Andrew's Ancillary Advice

When negotiating an agreement, don’t just look at the dollars received or spent…

Review existing agreements to see if you have any leverage…

An important tip for when you are negotiating an agreement.

What to do if you cannot locate a copy of an agreement.

By reducing the number of providers you should be able to get better pricing, improved customer service as well as many other benefits.

Outsourcing can be a very efficient and cost effective solution to some of your biggest headaches.

Using the matrix created in Step 1:  Getting a Handle on Your Agreements, see if any of your communities are not offering a service or amenity that you believe would be beneficial. 

Are you considering installing a Bulk Internet service or add any other “amenity fee” on a property within the next 12 months? If so, read this tip.

The next step is to see if you have the same service or amenity expiring this year on multiple properties.

For every agreement signed, you should designate someone that is responsible
for overseeing, managing and making sure that the provider is living up to their
end of the deal.

Start by getting copies of all your amenity and service contracts.  Create a matrix that will allow you to sort and track them by property, by provider, and by expiration date.

In Part 2 of Steps to a Successful Amenity & Ancillary Service Program, Andrew discusses the importance of analyzing your agreements. Implementing an effective Ancillary Services program requires more than just a casual glance each year or two at the services and revenue they generate.