Communicating with Members: Three Ways HOA Accounting Software Prevents Problems

Miscommunication or lack of communication can cause a lot of issues. By utilizing certain HOA accounting software features, you can eliminate disputes, prevent issues, and head-off confrontation with clear communication to your community. 

There’s a lot of noise to contend with in the 21st century, as notifications and messages demand individuals’ attention throughout the day. In 2021 alone, over 319.6 billion emails were delivered worldwide. Because of this, it can be hard to command the attention of your HOA community to share important community news. 

While your HOA may not want to add to the cacophony of communications, it’s important to facilitate clear, two-way communication between the HOA and homeowners. Without it, frustrations can build up, leading to hostility and larger problems within the community. 

There are multiple benefits to good communication, including: 

• Fostering trust
• Preventing or resolving issues
• Providing clarity and direction
• Improving relationships
• Increasing engagement

A thorough communication strategy will plant the seeds for these benefits in your community. Using your HOA accounting software’s communication features to support your strategic plan can enhance your community and work towards these advantages. 

Three Ways HOA Accounting Software Prevents Problems: 

Facilitating Transparency Between the HOA and Homeowners

Providing Accessibility for the Entire Community

Acting as a Central Location for All Parties

Facilitating Transparency Between the HOA and Homeowners

Much frustration between homeowners and the HOA stems from opaque or nonexistent messaging from the board surrounding important decisions. Since homeowners are investing their lives in their community, they want to know what the HOA is doing on their behalf to maintain and improve the neighborhood. 

Transparent communication prevents homeowners from wondering what changes and decisions are being made, most notably, how their monthly or yearly dues are being spent. By posting the yearly budget on your HOA’s website, you can effectively create transparency surrounding these important financial conversations.

Most homeowners won’t be able to attend every HOA meeting, so it is important to share the highlights with everyone, in spite of their attendance. By sending out summaries or minutes from each meeting through an email or your monthly newsletter, you can improve trust between the homeowners that the HOA is working hard on their behalf. 

HOA accounting software allows you to upload a template for mailings to save and use for future use, making it quick and easy to send out these updates after each meeting. 

Conducting community surveys is another way to increase transparency between homeowners and the board. Too often the HOA creates barriers for homeowners to contribute their thoughts, which can create frustration in the community. Giving homeowners an open or regular chance to speak their minds can prevent pent-up frustration. 

Providing Accessibility for the Entire Community

Clear and consistent messaging across multiple channels allows your HOA to disseminate the information homeowners need, when they need it.

Since everyone has a different preference for communication, it’s best to provide easy access for all through a variety of modes. By distributing information through various channels, you can ensure your HOA’s message is receivable by all. 

HOA accounting software provides ample ways for you to communicate with your homeowners. These include: 

• Phone calls
• Text messages
• Emails
• Post mail
• Newsletters
• Website
• Message boards

You don’t have to limit yourself to one mode of communication; you can always try new ways to better communicate with your community. This allows you to improve and find what works best for your unique community. 

HOA accounting software even allows you to create unique fields and tag your homeowners with specific information, so you can collect everyone’s preferred mode of communication and send out notices and reminders accordingly. This way you’re not calling the phone-phobic people or emailing those with an inbox full of unread messages. 

It’s also easy to set up and send mass messages through HOA accounting software. You can set up a text, email, or even call to go out to groups of homeowners. You can save these messages as templates for future use. It’s easier and more professional to send out messages this way, plus it saves your HOA volunteers a ton of time.  

Acting as a Central Location for All Parties

If all of your information is in one, easy-to-find place, no one will have to search through old messages, hound the main office for information, or worry they’re missing out on something. 

Using the website provided by your HOA accounting software can serve as an easily accessible location for important information, like your governing documents, community rules, and FAQs. Providing this for homeowners can help prevent confusion and serves as a 24/7 easily accessible location for necessary community knowledge. 

In addition to sending messages, HOA accounting software also saves communications sent through it to each unit’s profile. This way the board always knows what messages were sent to whom and when. 

You also won’t have to juggle multiple platforms to send different types of messages. You can create and send texts, emails, phone calls, or printed mail all through one central location. 

An online message or bulletin board  provides a central location for HOA communication. More and more people are communicating online, so providing a place where community members can communicate freely can provide a platform to squash rumors, resolve issues, and connect community members. 

Since the HOA’s goal is to ensure the livelihood of the neighborhood, these communication methods help support that mission. While most communication will happen online or over the phone, there is no replacement for getting out there and talking face to face with community members. 

An informed community is a happier community. With everyone on the same page, there will be less confusion, improved trust, and better relationship building. HOA accounting software helps facilitate healthy communication in your neighborhood, ensuring its longevity and successful future. 

PayHOA offers HOA accounting software that can upgrade your community communications. To find out if PayHOA fits your HOA accounting software needs, try our software free for 30 days.