Maintenance is an integral part of a multifamily community’s on-site team. While it historically has been a pain point for the industry, technology is beginning to change that.
“The next frontier for maintenance technology is further centralization, data visualization, and predictive insight. As platforms consolidate work orders, inspection, and asset data, artificial intelligence will begin identifying patterns that help optimize staffing, prevent failures, and guide capital decisions,” says Rick Holcomb, a senior capital and facilities management leader at Willow Bridge Property Co. “This will enable teams to operate more efficiently, and it’s at that point that maintenance technology becomes truly transformational.”
Holcomb shares how technology is redefining the maintenance role—and where it’s headed next.
Five years ago, what did a typical day look like for an on-site maintenance manager or service technician? What does it look like today?
The typical maintenance day was still heavily manual five years ago. Work orders were often printed or managed through basic systems that required administrative input. Communication between the resident, leasing office, and maintenance team was often fragmented, and technicians were spending too much time tracking information rather than solving problems.
Today, there is a real opportunity to replace many of those manual and recurring tasks with technology. The industry now has access to platforms that can automatically route work orders, prioritize tasks, and surface asset history. These platforms can also reduce redundant data entry while providing leaders with immediate visibility into data and KPIs.
The goal is efficiency, but it’s equally about unburdening the team so they can focus on what matters most, including engaging with residents, mentoring fellow technicians, completing repairs faster, and ultimately improving productivity and job satisfaction.
Are maintenance teams spending more time completing work orders or more time managing systems?
Not all technologies have been fully effective yet. The intent is to help teams spend more time completing work orders and resident service requests, but less sophisticated systems without integrated automation still require teams to focus on managing software rather than completing the work itself.
The industry has an opportunity to improve in this area. Some platforms still require a significant amount of administrative interaction, which limits efficiency in the field. The best systems simplify the workflow so technicians can receive tasks, access information, complete documentation quickly, and move on to the next job with minimal friction. Technology should help support the work, not become the work.
What parts of the maintenance job have disappeared? What new responsibilities have emerged?
We are seeing the gradual removal of inefficient manual processes. Things like handwritten notes, paper logs, manual tracking spreadsheets, and redundant reporting are disappearing.
In their place, maintenance professionals now work in a technology-enabled environment where they interact with mobile applications, digital diagnostics, smart-home devices, and asset management systems. Technicians are increasingly becoming technology-enabled problem solvers, blending traditional mechanical skills with digital tools.
Has the role become more strategic—or more technical?
It has become both. Technology allows technicians to be more technically efficient because they have access to information like service history, troubleshooting guidance, and asset data. At the same time, maintenance leaders can operate more strategically because they can see trends in work orders, equipment failures, spending, and preventative maintenance.
So, technology is creating a separation of value. Technicians are empowered to fix more problems faster, and leaders are empowered to make better long-term decisions about assets and capital investment.
Are maintenance teams now acting as support for residents and for corporate platforms?
Maintenance teams today support both the resident experience and the corporate technology ecosystem.
This works very well when systems are consolidated and integrated. When platforms are unified, teams can operate efficiently and focus on service delivery. However, when systems are fragmented, with multiple logins and poor integrations, it creates frustration and administrative burden. Seamless integration is becoming one of the most important priorities in maintenance technology.
Are you hiring maintenance team members differently today because of technology requirements?
Technical skill with HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems will always be essential, but today we are also looking for individuals who are comfortable working with mobile applications, digital workflows, and smart-home systems. Computer literacy and adaptability are becoming core attributes. Leading operators have already begun incorporating this into their hiring process.
Maintenance professionals today operate at the intersection of mechanical expertise and digital systems, and hiring is evolving to reflect that.
Is technology adoption affecting on-site maintenance staff retention?
When technology works well, it improves retention. Platforms that simplify workflows, reduce administrative tasks, and provide better visibility into work actually reduce stress and improve job satisfaction. A great example is remote troubleshooting. Technicians are now able to connect with a resident through video to diagnose or resolve an issue without dispatching a technician for an on-site visit late at night or on the weekend.
However, poorly implemented or incomplete systems can have the opposite effect. If technology is unreliable or complicated, it increases frustration and contributes to burnout. The quality of the technology experience matters tremendously.