By Amanda Farrer (Alpha Nu, University of Missouri), Pearl Stone Partners Engagement Manager
Have you ever heard the phrase “See something, say something?” While it is normally associated with airport security or public safety, this saying can also be applied to the role of a house director.
The primary property management job responsibility Pearl Stone Partners house directors perform daily is a facility walkthrough. These walkthroughs take about 45-90 minutes, depending on the size of the chapter facility. During these walkthroughs, house directors are looking at everything inside and outside the facility property. This includes but is not limited to running all faucets, flushing every toilet and turning on lights. House directors should be looking from the floor to the ceiling, and everywhere in between.
Walkthroughs are crucial for maintaining the chapter facility and helping the property owner stay abreast of maintenance needs. Walkthroughs are also a key component of effective preventative maintenance. For example, during a walkthrough a house director may find that a bathroom sink has a small leak that is dripping water below the counters. By making note of this issue and reporting it to the property owner, the leak can be fixed before it becomes a bigger issue. On the flip side, if the house director did not perform a walkthrough or did not notice the leak, it could potentially lead to large-scale water damage. This preventative maintenance technique allows the property owner to avoid a bigger bill (and headache) in the future!
Pearl Stone Partners house directors are encouraged to utilize a checklist or tracking document while completing facility walkthroughs. This allows them to check off areas as they inspect the space, leave notes to communicate to vendors and follow up on concern areas from previous walkthroughs. Pearl Stone Partners offers a template checklist for our employees to use.
While this may seem like a small part of the house director role, the impact that daily walkthroughs can have on enhancing the member experience is significant. If you are a house director, make certain you are completing daily walkthroughs of your chapter facility and always remember, if you see something, say something!
