If your community association in the Chicago suburbs recently parted ways with a management company, you’re not alone. Frustration with poor communication, lack of local attention, and mismanaged finances are the number one reasons boards in Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, and Carol Stream seek a change.
Hiring PMI Beyond the Loop is the first step toward stability. The critical second step is onboarding—establishing a strong, collaborative working relationship from Day One. Your management company is your executive arm; the better you partner, the more effective your community will be.
As a Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) and a woman-owned business with national backing, we know what makes a successful partnership last.
Here are the five best practices for a board to form a great, productive relationship with your new management company.
1. Define Roles: Board Sets Policy, Manager Executes
The most common point of friction between a board and a manager is confusion over who does what. Clarity is the antidote to conflict.
The Board’s Role (Legislative & Fiduciary)
Your job as a volunteer board is the "why" and the "what." You hold the fiduciary duty and set the vision. This includes:
Policy and Vision: Setting the long-term goals (e.g., fully funding reserves, a major clubhouse renovation).
Decision-Making: Voting on budgets, approving major contracts, and amending governing documents.
Oversight: Holding the manager accountable for executing the board’s directives.
The Manager’s Role (Executive & Operational)
The manager’s job is the "how" and the "when." We act as the professional executive putting your decisions into motion. This includes:
Execution: Hiring, supervising, and coordinating vendors (landscaping, snow removal, etc.).
Financial Administration: Collecting assessments, paying bills, preparing financial reports.
Enforcement: Issuing violation letters and processing collections fairly and consistently, based on board-approved policy.
Best Practice: Do not ask your manager to make policy decisions, and do not handle administrative tasks (like chasing vendors) that you’ve paid the manager to perform. Respecting these boundaries eliminates nearly all operational ambiguity.
2. Standardize Communication Channels (No 3 AM Calls)
The communication breakdown you experienced with a previous firm must be intentionally fixed with your new partner. PMI Beyond the Loop champions technology to ensure every communication is tracked, prioritized, and addressed.
The Right Channels
Agree upfront on where communication will live. Using phone calls, personal emails, and texts creates a record-keeping nightmare and exposes the board to liability.
Digital Portal: Use our proprietary platform for all maintenance requests, violation tracking, and owner inquiries. This ensures every request is logged, prioritized, and attached to a timeline for resolution.
Board-Manager Check-Ins: Schedule a mandatory, brief (30-minute) check-in call once a week to triage priority items, rather than waiting for the monthly meeting. This prevents issues from festering.
Emergency Protocol: Define what constitutes a true emergency (e.g., fire, flood, active safety hazard) and agree on the single contact method for these rare, critical events.
Establishing Response Time Expectations
Clarity on response times manages everyone’s expectations. Confirming that routine inquiries will be addressed within 24-48 business hours and that emergency follow-up will be instant removes frustration. As a local firm, our focus on the Cook, DuPage, and Will County areas allows us to meet these tight deadlines consistently.
3. Onboard the Manager, Not Just the Company
The transition process must be a two-way street where the board educates the manager on the unique history and culture of your specific community.
The Transition Packet Checklist
Before your management company starts, provide a comprehensive packet of essential historical data:
Governing Documents: Your current Declaration, Bylaws, and Rules & Regulations.
Current Financials: The last two years of audited (or reviewed) financial statements and the current operating budget.
Litigation/Disputes: A summary of any current, pending, or historical litigation that could affect the association.
The "Problem List": Clearly document the top 3-5 recurring issues (e.g., persistent parking violations, recurring plumbing problems in one specific building, an unaddressed reserve shortfall). This immediately focuses the manager on where they can deliver value.
The Property Tour
Take the manager on a detailed, organized site visit. Point out specific components like the age of the roofs, areas with chronic drainage issues, or the location of utility shut-offs. This accelerates the manager’s ability to protect your assets.
4. Integrate Expertise for Strategic Decision-Making
The best relationships leverage the manager’s professional expertise to make the board’s decisions more robust, legally sound, and financially savvy.
Maximize Your Credentials
Don't just use your manager for administrative tasks. Utilize the high-level expertise available to you:
Financial Strategy: Use the firm's knowledge (backed by PMI's national systems) to integrate the new IL Reserve Mandate requirements into your budgeting process.
Real Estate Insight: Leverage our unique expertise as a licensed Realtor to ask strategic questions like: How will this proposed capital project impact our average resale value? or Are our current rules creating barriers to financing for potential buyers? This elevates the board’s decision-making beyond simple maintenance.
Adopt the Technology
Fully commit to using the manager’s technology platform. Your new manager offers digital transparency for a reason: it streamlines the entire process. Utilizing the dedicated board portal for voting, document access, and communications is critical for maximizing the time and cost efficiency of the partnership.
5. Commit to Regular, Formal Performance Reviews
A great partnership requires accountability. Do not wait until the contract is up for renewal to address service gaps.
The 90-Day Check-In
Schedule a formal performance review at the 90-day mark. This allows the board to:
Identify minor issues before they become major frustrations.
Confirm the new manager has successfully transitioned all records and systems.
Validate that the promised services (e.g., property walks, meeting attendance) are being delivered.
By setting clear, mutual expectations and committing to this early review, you create a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring your manager remains proactive and responsive.
Ready to Build a True Partnership?
Hiring a new management company should mark the beginning of a stable, predictable, and successful era for your association. By defining roles, standardizing communication, and integrating your manager's expertise, your board can finally focus on setting the vision while we handle the execution.
PMI Beyond the Loop is ready to build that partnership with your community in the Chicago suburbs. We're committed to making your management experience truly Beyond the Ordinary.
Call to Action (CTA): Ready for a management partner that delivers transparency and local expertise? Contact PMI Beyond the Loop today for a free consultation on how to make your next management transition your last.
PMI Beyond the Loop. Management Beyond the Ordinary.
