February 10, 2023
Kicked from Your Utility Billing Service? Switch to a Tech-Agnostic Provider
Did your property management company (or property portfolio) recently get booted from a utility billing service for not using their preferred property management tech stack? If so, read on to learn more about the importance of a technology-agnostic approach to utility billing.
We’ve noticed some utility billing providers ceasing services for property management groups and property investment portfolios that are not using a preferred property management software platform.
This type of consolidation is not surprising given how property management software providers are either buying utility billing service providers or adding billing capabilities to their offering.
Nonetheless, these moves to consolidate create huge headaches for property management groups and investment portfolios that already have a preferred tech stack and go to a utility billing service strictly for utility billing.
The good news is there is a solution: A technology-agnostic utility billing service provider. The better news is that it’s a much better solution for utility billing. But before we go there, let’s explain what we’re talking about.
What Does “Technology-Agnostic” Mean?
A technology-agnostic approach refers to a business that utilizes or allows customers to utilize a wide variety of technologies. In the case of a utility billing company, this means not requiring your company to be on a certain property management software to work with your properties’.
How Is Technology-Agnostic Utility Billing Better?
You already understand the value of a utility billing system and its ability to help you reduce risk, improve NOI, and recover the cost of utilities each month. Working with a service provider that has no allegiance to any one property management platform only enhances that value.
Here are a few of the benefits of working with a tech-agnostic partner.
Benefit #1: Easier On-Boarding and Implementation
It makes on-boarding and working with a new utility billing provider much easier. Your company won’t have to change any processes or workflows that work for you. A technology-agnostic utility billing service partner can slot right in – saving your company time, money, and hassle.
Benefit #2: A More Knowledgeable Provider
A tech-agnostic utility billing provider is much more flexible and knowledgeable. Multifamily properties are unique. That means utility billing systems should ideally be built to fit the unique specifications of each building. A tech-agnostic provider will have a wider range of knowledge to pull from when building out and optimizing a utility billing system to fit your properties and workflows.
Benefit #3: Better Service
Tech-agnostic utility billing providers tend to be more focused on the customer – not the technology they use. The services you receive from a technology-agnostic provider will be more flexible, bespoke and solution-oriented. Because, at the end of the day, a utility billing provider that only works with one property management stack will always be limited to the capabilities of that stack.
Conclusion: Find a Technology-Agnostic Billing Provider ASAP
It’s never good when a service provider forces you into a corner. Although it may seem like tough decisions lie ahead, you have a clear path forward. Find a tech-agnostic utility billing partner; someone with no allegiance to any one property management software platform or preferred tech stack.
A tech-agnostic utility billing partner will not only help supplement and enhance your current utility billing workflows – they’ll also be far more committed to finding opportunities for cost recovery and optimization. And all while taking utility billing tasks completely off the plate of your staff.
If your utility billing service has been cut for not using a preferred management platform, talk to Synergy today. No matter what property management software you run, we will fit right in to help you with your utility billing system and process.