How Property Managers Can Save 20+ Hours a Week With Automation Tools

April 26, 2025

Property managers often juggle dozens of tasks and endless emergencies, leaving them wishing for more hours in the day. Imagine getting back 20+ hours a week from your workload – it’s like adding two or three free workdays every month! With the right automation tools, this can become reality. By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining communication, busy property managers can reclaim their time and reduce stress.

At Holistc™, we’ve seen clients transform their operations with custom property management automation solutions. From tenant portals that handle inquiries 24/7 to software that automates maintenance scheduling, the potential time savings are huge. In this article, we’ll explore exactly how modern automation tools are helping property managers save hours, improve service, and even scale their business without burning out.

Why Property Management Is So Time-Consuming

If you’re a property manager, you know your to-do list is never-ending. Let’s break down where all those hours go:

Fielding Maintenance Requests: Coordinating repairs involves a lot of back-and-forth.
Tenant Questions & Communication: Answering the same questions repeatedly (rent due dates, etc.) takes up hours.
Rent Collection & Paperwork: Chasing late payments and updating records manually is tedious.
Leasing & Onboarding: Advertising vacancies, showing units, screening applicants, and preparing leases involve many steps.
Inspections & Compliance: Scheduling inspections and filing reports add more administrative work.

Each of these tasks by itself might be manageable, but together they can easily consume well beyond a 40-hour workweek. In fact, industry surveys have found that property managers spend up to 40% of their time on routine communications alone. That’s the bad news. The good news is these are exactly the kind of tasks you can automate (see our blog “5 Property Management Tasks You Can Automate to Save Time” for a deeper dive). Modern automation tools are now tackling these chores every day.

Automation Tools That Give Property Managers Their Time Back

Modern software solutions are a game-changer for property management. Here are some key areas where automation can save you hours every week:

Tenant Portals for Self-Service

Imagine tenants having a one-stop online portal where they can do everything from pay rent to log maintenance requests – without calling you. Tenant portals are exactly that. These portals empower renters to get information and help on their own schedule. Tenants can:

View their balance and pay rent online (with automatic receipts and late fee reminders).
Submit maintenance requests by filling out a quick form (and even attach photos of the issue).
Access FAQs and documents (lease agreements, community rules, etc.) anytime.

By implementing a tenant portal, property managers drastically cut down on phone calls and emails. No more driving to the bank with rent checks or playing phone tag about a leaky faucet. Everything is tracked and handled through the portal. For repetitive questions like “When is rent due?” or “What day is trash pickup?”, the portal provides answers instantly, so you’re not personally responding each time.

Example: One property management firm introduced a custom tenant portal for 200 units. Within a few months, their staff’s call volume dropped by 50%, and rent collection became nearly 100% on-time thanks to automated reminders. They saved roughly 10 hours per week that used to be spent answering routine questions and chasing payments.

Automated Maintenance Workflows

Maintenance issues are one of the biggest time sinks. Automation can streamline this from start to finish:

Tenants submit a request through the portal or a dedicated app; the request is automatically logged into the system.
The system immediately notifies the appropriate technician or vendor (based on issue type or property) via email or text, complete with the details provided by the tenant.
A work order is created and tracked. Both the tenant and the property manager can see status updates (e.g., “Plumber scheduled for Tuesday at 2 PM”).
Once the job is completed, the tenant gets an automated message to confirm the issue is resolved, and the ticket closes.

With such a system, property managers no longer need to act as the go-between for every maintenance issue. No more relaying messages between the tenant and the plumber – the software takes care of notifications and scheduling. You step in only if there’s an exception or approval needed.

Example: A tenant reports their heater is out via your portal. Your system automatically forwards the request to your HVAC contractor, who confirms an appointment online. The tenant gets notified instantly. You’re kept in the loop but didn’t have to make a single call. That one issue, handled hands-free, saved you at least an hour of coordination. Multiply that by all the maintenance requests in a week and it’s easy to see how you could save 20+ hours.

Streamlined Communication & Reminders

Effective communication is at the heart of property management, and it’s an area where automation truly shines. With landlord-tenant communication software, you can automate a lot of routine messaging:

Broadcast Announcements: Send one message through your system to reach all tenants at once (for maintenance notices, inspection schedules, etc.).
Automated Reminders: Have the system send rent due date notices, lease renewal reminders, or inspection notices automatically, so nothing is forgotten.
Chatbots for FAQs: An AI chatbot can answer common questions 24/7 (e.g., “What’s the pet policy?”), giving tenants instant answers and reducing your after-hours calls.

These tools ensure that communication is timely and nothing falls through the cracks. Tenants feel taken care of because they’re always informed. Meanwhile, you avoid drafting individual emails or making dozens of calls.

(We discuss more strategies for engaging tenants in our blog “Connecting with Renters: Modern Communication Tools for Property Managers”.) By leveraging such tools, one of our clients noted a significant uptick in tenant satisfaction – and far fewer late-night phone calls.

Integrating Your Rental Workflow End-to-End

Perhaps the most powerful impact comes from integrating all these pieces – creating a cohesive, automated rental property workflow. When your leasing, maintenance, and accounting systems all talk to each other, it eliminates duplicate work. For example:

When a new tenant application is approved, the system can automatically move their info into your database, generate a lease with fields pre-filled, and even schedule a welcome email with portal login instructions.
When a tenant gives move-out notice, the system can trigger a sequence: schedule the final inspection, list the unit as an upcoming vacancy on your website, and notify your marketing team.
Your software can alert you when a lease is 90 days from ending, so you can reach out about renewal (or start marketing if they’re not renewing).

By automating each step in the tenancy lifecycle, you’re not only saving time but also reducing errors. A well-integrated solution may involve combining a property management platform with custom add-ons built for your needs (Holistc™ often helps clients connect their various systems so everything works seamlessly).

Benefits of Automation: More Time, Happier Tenants, Healthier Business

We’ve talked a lot about saving hours, but the benefits of automation go beyond just time saved:

Time Savings & Scalability: With tedious tasks automated, you reclaim hours in your week (hello, weekends!) and one person can now manage far more units. In other words, you get a better work-life balance and the ability to grow your portfolio without missing a beat.
Improved Tenant Satisfaction: Faster fixes and proactive updates make tenants happier, so they’re more likely to renew and refer others. That means fewer complaints and more compliments.
Reduced Mistakes: Automated reminders and workflows mean important tasks (like inspections or lease renewals) aren’t forgotten or overlooked. The system keeps track of dates and details for you, preventing costly errors.

Implementing Automation in Your Property Management Business

Adopting automation might feel like a big leap, especially if you’re used to the “old-school” ways. But you can start small and build from there. Here’s a simple roadmap to begin:

Pinpoint Your Biggest Time-Wasters: Look at your daily tasks and identify what’s consuming the most time or causing the most headaches. Is it the deluge of maintenance coordination? Constant tenant inquiries? Pick one or two high-impact areas to tackle first.
Research Solutions or Partners: Once you know what you want to automate, find the tools that can do it. This could mean researching property management software with the features you need or talking to an expert. Holistc™ can evaluate your workflow and recommend or build software that fits perfectly (see our software delivery process for how we tailor solutions).
Start with a Pilot Program: Implement one automation tool at a time and test it out. Maybe roll out the tenant portal for one apartment complex first, or automate maintenance requests for a subset of properties. This lets you work out any kinks and get comfortable before expanding.
Train Your Team & Expand: Make sure your staff knows how to use the new system and sees the benefits. Also, introduce it to tenants in a positive way – for example, send a friendly email explaining the new portal and how it makes their lives easier. As you gain success with one process, expand automation to other tasks step by step. Over time, you’ll have an integrated, efficient operation where manual tasks are the exception, not the rule.

Remember, the goal is to work smarter, not harder. Even automating just one or two processes can make a noticeable difference.

The bottom line is that in today’s digital age, property managers don’t have to do it all manually. If you’ve ever felt like you’re drowning in phone calls, emails, and paperwork, it’s time to embrace a better way. Automation tools are like an extra pair of hands (or two) that handle the routine stuff, so you can focus on higher-level management and growth.

Holistc™ is here to help you on this journey. We specialize in combining industry-leading software with custom automation to create the perfect solution for your property management needs. Whether it’s setting up a robust tenant portal, integrating communication tools, or building a custom workflow app, we’ve got you covered.

It’s all within reach when you leverage the right technology. Contact us today to book a free strategy call and find out how Holistc™ can tailor an automation solution for you. Let’s work together to streamline your operations so you can focus on what matters most: providing great service and expanding your property portfolio.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I’m not very tech-savvy. Is property management automation hard to set up?

A: Modern property management software is designed to be user-friendly. Many platforms are cloud-based and offer guided setups. Plus, with a partner like Holistc™, you don’t have to go it alone – we handle the technical heavy lifting, from configuring the system to training your team. You’ll be surprised how intuitive these tools can be once things are up and running.

Q: Will my tenants actually use a tenant portal or other automation tools?

A: Most likely, yes! These days, people prefer the convenience of doing things online. Tenants are happy to pay rent or report issues through an app or website if it’s simple to use. The key is to introduce the portal and encourage its use – for example, by pointing out how easy it is compared to calling. (For more on boosting tenant tech adoption, check out our blog post “Connecting with Renters: Modern Communication Tools for Property Managers”.) Some tenants, especially younger ones, will jump at the chance. For those who are less tech-inclined, you can still accommodate them (they can call you and you log the request in the system), but over time even they often appreciate the quick results that automation brings.

Q: Can automation tools integrate with the software I’m already using?

A: In many cases, yes. A lot of property management systems can integrate with accounting software, CRM tools, landlord-tenant communication software, and other platforms via APIs or plugins. If you have existing software (like QuickBooks for accounting or a CRM for tracking leads), a custom integration might be possible so data flows smoothly between systems. Holistc™ frequently helps clients by connecting their existing tools or adding custom modules. The result is a more unified system where you don’t have to copy-paste data from one place to another.

Q: Is it expensive to implement these automation solutions?

A: It might cost less than you think, especially when you consider the time saved and mistakes avoided. Many off-the-shelf platforms charge a reasonable monthly fee per unit and include lots of automation features built-in. If you opt for a custom solution, it is a bigger upfront investment, but it’s designed exactly for your needs and can prevent you from having to hire additional staff. We always aim to make sure any solution pays for itself in efficiency gains. Holistc™ offers a free strategy call to help identify the most cost-effective approach for your situation.

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