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Frequently Asked Questions


We're Always Listening


No matter how much information we share, there are always more questions. And when we get asked questions we haven't heard before, we post them here.

What does Handyman On Demand do?

We help residential and commercial property managers with their maintenance coordination using our proprietary, cloud-based software. POWERtoolsTM and a 24/7/365 call center. 

Does Handyman On Demand only handle tenant maintenance requests?

We handle much more than just tenant and resident maintenance requests. We also make it easy for your team to submit work orders during property inspections or while at the office. Handyman On Demand provides a single pathway for ALL maintenance activity, from request to work order, from contractor invoice to your bookkeeping and accounts payable team. 

Why should I use Handyman On Demand?

Lower Cost - When you consider the fully burdened cost of maintenance coordination, we perform better at a lower cost.

Scalability - Adding clients, properties, and additional rental units is often hindered by the inability to scale maintenance operations. We give you the freedom to grow your business without having to radically expand your office infrastructure.

Preferred Contractors - Handyman On Demand is a maintenance coordination company and not a contractor. We are on the front line of every work order. So we eliminate any conflict of interest and the perception that we are in some way profiting from the contractors we dispatch. We only dispatch contractors you have approved in advance.

Aggressive Contractor Vetting -  While you can't prevent every accident or eliminate every possible liability exposure, we can help mitigate that risk with professional-level contractor credential management. This means contractor licenses, workers comp insurance, liability insurance, and contractors' licenses are tracked and verified before a contractor is authorized to receive work orders.

Is there a long-term agreement to use Handyman On Demand?

While our service agreements are simple and straightforward, we keep everything on a month-to-month basis. If your client situation changes or a property is scheduled to change ownership, we prefer not to become an obstacle to your business. Just give us 30 days notice. Likewise, you can easily add properties as you grow.

Can I cancel at any time?

Yes. In the unlikely event we're not meeting your needs you can cancel at any time. However, the most likely case will be that you or your client have sold a property or changed management. In either case, we'll help you wind up your account and make the transition. Just give us 30 days notice.

Can I use my credit card?

Yes. We accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express. Your credit card will be charged automatically on your subscription renewal date for the next month's service. You even have the option for ACH / EFT payment processing.

What's your process for setting up an account?

We have outlined our onboarding process here: https://handymanondemand.com/process/

I manage an HOA. How will this help me?

Yes. Similar to commercial property management, HOA community maintenance focuses primarily on exterior surfaces and common areas. Because your clients are the HOA Board, and most maintenance complaints originate from residents, having a responsive maintenance organization like HandymanOnDemand.com can elevate your company and avoid losing and replacing clients every year. 

Do you profit from the contractors you dispatch?

Absolutely NOT. We are a maintenance coordination company and not a contractor. We are on the front line of every work order, so it's critical that we eliminate any conflict of interest or even the perception that we are in some way profiting from the contractors we dispatch. For this reason, we only dispatch contractors you have approved in advance. We call them your 'Preferred Contractors."

What is a Preferred Contractor?

You've probably developed relationships with contractors over the years. These are people you've come to trust. So we use a system called Preferred Contractor Management. These are the people or companies you have designated to handle certain types of maintenance issues. When we receive a maintenance request, we follow a set of instructions based on the policies and procedures that you provided to us in advance. If a contractor is needed, and you have asked us to dispatch a contractor, we are only authorized to dispatch YOUR preferred contractor. 

What is your work order approval process?

POWERtoolsTM is our proprietary software that controls the flow of all maintenance activity. For our clients, we've simplified management approval of work orders into three areas.

The Preliminary Work Order - When a maintenance request is received, we submit a Preliminary Work Order for review and approval by your designated approver. This person receives a notification from us. They click a link, review the work order, and either approve, reject, defer, or request additional information from a coordinator.

The Final Work Order -  When a Work Order has been assigned to a contractor, and a bid has been received, the Work Order is sent to your designated approver. This can be the same person or maybe someone else with more budget responsibility. This person authorizes or rejects contractor bids and estimates. If rejected, the work order is returned to us with instructions.

The Final Contractor Invoice - When the work has been completed and the contractor invoice has been received and processed, the third approver authorizes us to send the final work order and invoice package to the client's designated accounting department. This could be a controller, finance manager, or corporate officer. This person authorizes or rejects the contractor invoice package. If rejected, the package is returned to us. If approved, we transmit the invoice package to your designated bookkeeper or accounting team.

What if I need a different contractor?

There are always service gaps where your current Preferred Contractor list falls short. In cases such as this we will work to source a local contractor. We have sourced thousands of qualified pros and can also tap into our network. For example, we may have previously vetted a contractor for another client in your area that we might recommend. In other cases, we will research contractors that are likely a suitable match for the work needed.  Again, rest assured, no contractor ever sets foot on your property unless they have been vetted by us and approved by you.

Do you record phone calls?

Yes. The first reason is for training purposes. It's important to us that our maintenance coordinators are handling calls according to our policies and procedures, and your policies and procedures.  It also helps us to understand their challenges and when our procedures or software need to improve.

The second reason is a rare use case, but we think is important to protect our clients. Occasionally, there are situations where someone is making false claims about something that was said. When a maintenance coordinator is speaking to a tenant, contractor, or anyone else related to your account, we can retrieve a recording of that call and determine if any action needs to be taken. Most of the time a good recording, like a video, can make most bad situations disappear when the truth is exposed. 

How does a tenant submit a maintenance request?

There are four methods a tenant or resident can use to submit a maintenance request. Keep in mind that we have a software team that is knowledgeable in most property management software.

Method 1: Forward phone calls from your phone system to our phone number. (ex., Dial 3 for maintenance)

Method 2: Publish our phone number on your website or tenant portal

Method 3: Publish a website link on your website or tenant portal

Method 4: Embed our form on your website or tenant portal.

If you need assistance with setting up your tenant portal we have experts in most property management software like Appfolio, Buildium, and Propertyware.

How does your call center handle maintenance requests?

We have live property coordinators and supervisors handling every maintenance request 24/7/365 . We use AI to help us properly identify which requests have priority. Lengthy phone calls and call queues are an inefficient means of capturing emergency requests. so we do our best to communicate in other ways such as phone, sms text, and email.

How do you use AI in your intake of maintenance requests?

When we receive a maintenance request in our call center, our system is looking for keywords and phrases that indicate the degree of urgency. For example, certain words like smoke, fire, leak, short, sparks get the attention of our AI. Those maintenance requests are deemed critical essential,  assigned the highest priority, and immediate action is taken.

Do you identify tenant chargebacks?

We believe tenant chargebacks play a role in modifying tenant behavior. However, this is a decision best left to management. However, we firmly believe that clogged toilets and lock-outs should be charged back to the tenant's rental account. Ultimately, the decision to charge back a tenant rests solely with your policy, but we do our best to highlight work orders where a possible chargeback should be considered.

How much do you charge for contractor document control and compliance?

Document Control and Compliance is the process of collecting and validating the licenses and insurance documents on your preferred contractors. This service is included with our service..

How do I know a work order was completed and done right?

Typically your property managers, leasing agents, and maintenance engineers are walking the properties and checking work status. But we take some extra steps.

Once a work order has been issued we are in constant communication with the contractor. We check status, provide guidance, and relay information back to management. We also check back with the tenant or resident to learn if the reported issue has been resolved. We also request that the contractor send us photos of their work, if appropriate, and include them with their invoice package.

Does this include vacancy turn-overs?

Yes. Handyman On Demand is not just for tenant and resident maintenance requests.

Our client portal allows your designated team members with visibility to a property to quickly create work orders from their desktop or mobile device.

What is the difference between a maintenance request and a work order?

A maintenance request always precedes a work order. In some cases, a problem may be reported multiple times by different reporting parties. Each maintenance request must be analyzed to understand the variables, but may ultimately be consolidated into a single work order. In most cases a single maintenance request results in a single work order.

What is Warranty Watch?

When onboarding your properties, we identify each property that has any home warranties in force. When a Maintenance Request is received, POWERtools immediately alerts the maintenance coordinator through a system called Warranty Watch. 

Home warranty claims are strictly controlled by the insurer, and the property manager has limited control over contractor selection. We can help identify maintenance issues that may be covered under a home warranty policy, but these should be handled by the property manager.