Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa October/ November 2019 | Page 28

UTILITIES
SPONSORED
Changing the
administration skyline
Minimising real estate admin, while improving customer service
A city’s skyline may be defined by the talent and investment
of real estate companies and property owners. But there’s
another line that affects everything and sits in every office
–admin. Estate owners need to minimise admin, while still
ensuring smooth management of their properties.
T
here is no getting around admin. It’s essential to en-
suring the smooth ordering of business processes and
that customers are consistently provided with the cor-
rect information. When these processes go wrong, landlords
and estate managers face the frustration of irate customers
who are quick to complain and even quicker to lose interest
in an investment or a property if admin isn’t managed prop-
erly. In the current, very competitive marketplace, landlords
can’t afford to provide less than perfect service because
tenants will leave, moving on to new spaces that deliver the
customer service they demand.
This has become one of the driving forces behind the use
of sub-metering systems in many business parks, shopping
districts and residential estates. These prepaid solutions
transform how utilities are managed, giving both the property
owner and the customer precisely what they want - in-depth,
relevant, and accurate information. They also make life a lot
easier for those in charge.
“Tenants want real estate owners
and landlords that understand the
importance of transparency, use systems
that are modern and capable, and
provide them with above-par support.”
“Customers want service – this has become one of the
definitive benchmarks by which a brand or a business is
measured and it isn’t easy to win people back once they’ve
formed a negative opinion,” says Michael Franze, Managing
Director: Citiq Prepaid. “Tenants want real estate owners and
landlords that understand the importance of transparency, use
systems that are modern and capable, and provide them with
above-par support.”
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OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2019 SA Real Estate Investor Magazine
Investing into a reliable prepaid sub-metering system offers
more granular control over utilities, reporting and potential
issues that could impact on service delivery and client
satisfaction. It also takes the control of actual spend and usage
out of the estate management’s hands and places it directly
into those of the customer.
“Many customers feel frustrated when it comes to utilities,”
explains Franze. “They don’t get to decide how much they want
to spend; their costs are affected by other people in the estate;
and they can feel cheated if they are sparse with usage but pay
for others who are not. When using a prepaid sub-metering
system, they immediately gain control. They pay for what
they use and they monitor their consumption properly. It’s a
powerful tool for the owner to use in building relationships
and engaging with customers.”
There is, of course, the added benefit of reducing admin for
the property owner or estate manager. Instead of painstaking
record checking, assessing and financial fine tuning, they
need only take the funds from the prepaid account and pay
the utility service provider. If they work with a reputable
company, such as Citiq Prepaid, then they also get paid on
time, into an established account and don’t have to deal with
the minutiae of fund collection. This is further supported by
accurate purchase reports, the ability to provide tenants with
precise figures and fees, and the chance to openly share data to
enhance engagement, and all with fees at a significantly lower
rate than the market average.
“Citiq Prepaid helps estate owners and managers minimise
admin and improve relationships at a superb price point,”
concludes Franze. “We also have an established market
reputation and are a longstanding trusted provider of prepaid
sub-metering solutions - with Citiq Prepaid you are our
customer, and we, like you, believe in customer service.”
SOURCE Citiq Prepaid