Blog · Implementation

Enterprise software implementation: a roadmap for success at a multifamily company

Originally published November 2023

Enterprise software implementation is where most multifamily technology decisions actually succeed or fail. Selecting the right platform is just the beginning. The journey to effective integration can be fraught with challenges, particularly when the impact to stakeholders is significant and site-level turnover is high. This is a five-step playbook for rolling out enterprise technology so it sticks.

THE PROBLEM

Why do enterprise software rollouts fail?

Successful enterprise software implementation has become a defining factor for organizations seeking to stay competitive and efficient. However, selecting the right software is just the beginning. There are many reasons why companies might shy away from rolling out technologies where the impact to stakeholders is significant.

Add high turnover into the mix and it equates to an even greater need to focus on training and change management. In multifamily specifically, the people who use the system most are often the people most likely to have changed roles since the kickoff meeting. A rollout designed around a single training event assumes a workforce that stays put. The org chart rarely cooperates.

The pattern behind most stalled software implementations

Look closely at a rollout that never reached adoption and the same failures tend to appear. No one wrote down the problem the software was supposed to solve. The person accountable for the outcome was named after the contract was signed. The teams who had to change their daily routine were consulted last. None of those are technology problems. They are sequencing problems, and they are all fixable before a contract is signed.

Most failed rollouts are not failures of software. They are failures of ownership, sequence, and training.
STEPS ONE TO THREE

What are the first steps to implement software at a property management company?

The first three steps all happen before selection is final. They determine whether the organization is buying a solution or buying a project. Every enterprise software implementation that reaches adoption starts the same way: with a written problem, a named owner, and a room full of the people who will use the system.

01

Define the problem the software must solve

Every successful enterprise software implementation begins with a clear understanding of the problem it aims to solve. Multifamily operators must pinpoint specific pain points or challenges within their organizations that can be addressed through technology. A well-defined problem statement should articulate the challenge, its impact on the organization, and the desired outcomes.

For example, an operator might identify that inefficient property management processes are leading to higher operational costs and tenant dissatisfaction. By crystallizing this problem, the organization can focus on finding software that directly addresses these issues rather than shopping for features.

02

Name a champion for the solution

Once the problem is defined, identify a dedicated leader within the organization who can champion the solution. This should be someone who not only embraces new projects but ideally has some experience with technology adoption. Because this individual is instrumental in facilitating the software selection process, it is critical they are involved from the very beginning, rather than being brought in after selection has occurred.

Early involvement ensures a sense of ownership and buy-in from the start. The champion's role extends to presenting the software choice to the entire team and transparently explaining why the selection was made. That transparency fosters trust and ensures clarity about the software's value.

03

Form a working group

In multifamily real estate, software implementation often involves multiple teams and stakeholders from across the organization, so a collaborative selection process pays for itself. Form a working group with representatives from each team. The group collectively decides on a common purpose the chosen technology should serve for their respective teams, and actively participates in evaluating and ranking available options.

This approach promotes inclusivity and ensures the software selected aligns with the diverse needs of all teams and stakeholders. Accounting, operations, leasing, and maintenance rarely want the same thing from the same system.

STEPS FOUR & FIVE

How do you keep an enterprise software implementation on schedule?

The last two steps are about control. Without them, an implementation expands to fill whatever time it is given.

04

Establish SMART goals for implementation

To maintain control over the process, consider time boxing: setting specific, achievable targets and goals following the SMART framework — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Time boxing prevents unnecessary delays or distractions and allows for better resource allocation.

For instance, a SMART goal might be to reduce response times for tenant maintenance requests by 20% within the first six months of implementation. That goal is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It gives the implementation team clear guidance and gives leadership a defensible checkpoint.

05

Assess software performance and measure success

Enterprise software implementation is not merely about installing the system. It is about ensuring users are proficient in utilizing it to its full potential. Tracking and measuring both training and software performance are essential.

Regular assessments, ideally on a quarterly basis, enable management to identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments. This ongoing evaluation keeps everyone accountable and encourages continuous improvement in both software functionality and user proficiency. Consistent portfolio reporting makes that quarterly review a comparison of numbers rather than a comparison of opinions.

Writing an implementation goal the working group can actually hit

A useful implementation goal names the metric, the baseline, the target, and the date. “Improve maintenance response” is a wish. “Reduce response times for tenant maintenance requests by 20% within the first six months” is a goal, because a quarterly review can prove or disprove it. Set one goal per team represented in the working group rather than a single enterprise-wide number. Each group can then see its own progress and own its own gap.

AFTER GO-LIVE

What happens after the software is installed?

Go-live is the midpoint of an enterprise software implementation, not the end of one. Two things determine whether the investment holds its value in year two.

Software training that survives turnover

Because turnover is a constant in multifamily, training cannot be a single event tied to launch week. Treat onboarding to the system as part of onboarding to the role. That means recorded sessions, short role-specific guides, and a named person at each property who can answer a question without escalating it. The measure of good training is not attendance at launch. It is whether a new leasing agent hired two quarters later can complete the workflow correctly on their first attempt.

Data readiness, the hidden blocker in enterprise software implementation

Enterprise software delivers the outcomes in the problem statement only if the data flowing into it is consistent. In a portfolio running more than one property management system, the same charge code, unit status, or lease event can be represented several different ways. A new platform will faithfully reproduce that inconsistency at speed.

Sorting out extraction, mapping, and standardization through a defined ETL and standardization process before or alongside the rollout removes the most common reason a reporting-dependent implementation underdelivers. If you are scoping this work now, the questions that come up most often are collected in our implementation FAQ.

CONCLUSION

The cornerstones of an enterprise software implementation that lasts

Successful enterprise software implementation in multifamily real estate requires a strategic approach. Identifying the problem, appointing a dedicated champion, fostering a collaborative selection process, time boxing with SMART goals, and ensuring ongoing training and performance tracking are the crucial elements of that strategy.

Transparency, ownership, collaboration, and continuous improvement are the cornerstones of this journey. By prioritizing these elements, multifamily operators can effectively roll out new technology solutions across their organizations, ensuring a smooth transition and long-term success.

In an industry that thrives on innovation and efficiency, mastering the art of enterprise software implementation is not just a competitive advantage. It is a necessity. By understanding the importance of these elements and implementing them effectively, organizations can set themselves up for long-term success and position themselves as industry leaders.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

01
Why do enterprise software rollouts fail?

Most commonly because the organization treats selection as the finish line rather than the beginning of the rollout. When the problem to be solved was never written down, when the champion is appointed after the contract is signed, and when affected teams are consulted last, adoption stalls regardless of how good the product is. High staff turnover compounds the problem, which is why training and change management deserve as much planning as the software evaluation itself.

02
What are the steps to implement software at a property management company?

Define the problem to be solved, appoint a champion before selection begins, form a working group with representation from every affected team, set SMART goals and time box the work, then assess performance and training on a regular cadence. The order matters: the first three steps happen before a vendor is chosen, and the last two continue well past go-live. Quarterly assessment is what keeps the effort honest.

03
Who should own a software implementation?

A single dedicated leader inside the organization who embraces new projects and ideally has prior experience with technology adoption. That champion should be involved from the very beginning rather than handed the project after selection, because early involvement creates the ownership and buy-in the rollout runs on. Their responsibility includes presenting the choice to the team and explaining transparently why it was made.

Give a new system clean data to run on.

An implementation only delivers the outcome in its problem statement when the property data feeding it has been standardized across every system in the portfolio.

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