The Maintenance Problem
Maintenance teams are under-resourced across the industry.Staffing shortages are driving delays in work orders, unit turns, and capital upkeep.
This isn’t an isolated issue—it’s systemic.Operators are relying on outdated models that no longer reflect the scale or complexity of modern portfolios. The result is rising resident churn, missed financial targets, and operational burnout.
The 1:100 Math: What’s Driving It
The “1 tech per 100 units” rule isn’t a benchmark—the rule of thumb is based on a supply standard that's largely grounded in an onsite approach to maintenance.Let’s break down the work 300 units demand:- 6 work orders per unit/ year = 1,800 work orders
- 50% turnover = 150 unit turns
- Unit turns average 16 hours = 2,400 hours
- Work orders (2 trips × 45 min) = 2,700 hours
- Guest interaction
- Cleaning and grounds keeping
- Repeat supply trips
- Half-done jobs broken by interruption
Demand Is Up. Techs Are Down. Going Without Isn’t Working.
Increased demand + lower supply = operational risk.Yet many operators are still choosing to “go without”—leaving roles unfilled and shifting budgets to temporary solutions like rent concessions, vendor bursts, or marketing spikes.RealPage projects 500,000 units will come online in 2025.At a 1:100 ratio, we’d need 5,000 new techs. That workforce doesn’t exist.Meanwhile, SLA targets remain at 48 hours for non-critical issues, yet average work order age sits at 17 days. Pencilling 1:100 with a centralized organizational model isn’t realistic or defendable.You can’t solve systemic demand with temporary workarounds. You need an operating model that scales.
Org Models Designed to Scale
Decentralized (Onsite-Centric)- Dedicated techs per property
- Strong property-level relationships
- Vulnerable to absenteeism, redundancy, and variable standards
- Staff are deployed across sites by need
- Centralized triage, QA, and routing
- Great for structured tasks like inspections or complex tech work
- Requires SOPs and technology for task assignment and tracking
- Core operations run from a centralized location
- Minimal onsite presence
- High efficiency, ideal for automation and remote coordination
- Cultural and change management investments are critical
Transitioning: From Decentralized to Centralized or Networked
This isn’t a switch—it’s a roadmap. Here’s how to make the leap:1. Assess Your Starting Point- What roles are truly onsite? Where do we have unfilled roles?
- How does the team spend most of its time?
- Where is work getting stuck?
- Centralized = control, standardization
- Networked = flexibility, expertise pooling
- Pick one: turns, inspections, after-hours
- Define a workflow and service level
- Track performance and refine
- Equip teams for new responsibilities
- Clarify communication and accountability
- Use dashboards and mobile tools to close feedback loops
The Financial Impact: Why Org Design Drives NOI
Operations aren’t just back-office—they’re bottom-line.Faster Turns = Less Vacancy Loss- Shrink downtime across units
- Centralized or networked teams close gaps faster
- Turnkey scheduling improves uptime
- Faster diagnostics → fewer missed service promises
- Shared support improves resolution time
- Even 5% churn reduction drives major returns
- Standardized PM work saves on early replacements
- Avoids deferred capital piling up
- Fewer reactive tickets = fewer costly repairs
- Centralized models make vendor billing, labor distribution, and staffing levels visible
- Fewer surprises = stronger forecasting
Strategic Use of Service Contracts
Some work doesn’t need to be kept in-house.Major Equipment (HVAC, Elevators, Boilers)- Use manufacturer-aligned service contracts
- Schedule inspections and seasonal servicing
- Vendors often resolve faster, and with fewer re-visits
- Offload predictable labor to fixed-scope providers
- Free your techs to focus on reactive demand
- Sync contract tasks with turn schedules to reduce overlap
What Model Is Right for You?
Don’t aim for a staffing ratio. Design for real-world workload.Ask:- What’s the actual shape of your maintenance demand?
- What work could be routed, pooled, or outsourced?
- Are you building a structure that can flex—or just survive?
They’ll be the ones who rethink how the work gets done.
Our mission is to simplify the homeowners & home builders customer experience. Let Iris do the work.
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