that ensure a prompt
response. At the beginning of every client relationship, the property manager
holds a meeting to make sure Great

North is clear about the expectations of
that particular association. "Each one
operates differently," points out Justin
Gargiulo, CPM - Lou Gargiulo's son
and Great North's senior vice president
and director of corporate operations.
And every email from Great North
contains a link to a survey that provides
real-time feedback on the performance
of the company's managers. As a result,
Great North enjoys one of the lowest
client turnover rates in the industry.
Just as important to the Gargiulos
as retaining clients is retaining quality employees. "This is a challenging
business," Justin Gargiulos says. "I am
a true believer in promoting a work environment that our staff enjoys coming
to each and every day. I believe there is
a direct correlation between their happiness and the overall performance they
provide to our clients, which is our No.
1 priority."
In addition to offering standard
incentives like a good benefits package, the Gargiulos nurture a corporate
environment that encourages personal
growth. That includes a major focus on
education - for staff and clients alike.
Great North regularly offers seminars
and board member appreciation events
as well as publishes a quarterly newsletter brimming with insights and expertise about the condominium industry.
Another aspect of the Gargiulos'
commitment to communication is the
significant investment they have made
in state-of-the-art technology on behalf
of their clients. Great North is in the
process of launching a new website that
enhances its ability to communicate with
clients quickly and effectively, in everything from financials and condominium
documents to maintenance requests.

A National Cooperative

Technology isn't the only area where
the Gargiulos have been on the frontier of the industry. Lou Gargiulo has
been a driving force behind the Innovia
Management Company Cooperative,
a cooperative of independently owned
property management firms across the

nation who have come together to share
best practices and look for opportunities to combine their buying power to
offer their clients lower rates on services
such as insurance, supplies, energy, and
trash collection. There is no charge to
Great North's clients for this service,
which also offers unit owners discounts
from hundreds of national retailers. "It's
an added benefit we offer our clients,"
Justin Gargiulo says. "A value-added
service."
Although Innovia was rolled out officially in November 2013, it represents
a vision founding member Lou Gargiulo
has nurtured for many years. Innovia
is managed in conjunction with CCA
Global Partners, a Manchester, N.H.based company that operates cooperatives and is owned by its members. Lou
Gargiulo anticipates 150-200 management companies will ultimately become
members.
Membership is not automatic,
however. Only elite management
organizations with substantial financial
resources are eligible, and they must
meet strict criteria - and the approval
of a selection committee - before they
can become members. Great North is
the only property management firm in
New England to be a member of this
prestigious group.
The Gargiulos are excited by the
prospect of collaborating with other
independently owned management organizations nationwide. Clients can rest
assured, however, that no matter how
big the company grows - or how far its
reach extends - they will always receive
personal attention. "We recognize the
importance of good relationships, and
we take very seriously the level of customer service we provide," Lou Gargiulo
explains. "We don't try to usurp authority. We try to complement the board by
offering our expertise and advice."
For more information about how
Great North Property Management is
poised to handle your management needs
for the long term, call (800) 639-7309 or
visit www.greatnorth.net.
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http://www.greatnorth.net

Condo Media - November 2014

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