Tag Archives: digital-marketing

Technological Proficiency In Community Association Management

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By Lydia Pelliccia and Matthew Green, CAE

We had the privilege of speaking with Candace Lewis, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, into this particular topic. She is the Director of Marketing for Cardinal Management Group, LLC, a privately held, locally founded firm in Woodbridge, VA.

It’s crucial for professionals in every industry to stay up to date on new technologies and the community association management profession is no different. Managers are embracing a variety of tools to improve efficiency, productivity, communication, resident satisfaction and better collaboration with Boards and business partners. From selecting the right device (phone, tablet, app, etc.) to choosing the appropriate software that suits their needs, these tools help make managers’ lives and jobs more rewarding. 

Technology in Action: Streamlining Processes, Maximizing Efficiency 

“There was a time when information about communities was kept in a binder and, as a manger, you had to lug that binder to meetings so you had the information you needed at your fingertips,” said Candace Lewis. CMCA, AMS, PCAM. “Now, having it digitally accessible on your phone, tablet or computer allows for easier access and searchability. Most documents have Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which makes finding specific language or keywords much easier in a litany of governing documents. For example, I was at an Architectural Review Committee appeal hearing with a Board of Directors questioning what the rule stated about the height of a retaining wall; I was able to quickly find the answer on my tablet. Instead of delaying their decision to the next meeting, the Board was able to quickly move forward.”

Candace further explains that tasks like violation reporting and tracking have significantly improved with technology. “Instead of using a clipboard, pen and paper to log violations, we now have community management software, such as CINC, SmartWebs or FrontSteps, that help managers efficiently handle these issues by quickly uploading photos while sending the violation notice in real-time,” said Candace.  “Homeowners receive an email about the violation and, in turn, more swiftly remedy the issue. Depending on the platform used, homeowners can also log-in to see their outstanding violations and any photos the manager has uploaded.”

Digitizing resales in HOAs helps modernize the process, making it faster, more efficient, and more transparent. It provides significant benefits in terms of operational efficiency, cost savings, enhanced communication, and compliance. Candace explains, “There was a time when a potential buyer had to wait for a large package of documentation to arrive in the mail before they could review the association’s governing documents, prior to moving to settlement. Hard copies required an individual in an office to print, organize and mail to the potential buyer. Now, services like CondoCerts, HomeWise and others offer a digital delivery of these documents making it less time consuming with minimal paperwork. “For both homeowners and managers, the transition to a digital system creates a smoother, more convenient experience while also improving the long-term management and oversight of the community,” added Candace.

The pandemic fueled the rise of virtual meetings and the use of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meeting platforms to host these events.  As a result, many Board and Annual Meetings are now hybrid or fully virtual. Further, what has also become an option for many managers is the opportunity to continue working remotely. “In the past, when homeowners or homeowner volunteers wanted to meet with us, we’d convene at the office or onsite,” said Candace. “Now, we can quickly arrange a virtual meeting, which is helpful when having difficult conversations that are easily misinterpreted via phone or email. In addition, regularly scheduled virtual team meetings have also enhanced collaboration and meaningful “in-person” dialogue.”

Artificial Intelligence Supporting Communications Efforts 

Candace offered one of the most popular uses of technology, as a manager, is the thoughtful use of AI platforms to help managers craft email responses, homeowner notices, newsletters, email blasts, requests for proposals, policy resolutions, bid comparisons, and more. “I use ChatGPT and Grammerly, like many others; however, some software companies have developed their own AI add-ons, such as MicroSoft’s Azure AI,” said Candace. “AI is also a great tool to use on most mobile devices when communicating with a homeowner whose first language is not English.”

Are there challenges in convincing homeowners to use newer technology? Absolutely. “Most people need another login credential like they need a crack in their foundation,” quipped Candace. “Urging anyone to download an app or create a new sign-in, isn’t always easy.”

Candace notes, more importantly, as data and operations go digital, cybersecurity becomes a critical concern. Managers must stay updated on best practices for protecting resident data and ensuring that functions such as online payment systems, communications channels and other digital tools are secure from breaches.

Staying abreast of new technology helps community association managers improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, enhance resident satisfaction, maintain compliance, and stay competitive in a changing market. “It’s not just about keeping up with trends – it’s about using technology to create a more streamlined, responsive, management approach,” said Candace.

Candace expressed that information about new technology is often in mainstream media; however, technology specific to community associations is best discovered at the CAI Annual Conference or local chapter conferences and expos. Additionally, she finds “ads and articles in CAI publications have been a great help in spreading the word about the many options available.”

Technological Proficiency In Community Association Management is the sixth in a series of articles, produced by CAMICB staff, that delve into the important issues and topics affecting community association managers. 

Lydia Pelliccia is a freelance writer. Matthew Green is executive director of Community Associations Managers International Certification Board.

Survey Says: Ethics Still Matter in Business

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The Darden Report The University of Virginia

By McGregor McCance

Does the stakeholder approach to business still matter in a climate dominated by raw, power-play decision-making?

Stakeholder proponents like Darden School of Business Professor Ed Freeman say the answer is yes, even as corporate executives pull back on commitments to workers and political leaders today enact massive changes that will deeply affect employees and other stakeholders.

“The opportunity for businesses to step up is huge,” Freeman said.

New research suggests that is exactly what people want.

A recent survey gauging what people expect from corporate America ranked ethical leadership as the No. 2 expectation people have for business. That result was up from the No. 7 spot last year.

Similarly, respondents listed the expectation that corporations “communicate transparently” rose to the No. 4 rank this year, from No. 12 the previous survey.

The No. 1 result: People expect and want fair, living wages.

The annual Americans’ Views on Business Survey, conducted by JUST Capital, is intended to identify what the public expects from business, what issues matter most, and where there are opportunities for business leadership.

JUST Capital was co-founded in 2014 by a group from business, finance and civil society who “believed that business and markets can and must be a greater force for good.” The founding members include investor Paul Tudor Jones II, who earned an economics degree from the University of Virginia.

Freeman, who collaborates regularly with JUST Capital, said this year’s survey results are not surprising, as they fit with a pattern of public sentiment for ethical, fair behavior toward employees and other stakeholders such as suppliers, communities and investors.

“If you ask American people what they want about their business, they want them to essentially create value for their stakeholders. That’s the short form of what this survey says,” Freeman said. “They place fair wages, dealing with customers in the right way, and ethics, at the top of the list. This isn’t some weird idea. It’s what people expect.”

Stakeholder capitalism is defined broadly as an approach to business in which a company or organization considers how its actions will affect all stakeholder groups, rather than fulfilling a responsibility only to shareholders. The approach urges consideration of employees, customers, suppliers, the community and the environment – as well as shareholders.

“The opportunity for businesses to step up is huge.”

ED FREEMAN, DARDEN PROFESSOR

Stakeholder capitalism or stakeholder theory have long been core to Darden’s curriculum and School values. Freeman, who has taught stakeholder theory and ethics at Darden since 1987, is credited with articulating the original stakeholder tenets in a business context in his 1984 book “Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach.”

JUST Capital said the latest survey results mirror sentiments expressed by voters in the November 2024 election cycle: “Americans are concerned about their economic well-being, about how they are treated as consumers, about being able to support their families. And they appear distrustful of institutions as they repeatedly call for increased transparency, corporate accountability and leadership.”

For Freeman, the results bolster Darden’s commitment to teaching responsible leadership, while giving corporate and government leaders more reason to think about how their decisions affect others.

“When the effects are not good, you’re partially responsible for that,” he said. “Stakeholders are responsible too, but you’re partially responsible for the effects of your actions. That’s just ethics 101.”

The survey’s top 10 issues that members of the public identify for business:

  1. Pays a fair, living wage
  2. Acts ethically at the leadership level
  3. Supports worker wellbeing
  4. Communicates transparently
  5. Provides benefits and work-life balance
  6. Supports workforce advancement and training
  7. Treats customers fairly
  8. Offers fair pricing
  9. Creates jobs in the U.S.
  10. Protects customer privacy

About the University of Virginia Darden School of Business

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences. Darden’s graduate degree programs (MBA, MSBA and Ph.D.) and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact. Darden’s top-ranked faculty, renowned for teaching excellence, inspires and shapes modern business leadership worldwide through research, thought leadership and business publishing. Darden has Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area and a global community that includes 18,000 alumni in 90 countries. Darden was established in 1955 at the University of Virginia, a top public university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Technological Proficiency In Community Association Management

Posted on by

By Lydia Pelliccia and Matthew Green, CAE

We had the privilege of speaking with Candace Lewis, CMCA, AMS, PCAM, into this particular topic. She is the Director of Marketing for Cardinal Management Group, LLC, a privately held, locally founded firm in Woodbridge, VA.

It’s crucial for professionals in every industry to stay up to date on new technologies and the community association management profession is no different. Managers are embracing a variety of tools to improve efficiency, productivity, communication, resident satisfaction and better collaboration with Boards and business partners. From selecting the right device (phone, tablet, app, etc.) to choosing the appropriate software that suits their needs, these tools help make managers’ lives and jobs more rewarding. 

Technology in Action: Streamlining Processes, Maximizing Efficiency 

“There was a time when information about communities was kept in a binder and, as a manger, you had to lug that binder to meetings so you had the information you needed at your fingertips,” said Candace Lewis. CMCA, AMS, PCAM. “Now, having it digitally accessible on your phone, tablet or computer allows for easier access and searchability. Most documents have Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which makes finding specific language or keywords much easier in a litany of governing documents. For example, I was at an Architectural Review Committee appeal hearing with a Board of Directors questioning what the rule stated about the height of a retaining wall; I was able to quickly find the answer on my tablet. Instead of delaying their decision to the next meeting, the Board was able to quickly move forward.”

Candace further explains that tasks like violation reporting and tracking have significantly improved with technology. “Instead of using a clipboard, pen and paper to log violations, we now have community management software, such as CINC, SmartWebs or FrontSteps, that help managers efficiently handle these issues by quickly uploading photos while sending the violation notice in real-time,” said Candace.  “Homeowners receive an email about the violation and, in turn, more swiftly remedy the issue. Depending on the platform used, homeowners can also log-in to see their outstanding violations and any photos the manager has uploaded.”

Digitizing resales in HOAs helps modernize the process, making it faster, more efficient, and more transparent. It provides significant benefits in terms of operational efficiency, cost savings, enhanced communication, and compliance. Candace explains, “There was a time when a potential buyer had to wait for a large package of documentation to arrive in the mail before they could review the association’s governing documents, prior to moving to settlement. Hard copies required an individual in an office to print, organize and mail to the potential buyer. Now, services like CondoCerts, HomeWise and others offer a digital delivery of these documents making it less time consuming with minimal paperwork. “For both homeowners and managers, the transition to a digital system creates a smoother, more convenient experience while also improving the long-term management and oversight of the community,” added Candace.

The pandemic fueled the rise of virtual meetings and the use of Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meeting platforms to host these events.  As a result, many Board and Annual Meetings are now hybrid or fully virtual. Further, what has also become an option for many managers is the opportunity to continue working remotely. “In the past, when homeowners or homeowner volunteers wanted to meet with us, we’d convene at the office or onsite,” said Candace. “Now, we can quickly arrange a virtual meeting, which is helpful when having difficult conversations that are easily misinterpreted via phone or email. In addition, regularly scheduled virtual team meetings have also enhanced collaboration and meaningful “in-person” dialogue.”

Artificial Intelligence Supporting Communications Efforts 

Candace offered one of the most popular uses of technology, as a manager, is the thoughtful use of AI platforms to help managers craft email responses, homeowner notices, newsletters, email blasts, requests for proposals, policy resolutions, bid comparisons, and more. “I use ChatGPT and Grammerly, like many others; however, some software companies have developed their own AI add-ons, such as MicroSoft’s Azure AI,” said Candace. “AI is also a great tool to use on most mobile devices when communicating with a homeowner whose first language is not English.”

Are there challenges in convincing homeowners to use newer technology? Absolutely. “Most people need another login credential like they need a crack in their foundation,” quipped Candace. “Urging anyone to download an app or create a new sign-in, isn’t always easy.”

Candace notes, more importantly, as data and operations go digital, cybersecurity becomes a critical concern. Managers must stay updated on best practices for protecting resident data and ensuring that functions such as online payment systems, communications channels and other digital tools are secure from breaches.

Staying abreast of new technology helps community association managers improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, enhance resident satisfaction, maintain compliance, and stay competitive in a changing market. “It’s not just about keeping up with trends – it’s about using technology to create a more streamlined, responsive, management approach,” said Candace.

Candace expressed that information about new technology is often in mainstream media; however, technology specific to community associations is best discovered at the CAI Annual Conference or local chapter conferences and expos. Additionally, she finds “ads and articles in CAI publications have been a great help in spreading the word about the many options available.”

Technological Proficiency In Community Association Management is the sixth in a series of articles, produced by CAMICB staff, that delve into the important issues and topics affecting community association managers. 

Lydia Pelliccia is a freelance writer. Matthew Green is executive director of Community Associations Managers International Certification Board.

Survey Says: Ethics Still Matter in Business

Posted on by

The Darden Report The University of Virginia

By McGregor McCance

Does the stakeholder approach to business still matter in a climate dominated by raw, power-play decision-making?

Stakeholder proponents like Darden School of Business Professor Ed Freeman say the answer is yes, even as corporate executives pull back on commitments to workers and political leaders today enact massive changes that will deeply affect employees and other stakeholders.

“The opportunity for businesses to step up is huge,” Freeman said.

New research suggests that is exactly what people want.

A recent survey gauging what people expect from corporate America ranked ethical leadership as the No. 2 expectation people have for business. That result was up from the No. 7 spot last year.

Similarly, respondents listed the expectation that corporations “communicate transparently” rose to the No. 4 rank this year, from No. 12 the previous survey.

The No. 1 result: People expect and want fair, living wages.

The annual Americans’ Views on Business Survey, conducted by JUST Capital, is intended to identify what the public expects from business, what issues matter most, and where there are opportunities for business leadership.

JUST Capital was co-founded in 2014 by a group from business, finance and civil society who “believed that business and markets can and must be a greater force for good.” The founding members include investor Paul Tudor Jones II, who earned an economics degree from the University of Virginia.

Freeman, who collaborates regularly with JUST Capital, said this year’s survey results are not surprising, as they fit with a pattern of public sentiment for ethical, fair behavior toward employees and other stakeholders such as suppliers, communities and investors.

“If you ask American people what they want about their business, they want them to essentially create value for their stakeholders. That’s the short form of what this survey says,” Freeman said. “They place fair wages, dealing with customers in the right way, and ethics, at the top of the list. This isn’t some weird idea. It’s what people expect.”

Stakeholder capitalism is defined broadly as an approach to business in which a company or organization considers how its actions will affect all stakeholder groups, rather than fulfilling a responsibility only to shareholders. The approach urges consideration of employees, customers, suppliers, the community and the environment – as well as shareholders.

“The opportunity for businesses to step up is huge.”

ED FREEMAN, DARDEN PROFESSOR

Stakeholder capitalism or stakeholder theory have long been core to Darden’s curriculum and School values. Freeman, who has taught stakeholder theory and ethics at Darden since 1987, is credited with articulating the original stakeholder tenets in a business context in his 1984 book “Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Approach.”

JUST Capital said the latest survey results mirror sentiments expressed by voters in the November 2024 election cycle: “Americans are concerned about their economic well-being, about how they are treated as consumers, about being able to support their families. And they appear distrustful of institutions as they repeatedly call for increased transparency, corporate accountability and leadership.”

For Freeman, the results bolster Darden’s commitment to teaching responsible leadership, while giving corporate and government leaders more reason to think about how their decisions affect others.

“When the effects are not good, you’re partially responsible for that,” he said. “Stakeholders are responsible too, but you’re partially responsible for the effects of your actions. That’s just ethics 101.”

The survey’s top 10 issues that members of the public identify for business:

  1. Pays a fair, living wage
  2. Acts ethically at the leadership level
  3. Supports worker wellbeing
  4. Communicates transparently
  5. Provides benefits and work-life balance
  6. Supports workforce advancement and training
  7. Treats customers fairly
  8. Offers fair pricing
  9. Creates jobs in the U.S.
  10. Protects customer privacy

About the University of Virginia Darden School of Business

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business prepares responsible global leaders through unparalleled transformational learning experiences. Darden’s graduate degree programs (MBA, MSBA and Ph.D.) and Executive Education & Lifelong Learning programs offered by the Darden School Foundation set the stage for a lifetime of career advancement and impact. Darden’s top-ranked faculty, renowned for teaching excellence, inspires and shapes modern business leadership worldwide through research, thought leadership and business publishing. Darden has Grounds in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the Washington, D.C., area and a global community that includes 18,000 alumni in 90 countries. Darden was established in 1955 at the University of Virginia, a top public university founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

5 ways AI can create stronger teams

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Jotform CEO Aytekin Tank highlights an AI-powered pathway towards more productive and more creative teams

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • The question is no longer whether you adopt AI — it’s how smartly you integrate it into your business processes. 
  • Today’s AI tools can be used to radically transform meetings for the better. 
  • In the brainstorming arena, AI tools can help your team generate a larger, richer idea pool.

Throughout time, technology has empowered humans to boost their productivity. The wheel, likely invented around 3500 BCE, began as a potter’s tool but soon revolutionized transportation. With rudimentary wheelbarrows, people could haul crops more efficiently, freeing time for other activities — like inventing the earliest writing systems. Today’s tech is light years more sophisticated, but the idea is the same: less input, more output.

AI is the latest disruptive technology sending ripples across industries. Just as the wheel transformed transportation and agriculture, AI is reimagining the way teams work — and AI is becoming more accessible every day. The Economist recently estimated that 80% of organizations in the U.S. and China already rely on AI daily. For companies, the question is no longer whether you adopt AI — it’s how smartly you integrate it into your business processes.

Throughout time, technology has empowered humans to boost their productivity. The wheel, likely invented around 3500 BCE, began as a potter’s tool but soon revolutionized transportation. With rudimentary wheelbarrows, people could haul crops more efficiently, freeing time for other activities — like inventing the earliest writing systems. Today’s tech is light years more sophisticated, but the idea is the same: less input, more output.

AI is the latest disruptive technology sending ripples across industries. Just as the wheel transformed transportation and agriculture, AI is reimagining the way teams work — and AI is becoming more accessible every day. The Economist recently estimated that 80% of organizations in the U.S. and China already rely on AI daily. For companies, the question is no longer whether you adopt AI — it’s how smartly you integrate it into your business proc

Research shows that AI tools like ChatGPT facilitate faster, better teamwork — 12.2% more tasks completed; 25.1% faster task completion; and 40% higher quality work. At Jotform, we aim to leverage AI to help our teams reallocate their energy to more meaningful collaboration, not just more busywork — to accomplish more tasks that move the needle, rather than just ticking items off a to-do list for the sake of staying busy.

Here are five ways AI can help teams work smarter, collaborate better, and achieve more together.

#1 High impact meetings

Essential for collaboration but potentially hazardous time vacuums, meetings can be a double-edged sword. It’s tricky to pinpoint exactly how much time we spend in meetings, but research suggests that knowledge workers are inundated with them. That’s why we have an explicit policy of scheduling only essential meetings. If another format can accomplish the same goal — whether it’s a phone call or asynchronous communication — we choose that. When we do have meetings, we use AI to maximize utility and efficiency.

Today’s tools go well beyond AI-powered note-taking apps (although we use those, too). AI tools can also coordinate schedules, recommend prime meeting times (based on participants’ typical energy levels), and generate meeting summaries, action items, and roles and responsibilities to be distributed to participants. Copilot on Teams summarizes key discussion points. For its part, Zoom’s “AI companion” can help late arrivals easily get up to speed. It’s clear that teamwork platforms understand the needs of today’s most successful teams and are offering a growing range of AI capabilities to meet and exceed those expectations.

By letting AI handle administrative tasks, from the routine to the redundant, team members can fully focus on the substance of the meeting itself. That’s when we come up with our best, most innovative ideas.

#2 More balanced participation

As CEO for nearly two decades, I’ve grown accustomed to leading our all-hands meetings, sometimes with hundreds of participants spanning 6 continents. But having always been on the more introverted side of the spectrum, I can still recall past roles when speaking up during meetings was not my biggest strength.

As much as they enhance collaboration, meetings have the unfortunate effect of prioritizing the communications of more outspoken participants. This not only puts introverts at a disadvantage (despite recent research suggesting introverts often make better leaders), but it also worsens the quality of your discussions. Simply put, in order to take advantage of the potential creative and intellectual synergy of multiple minds coming together, all voices must be heard. AI tools can help level the playing field.

AI-powered tools like Read AI analyze various aspects of meeting participants’ behavior, like engagement and sentiment.

AI-powered tools like Read AI analyze various aspects of meeting participants’ behavior, like engagement and sentiment, and then can provide feedback on cultivating more balanced and engaged participation. With metrics like speaking time, the tool can offer insight into who contributes the most and who may need more gentle encouragement to share their perspective. If I, as a leader, realize that I’m dominating the discourse, I might make a point to listen more and speak less during the next meeting. These AI tools help foster a diversity of opinions and ensure meetings are both inclusive and productive.

#3 Seamless project management

I remember the days of keeping track of group projects on bulky whiteboards — a hasty eraser swipe could leave the team in a panic. Nowadays, team projects have largely moved to the cloud, where they’re less vulnerable to whiteboard erasers. AI-powered features have only enhanced team project management, automating routine tasks and protecting team members’ peace of mind — no need to worry about essential items slipping through the cracks.

Platforms like Asana and monday.com can enhance productivity by automating administrative items like assigning due dates and sending reminders, and providing insights on project progress. Asana can offer rolling deadline suggestions based on project timelines. For its part, monday.com can analyze workload patterns to make recommendations on how to automate team workflows.

One of the benefits of AI-powered task management is seamlessly keeping everyone aligned and moving toward the same goal. For example, if an AI task management assistant detects that a project is falling behind, it can automatically reallocate resources or adjust timelines to prevent delays. Utilizing these features is like adding an AI member to your team, to manage all of the essential, less visible parts of project execution with minimal human input.

#4 Sharpened creativity

When we think about AI in the context of teamwork, we tend to focus on the administrative benefits. But it can also facilitate more creative thinking, unlocking the key to innovation.

Wharton professor Christian Terwiesch, who pitted humans against ChatGPT to see which group could come up with better product ideas (spoiler alert: AI generated better ideas and faster), put it best: using AI to generate ideas is a no-brainer. Terwiesch explained, “Worst case is you reject all of the ideas and run with your own. But our research speaks strongly to the fact that your idea pool will get better.”

When brainstorming, AI tools can help your team generate a larger, richer idea pool.

When brainstorming, AI tools like ChatGPT can help your team generate a larger, richer idea pool. Then, they can choose the best idea and have a strong jumping off point. When creating content — be it a blog post, a newsletter, or an engaging social media caption — enlisting ChatGPT’s help can ensure your team doesn’t waste any time getting started. With the right prompt, an LLM can churn out a first draft, leaving your team with more time to fine-tune the details.

In short: there’s no reason not to use AI to supercharge your creativity.

#5 Recruiting top talent

Finally, when building your dream teams, AI can be a powerful asset in the recruiting process, making it more, rather than less, human. Studies have shown that recruiters can save up to 40% of their time by outsourcing routine, repetitive tasks to AI — like searching resumes for keywords or generating compelling job descriptions. Then, hiring teams can spend more time in the actual interviews with candidates, getting to know them and feeling out whether they’re a great fit for the team and the company culture.

Hiring is one of the tasks that I never fully delegate — to humans or AI tools. I like to meet our potential hires and understand their motivations; what they hope to bring to the team, what they hope to achieve, and how that aligns with our business’s needs. I’ve learned certain qualities are impossible to communicate in a resume or a questionnaire, which is why face-to-face conversations (even through a screen) are essential during recruitment. AI tools give me and my team the ability to fully show up for those conversations, and build stronger teams for our company.