Demand for digital housing services is growing
Trio Isännöinti represents a dynamic, modern property management company that approaches property management with a contemporary touch. The Turku-based Trio Isännöinti has been using One4all’s digital resident communication services in the properties they manage since the summer of 2023 and is now actively guiding all the housing companies they manage towards adopting responsible digital services.
We interviewed Trio Isännöinti’s CEO Henri Kauhala and Administrative Manager Annika Virkkala about their use of digital services and their benefits. Henri and Annika both also work as property managers.
Digitalization has enhanced communication at Trio Isännöinti
At Trio Isännöinti, bulletins are now shared with a much lower threshold since there is no longer a need to consider whether an issue is significant enough to warrant communication. Previously, the process was quite cumbersome: a bulletin was created on a computer, printed, and then a maintenance worker was called to pick it up. After that, the maintenance worker drove to the sites and distributed the bulletins to the building notice boards or apartments—or both. This entire process generated significant costs, whereas with digital communication, costs remain the same regardless of the number of bulletins.“
There’s no longer a need to ask the board if something can be communicated—by the time you would get approval, the bulletin is already created and visible to everyone on the digital notice boards. Residents need to be kept up to date on everything, not just the most significant matters,” says Annika.
Most residents prefer digital housing services
Trio Isännöinti staff feels that the response to changes like adopting digital services varies across housing companies. The key is that there’s motivation for change within the association. Concerns about jumping into a new way of operating or worries about older residents’ ability to use new services may be factors behind the hesitation.
“Alongside digital services, we can still serve some residents by phone, just like before. However, the majority of residents expect and want modern solutions, so it’s crucial to offer them,” Annika says. “We’re also aiming for a paperless office and sustainable business, so we want to encourage as many housing associations as possible to use digital services,” she continues.
“Luckily, nowadays many housing companies are keen on development and don’t just settle for the bare minimum. There’s a clear desire to improve the housing company, make things better, and maintain the property in good condition. There’s also a more proactive attitude, where the property is repaired and kept in good shape overall,” Henri notes.
The benefits and opportunities of digitalization in housing companies
Henri and Annika also reflect that many housing companies may not be aware of all the possibilities available to them. They are used to minimal communication and reporting and may not fully recognize how digital resident communication solutions can benefit their specific property.
“Efficiency, time savings, improved service quality through increased communication, cost savings – these are the reasons I would recommend digital services to other property managers and housing companies,” says Henri. “Exactly. It simplifies life for property management, maintenance, and residents as well, while also supporting responsible business practices,” Annika adds.
For Trio Isännöinti, the key benefits of digital services have been:
- Ease and timeliness of communication and reporting.
- Time savings for property management and maintenance staff.
- Providing high-quality and efficient service to residents.
- Supporting paperless business practices.
Residents in housing companies using digital services are more satisfied
Trio Isännöinti has found that residents in housing companies using digital services are generally more satisfied. “There are also fewer questions, as communication is so active and easy. In some smaller renovation projects, we haven’t received a single inquiry,” Henri reports.
For property managers, a housing company’s decision to adopt digital services is a relief. “It’s a positive and modern step, it’s the way things should be. It just makes everything easier for everyone; communication is more active, and residents are satisfied,” Henri comments.
“In general, digital services enhance living comfort by providing all important information on the digital notice boards, along with local information such as public transport schedules, weather updates, and news,” Annika summarizes. Trio has received a lot of positive feedback from the residents. The digital notice boards have also worked well for older residents, who may not follow any other digital communication channels.
The use of digital services is part of the transformation in the property management industry
The property management industry has many outdated practices, and paper has traditionally been widely used. Trio Isännöinti’s four-person team works entirely paperless, archiving all documents electronically. However, property management always listens to the customer, so documents can still be provided in paper form if necessary.
“The property management industry has evolved significantly and will continue to develop. Who knows what new solutions will be invented, but it’s clear that people are looking for more services to make living easier,” Annika explains.
Shared spaces and resources are becoming more common and support a need for community
“Community spirit is also on the rise, and more shared spaces are being built in housing companies. Another trend is shared-use resources, such as cars,” Henri says. “It’s also important to improve communication and reporting using digital solutions. The old-fashioned process of printing and distributing papers just doesn’t work—it’s often far too labor-intensive,” Henri adds.
There’s also a clear need for a digital booking system. “The changeover of regular sauna slots generates an astonishing amount of work. If just one name on a regular slot needs to be changed, a new list has to be printed, a maintenance worker called to collect the list, and then drive to the site to replace it on the sauna door. It’s unnecessarily laborious when it could be handled much more easily,” Henri explains.
One4all’s service platform would be the easiest for everyone
Trio Isännöinti hopes that all digital resident communication services could be part of the same One4all package, including digital notice boards and resident application. “That would be the simplest and easiest for everyone. It can be confusing for residents if there are multiple services related to housing,” Annika says.
The customization options for the digital notice board views are praised by the Trio team, as is One4all’s customer support service. “Definitely positive feedback for One4all’s customer support. They respond quickly, and the service is great. Any issues are resolved promptly, and communication and follow-up are effective. It’s nice when they check in to make sure everything’s okay,” Henri says. They are also interested in exploring various integration possibilities for the future.
Resident communication also increases understanding of housing company operations
Annika says it would be great if more people attended housing company meetings. Many find board work and housing company documents intimidating, and Trio hopes to change that.
“After all, your home is usually your most valuable asset, so it’s important to be involved in how that asset is managed. Often, people view their home as just the space within four walls, but in reality, the value of your home is closely tied to the condition of the entire housing company,” Annika explains. “We could make things more accessible if we simplified the bureaucracy a bit.”
Henri emphasizes the essential role of resident communication and how increased communication can lead to a better understanding of housing company affairs. Effective communication also helps avoid conflicts and misunderstandings when information is shared frequently enough.
Clear communication is a key principle for Trio’s property managers, and they strive to create an atmosphere in housing company meetings where people feel comfortable asking questions. Henri recently received some fantastic feedback: “After a meeting, an elderly lady came up to me and said that for the first time, she had understood something at the meeting—it was both a surprising and rewarding moment,” Henri recalls.
Trio Isännöinti
Trio Isännöinti is a Turku-based property management company that provides clear and accessible management services for housing associations in the Turku region.
Trio Isännöinti’s goal is to simplify board work and offer residents fast and professional services to ensure a smooth living experience. Trio uses the most advanced software in the property management industry, enabling a wide range of digital services for boards, shareholders, and tenants.
This article is an ai-generated translation of the original article in Finnish.