Does your HOA use a website?

If your hoa doesn't use a website, it might be time you considered it, given the advantages over the old bulletin board and snail mail option. The advantages of moving to an electronic alternative are many, but boil down into two major benefits, saving time and money.

As a board member or management company you know that time is money. Using the old manual method of getting information out to home owners and condo owners could be a slow process and require a lot of effort. Even if it's provided on a public bulletin board, or mailed to owners, the possibility of it getting lost in the mail or removed from the board still exist. A good hoa website will allow you to store any document quickly and efficiently, reducing postage and mailing cost significantly.

Any information stored, should be available on demand by individuals with proper permissions. This becomes an important concept because if all required information is online and available on demand, the board or management company can just direct any individual who claims they didn't get it or lost it to the website.

We are not saying that having a website will reduce your board's work to zero. You will still have to manage the site, upload documents, email residences, etc. However, properly managed, it will reduce your work load and result in a much better community satisfaction level.

Hoa Website Management

So you have your HOA website up and running. Now what? It’s of no use if your members don’t log in and use it. A quality homeowners association website will make it easy to provide updated relevant information to your hoa users.

First, let’s talk about why it’s important to have a website at all.  Simply put, this is the way people expect to manage information.  Think about the way you use websites.  You go to the places that interest you and help you make your life easier.  A quality homeowners association website will make it easy to provide updated, relevant information to association members, visitors, title companies, realtors and board members.

One of the biggest issues that we see at HoaGateway is websites outdated material. You can’t expect your members to take the time to log in if your financials, meeting minutes, etc. are out of date. Document storage and access is a big part of an HOA website. A good rule of thumb is to review and update documents bi-monthly. Meeting minutes and financials should be published right away. 

Another issue that we often encounter is the lack of information on websites.  Again, think about how you look for information. If we can’t find what we are looking for, most of us are quick to become frustrated and look elsewhere.  Having the tools that make it easy for board members, committee members and HOA managers to publish information will help you ensure the right information is available at the right time. 

As with other areas in life, controlling clutter is key to success.  Websites that have that are bloated with old, outdated information are a sure way to drive away interest and traffic. Let’s face it.  It’s irritating when members log in to see announcements that are two years old, or newsletters from 2005. You don’t want your members to have to wade through tons of irrelevant data to get to the good stuff. Having a data retention policy and regular review of the website bi-monthly will help you keep your site fresh. 

Probably one of the biggest issues with some of our clients is under utilization of their HOA websites.  The tools are there and will help you be more successful.  Take advantage of the resources available to manage and track violations, create and re-use document templates, establish and maintain committees and customize their websites.

Remember, an effective HOA website is there to make your time more productive and save you money. Spend some time to learn how to optimize your tools and make them work for you!