307: Work Order Procedures for Managers

OVERVIEW

Community Care is designed to be the first point of contact for all incoming calls.  In addition to answering general association and account questions, Community Care is responsible for opening work orders for service and maintenance calls/web requests and dispatching vendors.

Community Care handles the following work order related tasks:

• Incoming work order requests from homeowners/residents/tenants (calls/emails/Resident Portal),
• Incoming work order requests from managers or manager assistants  (calls/emails/Action Lists through SNAPHOA APP),
• Work order follow ups and requests to close out.

COMMUNITYCARE, AND WORKORDERUPDATES EMAILS

Two Email inboxes have been created to allow Managers, Owners/Residents, and Vendors to communicate with Community Care via email.

• • CommunityCare@actionlife.com is the email we use internally and externally. This inbox is where all new work order requests come into and any other requests such as for billing, access, parking, etc. Additionally, work order requests submitted by owners/residents through the Resident Portal website by homeowners/residents are also routed here
•  Workorderupdates@actionlife.com is the inbox used for existing work orders ONLY.

Each are defined and explained below.

Definitions

1. CommunityCare@actionlife.com – Rush requests will be processed same day or within 4 hours. Non-urgent requests are typically handled within 2-5 business days.
   • Rush Requests: Vendor will be sent asap. The Rush work order will be opened, emailed (depending on profile instructions), and called into the vendor for confirmation of receipt after emailing and for dispatch.  Follow up on “Rush” priority work orders will occur every 1-2 business days. See SOP 306.
     • Any urgent, property threatening, or safety emergency that requires immediate attention MUST BE CALLED IN TO COMMUNITY CARE (EXT. 2030). An email to CommunityCare may also be sent containing the details, but a phone call is also necessary.  These requests will be handled immediately according to the manager’s specific instructions.
2. Workorderupdates@actionlife.com – Updates are normally handled within 24 hours. All work order updates should be communicated by replying to the email/ticket sent to you or by adding an internal note to the ticket in Zendesk. 

Community Care Reps must check the bullhorn color and check the HOA profile before opening a work order and before every follow up to see if there are any special instructions for work orders.

When a work order is being sent, we are to email the work order to a vendor ONLY if there is a specific email listed that says it’s for work orders. If there is no email address that says is for work orders or if there is any other email address listed but it does not say it’s for work orders, we MUST DEFAULT TO CALLING INTO THE VENDOR.

• When you call the vendor, you can always ask if they have an email address we can use for work orders and if there is, email it to your supervisor so it can be added to the profile.
• For follow ups when there is no email listed specifically for work orders, we must always CALL the vendor to get an update.
• Sometimes there are email addresses listed on the profile for a vendor, but unless they are specifically marked for work order use they should not be used to send or follow up on work orders.

Bids

• After a work order has been sent and a bid is received from a vendor, Community Care will document the bid information in the work order, add the bid to the attachments for the work order, and will email the bid and corresponding work order to the Manager.
  1. Manager will respond to Community Care with approval or the estimated decision date (next Board Meeting or estimated date if requires Action Without a Meeting).
  2. Community Care will contact homeowner/resident and continue follow up efforts accordingly. (See 306 Follow Up for more information on the follow up process)
• If it becomes necessary to obtain additional bids, the Manager must use the standard bid process and request bids through the Manager’s Assistant.
  1. Community Care shall be notified that the Board has “gone to bid” so Community Care can update the work order and homeowner/resident as well as reassign the work order to “Manager” until a decision is reached. Managers must always provide an estimated decision date so that the follow up date can be set accordingly and the homeowner/resident can be notified.
  2. Community Care will continue follow up efforts accordingly. (See 306 Follow Up.doc for more information on the follow up process)
• Bid approvals:
  1. If the MANAGER approves the bid and NO signed contract is necessary:
     • The Manager can email Work Order Updates if there is already a work order already opened for the work or they can email CommunityCare@ if a work order approving the work needs to be opened.
     • Community Care/ Work Order Specialist Team will update the work order, add the bid to the attachments for the work order, send the update to the vendor, and contact homeowner/resident (as applicable) to provide update.
     • Bid approvals for rush leak/remediation priority work orders require that Community Care call the vendor to confirm receipt of the updated work order and approval.
  2. If the BOARD approves the bid and signs the bid/contract:
     • The Manager will provide the signed contract to the Manager’s Assistant for faxing to the vendor.
     • The Manager will email Work Order Updates if a work order is already opened or CommunityCare@ if a work order is not already open. Manager to provide approval details, “On <date> the Board approved proposal from <Vendor Name> in the amount of <$.00>”.  If there is a bid number, we must include that information.
     • Community Care/ Work Order Specialist Team will update the work order, attach the signed bid/contract to the work order, send the update to the vendor and contact homeowner/resident (as applicable) to provide update.
     • Bid approvals for rush leak/remediation priority work orders require that Community Care call the vendor to confirm receipt of the updated work order and approval.
  3. In addition, all signed contracts:
     • Manager to scan and save all signed bids/contracts to H drive (Manager/Manager’s Assistant)
     • As appropriate, Manager to send bid accept letter to vendor (mail/fax/email) (Manager/Manager’s Assistant)
  4. Community Care will continue follow up efforts accordingly.
• If a bid is denied or indefinitely tabled by the Board, the Manager will call the homeowner/resident to explain the Board decision or a letter gets sent to the homeowner/resident. In addition, the manager should reply to WOU or update the ticket with the denial information, “On <date> the Board denied the proposal from <Vendor Name> for <reason>.  Please close work order.”
  • Community Care will update the work order with the Board’s decision and close the work order. Community Care does not contact homeowners/residents to relay this information as this is the Manager’s responsibility.
  • Any item that needs to remain on the Manager’s radar for future action should be added to the Manager’s Action List.

Work Order Follow-Up  (Please also see 306 Follow Up for more information)

• Work orders will remain open until the work is complete or a denial is received from the Board.
• Community Care begins follow up on Normal Work Orders five (5) business days after the work order was opened.
  • Initial follow up begins with the Vendor or Manager (depending on who the work order is assigned to). Updates from Vendors/Managers are entered into the work order.
    • If the work order was generated by a resident, Community Care contacts the resident within 5-8 business days of the open date.
    • If we’ve received a response from the Vendor/Manager that the work was completed, we advise the resident that we’ve been notified the issue was addressed and are closing the work order. If they have questions they may call our office.  The work order is then closed.
    • If we have not heard back from the Vendor/Manager, we advise the resident that we have contacted the Vendor/Manager but we want to touch base with the resident to confirm if the matter has been resolved.
    • Residents must be contacted within 5 – 8 business  days of the open date regardless of our contact with the assigned Vendor/Manager.
    • If the work order was generated by Manager, the work order will be closed upon Vendor notification of completion. No update to the Manager is required unless the work order specifically requests it.
    • If a Vendor/Manager does not respond to update requests, the work order will be escalated for assistance.  Please see SOP 306 for the correct escalation procedures.
  • Community Care continues follow up every 5 business days thereafter until a status is received.
• Rush Work Orders:
  • Community Care begins follow up on Rush work orders 24 hours after the work order was opened.
    • Initial follow up begins with the Vendor/Manager. Updates from Vendors/Managers are entered into the work order.
      • If we’ve received a response from the Vendor or Manager (depending on who the work order is assigned to) that the work was completed, we advise the resident that we’ve been notified the issue was addressed and are closing the work order. If they have questions they may call our office.  The work order is then closed.
      • If the work order was generated by a resident, Community Care contacts the resident within 24 hours of the open date to ensure the matter has been resolved.
      • If the matter is no longer urgent (running water has been stopped, gone to bid, parts on order, etc) but there is still work to be done, the work order will be changed to a Normal status.
      • If we have not heard back from the Vendor/Manager, we advise the resident that we have contacted the Vendor/Manager but we want to touch base with the resident to confirm if the matter has been resolved.
      • If the work order was generated by Manager, the work order will be closed upon Vendor notification of completion.  No update to the Manager is required unless the work order specifically requests it.
      • If a Vendor/Manager does not respond to update requests, the work order will be escalated for assistance.  Please see SOP 306 for the correct escalation procedures.
  • Community Care continues follow up every 2 business days thereafter until a status is received.
  • Community Care will escalate the follow up request to the Senior Manager if we have not received a response after 2 attempts.  See SOP 306.
• Manager updates Report should include:
  • A date or timeline so Community Care can update the work order accordingly.  Community Care will provide the information to the resident and support the Manager by following up shortly thereafter if we have not received an update.
  • Managers to write their name on the first page, top of report so the report can be returned to the Manager when all updates are complete.
• See 306 Follow Up for more information.

Manager approvals when out of office

1. Community Care will call or zoom message a Manager at “Home” or during property inspections (per EIO) for emergency approvals only. Managers shall not be contacted by phone while on vacation, sick, or on leave.
   • Emergency work orders will be issued based on profile guidelines.
   • Managers will be contacted by cell phone when they are not in the office for emergency approvals when the matter is a property threatening emergency or life/safety issue that requires immediate action (active running water, fire, gate open, remediation, etc).  The amount that needs to be approved and the brief description of the scope of work will need to be relayed to the Manager in order for the Manager to be able to approve it.
   • If the Manager does not answer, a message will be left with the following information and it will be escalated to the Regional Manager:
     1. Agent name
     2. Address or Location
     3. Association Name
     4. Nature of issue (Including the approval amount needed)
     5. Escalating to Senior Manager
        • “Hi Monica, this is Allison calling from Corporate.  We have a slab leak out at 123 Leaky Lane at ABC Community.  The plumber is onsite and needs approval for $_____ to address the issue.  Since I was unable to reach you, I will escalate to your Regional Manager but wanted you to be aware.”
     6. If the Regional Manager is unavailable try to obtain approval from another Regional Manager
     7. Alert the Community Care Department Lead or Department Manager if Manager/Regional Managers are not available for decision.

Calls to Board/Committee Members

Some associations require special handling and have instructions to contact a Board Member and/or Manager for approval before work orders are issued.  If the matter is of an urgent nature, property threatening or life/safety issue, Community Care will open the work order, dispatch the association vendor and will contact the Manager via email and phone.  Only in emergency situations will Community Care make approval calls to Board Members.  This is normally the responsibility of the Manager.

If the matter is a routine maintenance item, again with special instructions, the work order will be opened and emailed to Manager for direction.  The Committee Members and/or Boards will be contacted  by the Manager.