At FirstService Residential, we are passionate at being the best at what we do – a commitment that has made us Minnesota's property management industry leader. We aim high to deliver full-service programs and exceptional customer service that add value and make a difference, every day, for the residents and communities we serve.
Strength in Numbers
Some of the key benefits that add value and differentiate us are the resources and industry expertise of our organization, the leading residential property management company in North America.
Our team of nearly 14,000 associates in the U.S. and Canada is comprised of the industry's top talent – unmatched in experience, innovation and dedication to service. Many of our team members are thought leaders and local and industry experts who have pioneered and implemented many advances in residential property management – how to operate and govern successful community associations that have become industry standards and remain unrivaled in innovation, effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
By using and combining our associates' collective experience, resources and best practices, we deliver professional community association management solutions customized to your needs, no matter what type of property you call home: townhome, condominium, or single family home.
Unique Value-Added Services
As part of our commitment to provide outstanding service and increase the value we provide to the communities we manage, we offer a variety of unique programs designed to enhance quality and service, while reducing costs and increasing efficiencies. Here are some of the value-added services we provide:
Exclusive financial and banking programs
As the industry leader, we manage more than 6,000 communities and administer over $6 billion in operating budgets each year. As a result, we can secure the highest yields on operating and reserve accounts to maximize your investments, reduce your risk and ensure your community has the proper insurance coverage at the best possible terms and rates. In addition, we can provide access to outstanding loan and financing opportunities that significantly reduce interest costs for your association. These optional services are available exclusively to our managed communities in North America, resulting in millions of dollars of savings and returns directly to the 1.6 million residential units in our care.
In just the first six months of 2013, we achieved the following results:
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We saved clients over $3.5M savings in banking fees and costs, with an additional $2M in interest yields
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We co-brokered and bound over $98M in premiums for our clients and helped them save and average 5.1% on overall premiums on renewal
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We facilitated nearly $100M in loans for our condo/co-op clients, achieving savings of nearly $600,000 through the use of our services
Innovative technology solutions
Our proprietary FirstService Residential Connect™ property management software is customized to your community streamlining communication and information flow, as well as enabling online management capabilities for your Board members, residents and management team members.
Customer Care Center
As part of our commitment to providing responsive, genuinely helpful customer service, we offer a Customer Care Center with extended hours, where residents can call with questions and concerns. Each call is answered by one of our highly trained, service-focused specialists who continue to earn high customer satisfaction ratings for resolving issues during the very first call.
Combined Purchasing P​ower
Through our decades of experience managing thousands of properties of all types throughout the U.S. and Canada, we know that your community could be paying for third-party services like trash removal, insurance and cable. We can provide you with expert guidance about vendor costs and association payments, and even better, leverage our organization's significant combined purchasing power to negotiate the best possible rates, service and quality from your existing vendors and suppliers.
Transparency, Security & Accountability
As a division of FirstService Corporation, a publicly held company (NASDAQ: FSRV; TSX FSV), we are held to high standards of transparency, security and accountability, and subject to Sarbanes-Oxley financial control requirements. This includes developing our "FirstLine" ethics hotline program, which provides our associates with an option to anonymously report unethical or illegal activities without fear of reprisal.
We also conduct internal audits of our programs and processes to ensure we continue to meet corporate standards in the following key areas:
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Accurate and reliable financial reporting
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Effective and efficient financial operations
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Safeguarded client assets and data
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Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
Our commitment to security and accountability also includes the implementation of rigorous IT controls to protect the privacy and security of our clients' financial information and data. In addition, our structured employment practices include the utilization of formal screening and approval procedures for all prospective new hires. Our goal is to ensure all new associates have the proper qualifications and their backgrounds have been appropriately and thoroughly screened before we extend an offer of employment.
Commitment to Quality
Every member of the FirstService Residential team strives to make a difference and deliver exceptional service to our Board members and residents at every opportunity. We utilize quality industry metrics to continuously measure our service delivery, including client experience surveys administered through outside vendors. Our focus on service excellence and understanding the needs of our communities has helped us to achieve client retention of over 95% with many client relationships spanning many decades.
For more information about FirstService Residential's unique value-added programs and commitment to transparency and accountability, please contact us today.