Change is a constant and HOA management is no exception. The great resignation, inflation, and remote work have all impacted our industry in significant ways. To unpack this wave of changes and their impact on management company success, we turned to an expert and friend of FRONTSTEPS, Diane Braswell. Diane is the CEO of Artemis Lifestyles Services and an executive with deep community management experience.
Here is what we learned…
Q: Diane, thank you for joining us. What’s important for readers to know about you and Artemis Lifestyles?
A: Well, let’s see. I’m relatively new to this position, taking the helm as CEO in January, but not new to the HOA industry at all. I’ve worked in the industry for over 15 years at this point. Artemis Lifestyles is an HOA management company that’s located in central Florida. We manage over 150 associations and have 3 office locations throughout Florida.
Q: What kinds of communities does Artemis Lifestyles serve?
A: Our associations range from small, single-family HOAs to large multi-thousand-unit resort-style communities that have really cool amenities, like lazy rivers, clubs, restaurants and more. So, we run the gamut there.
Q: Has Artemis Lifestyles experienced growth over the past few years?
A: While other industries have slowed down during the pandemic, we have seen growth. A lot of this has to do with the new residential development, as well as communities are looking because they’re home more. They’re spending more time in their community. They’re looking for something different with their management company. So that’s been great for us.
Q: How have you prepared or scaled your business for opportunities to take on new communities?
A: What we’ve done when we’re looking at this type of growth and new communities popping up is relying more on our tools, particularly. These tools help our team to be more efficient, so we can sustain this growth. Technology has enabled us to be more flexible, more efficient, and more transparent. This is what our communities are looking for.
Q: How has your relationship with homeowners evolved over time?
A: Now it’s about providing the information they need anytime, anywhere, on any device. This not only helps them know what’s going on in their community, but it also helps our team because it minimizes customer service calls. So, we’re looking for more integration between our systems. We’re looking for ways to get information to homeowners fast, such as through their FRONTSTEPS portals.
Q: How do you differentiate for homeowners?
A: We say, “love where you live,” and stand behind it. That means creating a whole lifestyle for them. Technology is part of that. Finding tech that works for all generations is key, as is bringing to different people what is important to them. Some people live on their phone, so a mobile app is essential. Others prefer a portal experience on their computer. We concentrate on bringing services and information to homeowners wherever they need it so they can see what is going on in their community.
Q: What is the most significant challenge that management companies currently faces?
A: I think everyone will agree that recruiting and staffing top the list. We live in the Great Resignation right now and we have felt it. Community association managers are difficult to find, and when you find them, you want to make sure that you keep them – as well as your support staff. We are very fortunate to have a great team at Artemis, but we work extremely hard to make sure team members are fulfilled in their work and home environments.
Want to hear more? Listen to Diane’s insights in this on-demand webinar, Accelerate Your Growth: Insights from Artemis Lifestyles Services
