Quicker responses, better support and more availability: ESM’s game changing rollout

When it comes to the management of your strata property you want to be guaranteed of a few things, the most important one being quality and timeliness of service.

However the absence of this is the number one biggest complaint in the Strata Management industry across Australia. Feedback that ESM Strata has been collecting over the last few years has been around:

• the availability of support
• quicker resolutions to problems
• follow up and response time
• proactivity to issues
• better support for owners and tenants

Guaranteeing the above for every single building we manage is something we have been working on for the last 18 months across a number of initiatives.

But we are now proud to officially announce The ESM Customer Service and Support (CS&S) Team. It is an industry first, and an absolute game changer for our customers and the industry as a whole.

The Problem:

Previously, when it came to Strata Management, the workflow between customers and Strata Manager was quite rigid. Strata Managers were the only people that knew your property and therefore the only people that could support you to solve your problems. So when the volume of enquiries and calls was at a peak, or when relief assistance was required guaranteeing high level, timely and proactive support could be a challenge.

The ESM Customer Service and Support team:

We have changed our operational structure by adding in a brand new team to support our customers in a professional and timely manner, freeing up our dedicated Strata Managers to support council members with complex and unique issues pertaining to your property.

Whilst we consider every strata query you have to be important, there are many council, owner and tenant queries that can be resolved quickly and effectively with the support of our customer service and support team, rather than only through your dedicated Strata Manager.

The team, which includes a mix of 14 strata managers and customer service specialists, has been supporting our strata managers over the course of the last 12 months to gain experience and ease into the new operating model. Coupled with technology such as Sharepoint and Property IQ (PIQ), the process so far has been extremely effective and seamless for our customers.

To guarantee the same level of high-quality and professional support you would expect from your Strata Manager, we have implemented a number of initiatives:

• 12-month education and training program for all CS&S team members on Strata Management
• Dedicated ESM Strata Knowledgebase for procedures, questions and strata-related topics
• Advanced technology infrastructure that supports more transparency and efficient communication
  • including Property IQ which stores all your property info, work orders, communications and live financial information
• Dedicated team leader, with over 6 years experience as a Strata Manager for ESM Strata
• Ongoing training and education calendar
• More customer self-service options such as our Knowledgebase and portal

What does this mean for me? 

When you contact ESM Strata you will be talking to a representative from our customer service and support team. They will most likely be able to support you with your query or concern.

If the query is more specific, or if you are a member of the council for the strata company, your query will be escalated to your strata manager.

This enhancement to our current service means:

• more availability of support when you need it
• quicker resolutions
• quicker response time
• your dedicated strata manager can provide expert support on more complex issues

When will this be rolling out?

ESM Strata has been incrementally rolling out this new operation for the last 18 months. You may have already received support from someone in the CS&S team!

The complete transition is being rolled out incrementally across different portfolio groups over the course of 2021.