Is it the building managers fault that residents dislike tradesman?
From my experience, I am going to put my hand up and say YES.
Before starting Grays Rescue Building Management, I was employed by a small BM company. I was always privy to what was happening in other buildings of that company’s portfolio, and for many years I was puzzled at the complaints from those other buildings about their trades and service providers while at the building I represented, the owner’s corporation was always satisfied with the tradesman.
It is my experience that trades that service strata schemes often do extra works they do not always charge for, this is their way of renewing relationships with an owners corporation for the continual and repeat business. So why do owners corporations take such an “us vs them” approach with their trades, it took a while to figure it out, but a pattern emerged.
While It has always been my policy to promote to owners corporations when a trade provides a discount or does not charge for part of the service, I have watched building managers and senior management take complete credit for the discounts as to affirm their position and status to an owners corporation.
I observed this pattern for quite some time, and I often wonder if this is universal across building management companies or if it was just a pattern of a building management company always under fire for the service they provided.
My experience with trades has been a fruitful collaboration, and I find trades bend over backwards for the owner’s corporations I work with, however it is my policy to promote the businesses performing and who go the extra mile. I don’t know if it is because I am a tradesman, and there is mutual respect, either way, my strata committee always appreciate their trades, and it goes both ways.
When trades go the extra mile, and the services are appreciated, owners corporations tend to stop demanding discounts and just request quality service for a fair price.
I encourage building managers, general managers and senior managers of building management companies who like to take the credit when tradesman goes above and beyond to take a step back and promote that company’s relationship to the owner’s corporation instead of self-promotion and self-affirmation. That’s what you are hired for.