Understanding Coliving Property Management

Definition and Evolution of Coliving Spaces

Coliving spaces, a modern take on communal living, have emerged as a popular housing solution in urban areas. These spaces blend private living quarters with shared amenities, fostering a sense of community among residents. The concept has evolved from simple shared spaces to sophisticated, amenity-rich environments catering to diverse demographics, from students to digital nomads and professionals.

Challenges in Managing Coliving Properties

Managing a coliving space involves unique challenges that go beyond traditional property management. These include:

1. Tenant Management: Unlike conventional rentals, coliving spaces often see higher turnover rates and a diverse tenant mix. Managing tenant profiles, preferences, and ensuring a harmonious community environment is crucial.
2. Financial Tracking: Coliving properties involve complex financial transactions, including rent collection, shared utility expenses, and amenity fees. Accurate and efficient financial tracking is essential for profitability and transparency.
3. Maintenance and Repairs: Regular maintenance is vital to keep shared spaces functional and appealing. Quick response to repair requests is also crucial to maintain tenant satisfaction.
4. Community Engagement: One of the unique aspects of coliving is fostering a sense of community. Organizing events, managing communal areas, and facilitating interactions among residents are integral to the coliving experience.

Each of these challenges requires a tailored approach that traditional property management tools may not offer. This is where specialized software like ColivHQ comes into play, offering solutions specifically designed for the nuanced needs of coliving spaces. Read more about “How Technology is shaping up future of shared living”.

Why ColivHQ is a Game-Changer in Coliving Property Management

Tailored for Coliving Dynamics

ColivHQ stands out in the property management software market due to its specific focus on coliving spaces. Unlike generic property management tools, ColivHQ understands the unique dynamics of coliving environments, offering features that cater to both the operational and community aspects of these spaces.

Comprehensive Feature Set

ColivHQ’s comprehensive suite of features addresses every facet of coliving management:

1. Tenant Management: Streamlined tenant onboarding, profile management, and communication tools ensure a smooth experience for both operators and residents. The software facilitates the management of diverse tenant needs and preferences, enhancing the living experience.
2. Financial Management: With robust financial tracking tools, ColivHQ simplifies rent collection, expense tracking, and financial reporting. Its intuitive interface makes managing complex financial transactions involving multiple tenants and shared costs more manageable.
3. Maintenance and Repair Management: A dedicated module for maintenance requests and tracking allows for efficient handling of repairs and upkeep. This feature ensures that communal areas and individual units are always in top condition, contributing to tenant satisfaction.
4. Community Building Tools: Recognizing the importance of community in coliving spaces, ColivHQ includes features for event planning, community engagement, and feedback collection. These tools help foster a sense of belonging and enhance the overall living experience.

User-Friendly Interface

Ease of use is a significant factor in the adoption of any software. ColivHQ boasts a user-friendly interface that simplifies complex property management tasks. Its intuitive design ensures that both staff and residents can navigate the system with minimal training.

Scalability and Customization

ColivHQ is scalable, catering to small, medium, and large coliving operators. Its customizable nature allows operators to tailor the software to their specific needs, ensuring that it grows alongside their business.

Integration with Other Tools

ColivHQ’s ability to integrate with various other tools, such as accounting software, payment gateways, and communication platforms, streamlines operations and reduces the need for multiple disparate systems.

Continuous Innovation

ColivHQ is committed to continuous innovation, regularly updating its features based on user feedback and industry trends. This commitment ensures that coliving operators using ColivHQ are always at the forefront of property management technology.

In summary, ColivHQ’s specialized focus, comprehensive feature set, user-friendly interface, scalability, integration capabilities, and commitment to innovation make it a game-changer in the coliving property management space. It not only simplifies the operational aspects of managing coliving spaces but also enhances the living experience for residents, setting a new standard in the industry.

Key Benefits of Using ColivHQ for Coliving Management

Streamlined Operations

ColivHQ significantly streamlines the day-to-day operations of coliving spaces. By automating routine tasks such as rent collection, maintenance requests, and tenant communication, the software reduces the administrative burden on staff. This efficiency allows coliving operators to focus more on strategic growth and tenant satisfaction.

Enhanced Tenant Experience

The platform is designed with the end-user in mind, offering a seamless experience for tenants. Features like easy rent payments, maintenance request submissions, and community engagement tools contribute to a more enjoyable and hassle-free living experience. This focus on tenant satisfaction can lead to higher retention rates and positive word-of-mouth referrals. Read why superior coliving operators deliver great customer experience rather than just convenience.

Financial Transparency and Control

ColivHQ provides comprehensive financial management tools that offer real-time insights into the financial health of the property. Detailed reporting and analytics enable operators to track income, expenses, and profitability with ease. This transparency and control are crucial for making informed business decisions and ensuring financial stability.

Effective Maintenance Management

The maintenance module in ColivHQ ensures that all repair and upkeep tasks are efficiently managed and tracked. This proactive approach to maintenance not only keeps the property in optimal condition but also demonstrates to tenants that their comfort and safety are top priorities.

Community Building and Engagement

ColivHQ recognizes the importance of community in coliving spaces and includes tools to facilitate interaction and engagement among residents. Features like event scheduling, community forums, and feedback mechanisms help create a vibrant and cohesive community, which is a key differentiator in the coliving market.

Scalability and Flexibility

As coliving businesses grow, ColivHQ scales with them. The platform is flexible enough to accommodate the evolving needs of expanding operations, whether it’s adding more properties, integrating new services, or customizing features to suit specific requirements.

Data Security and Compliance

ColivHQ places a high emphasis on data security and compliance with relevant regulations. This commitment ensures that tenant and operational data are securely managed, fostering trust and confidence among users.

Access to Real-Time Data and Insights

The software provides real-time data and insights into various aspects of property management. This access to up-to-date information enables operators to make timely decisions, identify trends, and adapt strategies to maximize efficiency and profitability.

Simplified Communication

With integrated communication tools, ColivHQ simplifies interactions between staff, tenants, and other stakeholders. This streamlined communication enhances responsiveness and service quality, further improving tenant satisfaction.

Competitive Advantage

By leveraging the advanced features and capabilities of ColivHQ, coliving operators can gain a competitive edge in the market. The platform’s focus on efficiency, tenant experience, and community building can differentiate a coliving space from its competitors, attracting more tenants and driving business growth.

In conclusion, ColivHQ offers a range of benefits that address the unique challenges of coliving management. From operational efficiency and financial control to tenant satisfaction and community engagement, ColivHQ equips operators with the tools they need to succeed in the dynamic and growing coliving sector. Read more about benefits of ColivHQ here.

Real-World Success Stories with ColivHQ

Transforming Coliving Operations: A Case Study

Background: A mid-sized coliving operator in India faced challenges in managing their rapidly expanding portfolio. They struggled with inefficient manual processes, tenant communication issues, and difficulty in maintaining a sense of community among residents.

Solution with ColivHQ: The operator implemented ColivHQ to streamline their operations. Key features utilized included automated rent collection, maintenance request management, and community engagement tools.

Outcomes:

• Operational Efficiency: The automation of rent collection and maintenance requests reduced manual workload by 40%, allowing staff to focus on growth and tenant engagement.
• Improved Tenant Satisfaction: The introduction of a tenant portal for easy communication and service requests led to a 30% increase in tenant satisfaction scores.
• Enhanced Community Engagement: Through ColivHQ’s community features, the operator successfully organized events and forums, increasing resident interaction and fostering a stronger community feel.

Boosting Financial Performance and Transparency

Background: A coliving startup in Hong Kong struggled with financial management and transparency, hindering their ability to attract investors.

Solution with ColivHQ: They utilized ColivHQ’s financial management tools for detailed reporting and real-time insights into their financial status.

Outcomes:

• Financial Clarity: The platform provided clear visibility into income and expenses, improving financial decision-making.
• Investor Confidence: Enhanced financial transparency and reporting capabilities attracted more investors, leading to a 50% increase in investment capital.

Scaling Up with Ease

Background: A rapidly growing coliving chain in Singapore needed a scalable solution to manage their expanding portfolio.

Solution with ColivHQ: They adopted ColivHQ for its scalability and flexibility in handling multiple properties and custom requirements.

Outcomes:

• Seamless Expansion: The platform easily accommodated the addition of new properties, maintaining efficiency across a larger portfolio.
• Customization and Integration: ColivHQ’s ability to integrate with existing systems and customize features supported the unique needs of the expanding business.

These real-world examples demonstrate the transformative impact of ColivHQ on coliving operations. By addressing key challenges such as operational efficiency, financial transparency, scalability, and tenant experience, ColivHQ has helped operators achieve significant improvements in their business performance. These success stories serve as a testament to the platform’s effectiveness in elevating the coliving experience for both operators and residents.

Getting Started with ColivHQ: A Step-by-Step Guide

Embarking on the journey of implementing ColivHQ into your coliving operations can be a game-changer for your business. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started and make the most out of this comprehensive property management software. You can also read about coliving management with ColivHQ in detail here

Step 1: Understanding Your Needs

Assessment: Begin by assessing your current operational challenges and goals. Identify areas where you need improvement, such as tenant management, financial tracking, or community engagement.

Requirements: List down the specific features you require, like automated billing, maintenance request systems, or communication tools. This will help you understand how ColivHQ can be tailored to meet your unique needs.

Step 2: Exploring ColivHQ

Website Visit: Head over to the ColivHQ website to get an overview of all the features and services offered. This includes tenant management, financial reporting, maintenance tracking, and more.

Demo Request: Schedule a free demo. This is a crucial step to see ColivHQ in action. The demo will provide a hands-on experience of the platform’s interface and functionalities.

Step 3: Onboarding and Setup

Account Creation: Once you decide to proceed with ColivHQ, the next step is to create your account. This process is straightforward and guided by the ColivHQ team.

Data Migration: If you’re transitioning from another system, ColivHQ’s team will assist you in migrating your data securely and efficiently, ensuring a smooth transition with minimal disruption to your operations.

Step 4: Customization and Integration

Tailoring to Your Needs: Customize ColivHQ according to your specific requirements. This includes setting up property details, tenant profiles, and configuring financial settings.

Integration: Integrate ColivHQ with other tools and platforms you use, like accounting software or communication tools, to create a seamless operational flow.

Step 5: Training and Support

Staff Training: Utilize the training resources provided by ColivHQ to educate your team on using the platform effectively. This ensures everyone is on the same page and can leverage the software to its full potential.

Ongoing Support: Take advantage of the continuous support offered by ColivHQ. Whether it’s technical issues or operational queries, the support team is there to assist you.

Step 6: Launch and Monitor

Go Live: Once everything is set up and your team is trained, it’s time to go live. Start using ColivHQ for your day-to-day operations.

Performance Monitoring: Regularly monitor the performance and impact of ColivHQ on your operations. Utilize the analytics and reporting tools to make data-driven decisions and continually improve your processes.

Step 7: Feedback and Iteration

Gather Feedback: Collect feedback from your staff and tenants about their experience with ColivHQ. This feedback is invaluable for making improvements.

Iterative Improvements: Work with the ColivHQ team to make iterative improvements to the platform based on the feedback and your evolving needs.

Conclusion

Getting started with ColivHQ is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your coliving operations. By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth transition and optimal use of this powerful property management tool, paving the way for a more organized, profitable, and tenant-friendly coliving business.

The post The Ultimate Guide To Coliving Property Management Software appeared first on ColivHQ Website.

The coliving model has revolutionized the concept of shared living spaces, offering a blend of community, convenience, and flexibility that resonates with modern lifestyles. However, the elements that make coliving attractive also introduce a unique set of challenges for those who operate these spaces making coliving management interesting.

Tenant Dynamics and Turnover: Coliving spaces often see a higher turnover rate compared to traditional rentals. Operators must constantly attract and integrate new tenants while maintaining a cohesive community. This requires a delicate balance between marketing vacant rooms, vetting potential residents, and fostering a welcoming environment that encourages existing tenants to stay longer.

Facility Management: Unlike traditional property management, coliving operators must ensure that shared spaces are not only functional but also conducive to community interaction. This involves regular maintenance, upgrades, and sometimes, quick turnarounds to address issues that impact multiple residents.

Administrative Workload: The day-to-day administrative tasks can be overwhelming. From lease agreements to utility billing, the paperwork can be as diverse as the tenants. Operators must manage these details meticulously to avoid legal and financial pitfalls.

Community Engagement: A successful coliving space is more than just a place to live; it’s a community. Operators are tasked with event planning, conflict resolution, and creating opportunities for residents to connect. This requires a deep understanding of the community’s pulse and the ability to curate experiences that resonate with a diverse group of individuals.

Financial Management: Profitability in coliving hinges on efficient financial management. This includes setting competitive yet profitable pricing, managing cash flow, and ensuring that the revenue from rent and additional services covers the operational costs.

Regulatory Compliance: Coliving spaces often navigate a complex web of zoning laws, building codes, and housing regulations. Operators must stay informed and compliant with these regulations to avoid costly fines and legal issues.

These challenges, if not managed effectively, can lead to operational inefficiencies, reduced tenant satisfaction, and ultimately impact the bottom line. Coliving operators need a robust system that can handle the multifaceted nature of their business, streamline operations, and enhance the living experience for tenants. This is where ColivHQ steps in, offering a comprehensive solution that addresses these challenges head-on, paving the way for a more efficient and profitable coliving operation.

Introduction to ColivHQ’s Comprehensive Solutions

ColivHQ emerges as a beacon of innovation in the coliving management landscape, offering a suite of tools specifically designed to alleviate the operational challenges faced by coliving operators. This platform is not just a software solution; it’s a strategic partner that transforms complex processes into streamlined workflows, enabling operators to focus on what truly matters—building vibrant living communities.

Centralized Management Platform: At the heart of ColivHQ is a centralized management platform consolidating all aspects of coliving operations. From tenant onboarding to facility maintenance, every process is integrated into a single, user-friendly interface. This eliminates the need for multiple software solutions and reduces the risk of data silos, ensuring that operators have a holistic view of their operations at all times.

Automated Administrative Tasks: ColivHQ automates routine administrative tasks such as lease management, billing, and payment processing. By reducing the manual workload, operators can save time and minimize human error. Automated reminders and notifications keep staff and tenants informed, ensuring that important deadlines are never missed.

Financial Analytics: The platform’s financial analytics provide operators with the insights needed to make informed decisions. By analyzing market trends and occupancy rates, ColivHQ helps set competitive pricing that maximizes revenue without compromising occupancy.

Tenant Relationship Management: Understanding that the core of coliving is a community, ColivHQ includes a tenant relationship management system. This feature allows operators to track tenant preferences, manage communication, and facilitate community engagement activities, all contributing to a higher tenant retention rate.

Maintenance and Facility Management: ColivHQ simplifies facility management by allowing operators to schedule maintenance, track progress, and communicate updates to tenants. This proactive approach to property upkeep not only enhances the living experience but also helps in extending the lifespan of the property’s assets.

Regulatory Compliance: With built-in compliance features, ColivHQ ensures operators are up-to-date with the latest regulations. The platform can adapt to various legal frameworks across different regions, providing peace of mind that the coliving space operates within the bounds of the law.

In essence, ColivHQ’s comprehensive solutions are designed to empower coliving operators with the tools they need to manage their properties efficiently and effectively. By addressing the operational pain points with precision and foresight, ColivHQ stands out as an indispensable asset for any coliving business aiming to thrive in today’s competitive market.

Features and Benefits of Using ColivHQ

ColivHQ has a robust array of features that cater to every facet of coliving management. These features are not just about managing a property; they’re about enhancing the living experience for tenants and providing operators with the leverage to scale their business. Here’s a detailed look at the key features and the benefits they bring to the coliving space.

1. Tenant Onboarding and Lifecycle Management: ColivHQ simplifies tenant onboarding with digital applications, background checks, and lease agreements. The platform manages the entire tenant lifecycle from move-in to move-out, including renewals and transitions, ensuring a smooth experience for tenants and operators.

Benefits:

• Streamlined onboarding process increases efficiency.
• Digital documentation reduces paper waste and storage needs.
• Lifecycle management improves tenant retention rates.

2. Real-Time Availability and Booking System: The platform provides real-time information on room availability, allowing potential tenants to book directly through an integrated booking system. This feature particularly benefits operators managing multiple properties or those with high tenant turnover rates.

Benefits:

• Increases occupancy rates through efficient booking.
• Enhances tenant satisfaction with easy-to-use booking tools.
• Reduces administrative workload by automating booking processes.

3. Integrated Payment Processing: ColivHQ’s payment system handles all financial transactions, including rent collection, deposits, and additional service fees. It supports various payment methods and sends automated reminders for upcoming payments, reducing late payments and financial discrepancies.

Benefits:

• Streamlines the payment process for both tenants and operators.
• Improves cash flow management with timely rent collection.
• Reduces financial errors and the need for manual reconciliation.

4. Communication and Engagement Tools: The platform includes communication tools facilitating interaction between tenants and management. It also provides features for community engagement, such as event scheduling and announcements, fostering a sense of community within the property.

Benefits:

• Builds a strong community by encouraging tenant interaction.
• Keeps tenants informed and engaged with regular updates.
• Saves time with centralized communication channels.

5. Maintenance Request System: Tenants can submit maintenance requests through the platform, which are tracked and managed by the maintenance team. This system ensures that issues are addressed promptly and efficiently, maintaining the quality of the living environment.

Benefits:

• Enhances tenant satisfaction with quick response to maintenance issues.
• Improves property upkeep and prolongs asset life.
• Provides data for predictive maintenance and budget planning.

6. Analytics and Reporting: ColivHQ offers comprehensive analytics and reporting tools that provide insights into operational performance, financial health, and tenant demographics. These reports help operators make data-driven decisions to optimize their business strategies.

Benefits:

• Informs strategic decision-making with actionable insights.
• Identifies trends and areas for improvement.
• Supports transparency and accountability within the organization.

7. Mobile Accessibility: With a mobile-friendly design, ColivHQ ensures that operators and tenants can access the platform from anywhere, at any time. This level of accessibility is crucial for timely decision-making and maintaining a high level of service.

Benefits:

• Enhances operational flexibility and responsiveness.
• Provides convenience for tenants, improving their overall experience.
• Facilitates remote management of properties.

In conclusion, the features of ColivHQ are thoughtfully designed to address the specific needs of coliving operators. By leveraging these tools, operators can not only manage their properties more effectively but also deliver an exceptional living experience that stands out in the competitive coliving market.

The ColivHQ Advantage: Crafting Success in Coliving

Implementing ColivHQ into the daily operations of a coliving space transforms the management process into a streamlined, efficient, and tenant-centric experience. Here’s how ColivHQ contributes to the success of coliving management:

1. Centralized Control: ColivHQ is a hub for all coliving operations, from tenant screening to payment processing. This centralization reduces the complexity of managing multiple systems and ensures that all aspects of the business are aligned and functioning cohesively.

Benefits:

• Simplifies the management of various operational aspects.
• Reduces the risk of errors and inconsistencies.
• Saves time by eliminating the need to switch between different software solutions.

2. Enhanced Tenant Experience: By providing a seamless interface for tenants to interact with management, report issues, and make payments, ColivHQ places a high priority on the tenant experience. Happy tenants are likelier to renew their leases and recommend the coliving space to others.

Benefits:

• Increases tenant satisfaction and retention.
• Encourages positive word-of-mouth and referrals.
• Builds a strong reputation for the coliving brand.

3. Scalability: As coliving operators look to expand their portfolio, ColivHQ’s scalable infrastructure allows for the easy addition of new properties and tenants without compromising performance or user experience.

Benefits:

• Supports business growth without the need for additional software.
• Maintains efficiency and service quality as the business scales.
• Adapts to the changing needs of the coliving market.

4. Data-Driven Insights: With advanced analytics, ColivHQ provides valuable insights into operational metrics, financial performance, and tenant behaviour. These insights enable operators to make informed decisions that drive growth and improve profitability.

Benefits:

• Helps identify trends and opportunities for optimization.
• Informs pricing strategies and marketing efforts.
• Enables proactive management of business health.

5. Compliance and Security: ColivHQ is designed with compliance and security at its core, ensuring that tenant data is protected and operations adhere to relevant regulations. This commitment to security and compliance builds trust with tenants and protects the business from potential legal issues.

Benefits:

• Enhances tenant trust through robust data protection.
• Reduces the risk of compliance violations.
• Protects the business from data breaches and associated costs.

6. Community Building: ColivHQ’s community engagement features empower operators to create a vibrant, interactive community. By facilitating social interactions and events, ColivHQ helps to foster a sense of belonging among tenants, which is a key differentiator in the coliving industry.

Benefits:

• Strengthens the community aspect of coliving.
• Increases tenant engagement and satisfaction.
• Differentiates the coliving space in a competitive market.

7. Continuous Improvement: ColivHQ is committed to continuous improvement, regularly updating its features and functionality based on user feedback and industry trends. This ensures that coliving operators are always equipped with the latest tools to manage their properties effectively.

Benefits:

• Keeps the coliving operation ahead of industry trends.
• Ensures the software evolves with the business.
• Provides a competitive edge through the use of cutting-edge technology.

In essence, ColivHQ is more than just a property management tool; it’s a comprehensive ecosystem that enhances every aspect of coliving management. By integrating ColivHQ into their operations, coliving operators can achieve a high level of efficiency, provide an outstanding tenant experience, and set the stage for sustainable growth and success.

The post Guide to Efficient Coliving Management with ColivHQ appeared first on ColivHQ Website.

ColivHQ is at the head of this new wave of technology. It is a complete property management software carefully designed to meet the specific needs of both coliving operators and tenants. ColivHQ shows how technology can improve operational efficiency, tenant engagement, and quality of life in coliving spaces. Its wide range of features and user-centred design are great examples of this.

Let’s dive into more detail about how this tech-driven change is happening and how it is changing the future of coliving by showing how important ColivHQ is in this journey of change. Come with us as we look at how technology and shared living work hand-in-hand and how embracing this digital change can help the coliving sector grow and succeed in ways that have never been seen before.

The rise of coliving and the need to put technology together

How to Understand the Coliving Phenomenon

Coliving has quickly become a global movement, changing how we live, work, and connect. It appeals to many people, from millennials and digital nomads to workers looking for community and ease of access. The best thing about coliving is that it lets people share experiences while giving each person their place to live. Coliving has become popular because it offers a unique mix of community and privacy, making it a good choice for people who want more than just a place to live.

Making the switch to digital transformation

More and more people realise that the coliving industry needs to go digital as it grows. Technology is no longer a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have. It makes coliving places more efficient, open, and interactive. Technology is making things run more smoothly and improving the experience of tenants. Examples include automatic booking systems and smart home devices. It’s not enough to just use new tools; the whole coliving environment needs to be rethought to fit the needs of a digital-first world.

ColivHQ: Making the Future Tech-Driven

ColivHQ is where coliving and technology meet. They offer a complete property management system tailored to the coliving operators’ needs. ColivHQ makes managing shared living spaces easier by taking care of things like scheduling repairs and managing tenants. This lets operators focus on what matters: making communities thrive. When coliving spaces use ColivHQ, they don’t just stay updated on technology; they set new standards for innovation and excellence in the field.

What effect does it have on operations and how tenants feel?

Adding technology to coliving places greatly affects how they work and how the tenants feel about living there. Streamlining workflows, lowering business costs, and better decision-making is what it means for operators. On the other hand, for tenants, technology makes living easy because it lets them control their stay, connect with others in the community, and get various services. Technology and coliving work together, creating a new way of thinking where efficiency and community can live together, propelling the sector to growth that has never been seen before.

Unboxing ColivHQ: A Complete Solution for Property Management

A Look at What ColivHQ Can Do

ColivHQ is more than just property management software; it’s an all-in-one solution to meet the specific needs of coliving places. It stands out as a strong and flexible platform because it has many features that cover all aspects of property management and ensures that coliving space owners have all the tools they need to run their spaces well, from finding new tenants to managing repairs and everything in between.

Managing tenants and getting them started

Tenant control is one of the main things that ColivHQ does. The tool makes it easy and quick for tenants to move in by streamlining the process. Operators can keep track of lease agreements, handle tenants’ profiles, and ensure all the necessary paperwork is in order. That saves time and makes things better for the renters because they can quickly settle into their new home.

Easy communication and building communities

ColivHQ knows how important community is in coliving places. The platform has a Communication Centre that makes it easy for renters and operators to talk to each other. The platform makes sharing all kinds of information easy, like announcements, event invites, and maintenance updates. This makes sure that everyone is on the same page and builds community.

Management of maintenance and facilities

Keeping the room clean is very important in coliving, and ColivHQ makes it easier than ever. The platform has a full maintenance management tool that lets managers plan repairs, keep track of progress, and let tenants know about any changes. This proactive approach to care ensures that the living space is always in great shape, which helps keep tenants happy and satisfied.

Managing money and giving reports

ColivHQ is also very good at managing money. The app gives property managers tools to keep track of rent, costs, and other money-related issues related to managing properties. With features like automatic billing and detailed reporting, operators can easily track their money and ensure their business stays profitable.

Management of user access and safety

Safety is very important in coliving places, and ColivHQ has it covered. Strong user access control tools on the platform ensure that only authorised people can see private data. This not only keeps tenant information safe, but it also makes the coliving area safer overall.

How ColivHQ Helps to Make Things Run More Smoothly

Improving the efficiency of operations

In the fast-paced world of coliving, staying ahead of the competition means being able to run your business efficiently. ColivHQ is important because it automates routine chores and makes workflows more efficient. The platform takes care of everything automatically, from managing leases to planning repairs. This gives operators more time to work on more important parts of their business.

Making complicated workflows easier

The Workflow Automation and management tool in ColivHQ is a big deal for people who run coliving spaces. It makes it possible to make processes specific to each property’s needs. ColivHQ ensures everything runs smoothly, from welcoming new renters to managing maintenance requests and lease renewals.

Actively Trying to Fix Problems

The platform’s powerful reporting and analytics tools give users useful information that they can use to make smart choices. Property managers can spot problems before they worsen by looking at patterns and trends, keeping tenants’ living situations running smoothly.

Improving the Tenant Experience

The core of ColivHQ’s functions is a dedication to improving the renter experience. It’s easy for renters to pay rent, request repairs, and talk to the property managers through the Tenant Portal. This level of openness and accessibility builds trust and happiness among renters, which leads to higher retention rates.

Getting people involved in their communities

Community is an important part of coliving, and ColivHQ does a great job of ensuring its renters feel like they belong. The platform’s Event and Offer Management feature lets owners plan events and deals that get tenants to interact with each other and make real connections.

More features and customisation options

Solutions Made to Fit Every Size

It’s clear to ColivHQ that coliving owners come in all shapes and sizes, from small businesses with less than ten units to large companies with over 1000 units. The platform has many features that can be changed to fit the needs of each operator. This means that ColivHQ has the tools to achieve whether you are just starting or want to grow.

Taking care of vendors and landlords

Coliving operators need to be able to handle their ties with vendors and landlords. The Vendor and Landlord Management tools in ColivHQ make this process easier by giving you a central location to keep track of payments, orders, and performance. This ensures operators can keep good ties with their partners, which makes things run more smoothly and leads to better deals.

Integrates perfectly with other tools

Many tools and services integrate well with the platform, from financial software like Xero and Quickbooks to messaging apps like WhatsApp and Twilio. This ensures workers can keep using the tools they already know how to use while still getting the extra features that ColivHQ offers.

Help and Continuous Improvement

ColivHQ is dedicated to always getting better. The platform is regularly updated with new features and improvements based on user feedback and industry changes. The platform also has strong support, so users can get the help they need when they need it. This minimises downtime and helps them get the most out of their investment.

Case Study: Casa Mia Coliving

ColivHQ has helped Casa Mia Coliving with how they do business. They could scale the business up to 400 units profitably because of the efficiencies built in by ColivHQ. Their recent NPS survey puts them at 40, which speaks volumes about the community and member experience they have been able to create while growing consistently. We will write a detailed case study on how Casa Mia Coliving achieved this with ColivHQ.

Using ColivHQ to improve coliving operations

The world of coliving is changing very quickly, and owners are always looking for ways to make their businesses run more smoothly, improve their tenants’ lives, and help their businesses grow. ColivHQ stands out as a leader in innovation and efficiency because it provides a complete platform tailored to the specific needs of coliving places of all sizes.

ColivHQ is a unique tool that makes handling coliving spaces easier. It helps with everything from setting up properties and managing interactions between tenants to the smallest details of maintenance, communication, and reporting. It gives property managers the tools they need to precisely manage their properties, interact with tenants in a useful way, and make choices based on data that help their businesses grow.

As we go through ColivHQ’s features, we see it’s more than just a software solution. It’s also a partner in your growth and success. ColivHQ ensures that coliving spaces are well-run and thriving communities that stand out in a crowded market by giving owners the tools they need to manage homes and rooms, deal with tenant requests and leads, and keep an eye on all of their businesses.

The platform is dedicated to new ideas, making things easier to use, and improving. It regularly updates and improves its features, giving coliving owners access to the newest tools and technologies. This, along with its strong support and active user group, makes ColivHQ a trustworthy partner on the path to better operations and business growth.

The post The Future of Coliving: How Technology is Shaping Shared Living Spaces appeared first on ColivHQ Website.

Improved Home Inventory/Availability

One of the most significant updates is enhancing our home inventory and availability features. You can easily view a list of available homes directly within the email composer. This feature streamlines the booking process, making it easier for operators and tenants to manage reservations.

Staff App with Twilio Integration

Our new Staff App is another game-changer, especially for teams always on the move. Integrated with Twilio, the app allows staff members to call and send WhatsApp messages directly from the company’s main number. This ensures seamless communication and enhances the overall efficiency of your operations.

A Glimpse of What’s to Come

While these are just a couple of the many features we’ve been working on, they offer a glimpse into the future of coliving management. Our upcoming website will provide a comprehensive overview of all the features available on ColivHQ, designed to make your life as a coliving operator easier than ever.

As we gear up for the launch of our new website, we couldn’t be more excited to share these updates with you. Stay tuned for more details, and in the meantime, feel free to contact us to learn more about how ColivHQ is revolutionizing the coliving industry.

About ColivHQ

ColivHQ enables coliving, shared living, HMO operators, and landlords of residential buildings to manage all aspects of coliving businesses. It runs your operations so that you can focus on your community. ColivHQ helps you retain tenants, maximize revenue, streamline repetitive, time-consuming tasks, and create a long-lasting community with its unique tenant-matching capabilities. Grow your coliving business across multiple sites and have all the tools you need to build, run, and grow a great coliving business.

The post ColivHQ’s New Features: Elevating Coliving Management appeared first on ColivHQ Website.

Good customer experience > convenience

Convenience in coliving is about making it easy for prospects to find a new home, have all the information at their fingertips to make decisions, move in seamlessly and enjoy the stay and the company, and move out in a frictionless fashion. 

Convenience is not an absolute value, it’s often measured as a comparison. In the case of coliving, it’s measured as the comparison with the conventional home searching process (and the global nature of the business makes it so that prospects will make this comparison both against the local conventional home searching and a “global standard” for home searching). Luckily, coliving as an option itself is more convenient than the conventional rental process:

• If you want to live for six months in a city where normally the rental contracts are two years, coliving provides convenience by giving you flexible terms. 
• If landlords require 12 months of rent upfront from foreigners or want a local to sign a lease, coliving provides convenience by “financing” you and guaranteeing for you.
• If the typical process involves the extensive use of real estate agents and many in person viewings, having all the information about the homes online, with a simple user interface, rich descriptions, and professional photos, coliving provides convenience by making the search process more efficient.

These are all examples of convenience intrinsic in coliving, as an alternative to conventional renting. All coliving operators provide this, by definition. 

To be a successful operator however, you need to provide more than this intrinsic value, you need to create a superior customer experience. That is the convenience intrinsic to the coliving model, plus an explicit effort to remove all friction at all stages of the coliving customer journey.

Superior customer experience through the customer journey

The most successful coliving operators have improved all aspects of the journey that a coliving prospect goes through, end-to-end, from when they start to research coliving as an option until when they move out. Here we make a list of some best practices at each step of the customer journey.

Search

While searching for a new home, a great customer experience comes in the form of a rich listing (on the coliving operator own website or on third party listing services). A “rich listing” means:

• Complete information and details about the home, the rooms, the amenities, and the neighbourhood (including also a map and landmarks).
• Professional pictures of the space and possibly virtual tours, to be able to get a great sense for the place.
• Real time availability of homes, rooms, beds, …
• Detailed pricing (with what’s included and how the duration of the stay may change it).
• Info about potential housemates

While some operators do this well, there are still many that lack some of these elements. This list does not look particularly complex, but it requires a good integration between the CMS (Content Management System) and the PMS (Product Management System) to be able to bring all the relevant info to the frontend. Too many (smaller and larger) operators still have a standalone CMS, which needs manual updating every time that there is a change in facilities, a move-in or a move-out. The operators specialising in apartments across many locations, rather than buildings, seem to have done a better job here. Some examples of operators doing particularly well include:

• Bungalow
• Cove (with its new website) 

Listing services, like Anyplace.com and Coliving.com also do this well (it’s their job, no surprise here) as long as the operators have processes and tools in place to keep them updated. Additionally, these provide a level of consistency across all the operators listed with them, to the level of that “global standard” that I mentioned above. 

Decide

Once a prospect has researched a few options, they are moving on to the next phase, which eventually ends with their decision to move (or not) into your coliving home. At this stage, a great customer experience translates into easy interactions between the prospect and the operator, and specifically:

• Having the ability to communicate through the channel of choice of the prospect (for example phone, email, chat, WhatsApp or another channel), with prompt and informative exchanges.
• Finding clear and exhaustive answers now, and avoiding surprises later. What are the house rules, what is expected of prospects as members of the community, is this really an all-inclusive option or are there caps (many operators here in Singapore have separate utility charges or even maintenance fees, but it’s not clear to prospects, who may be thinking of coliving as all-inclusive). Good and exhaustive FAQs are the basis for a good experience here! CommonTown in Singapore has nice and clear FAQs, not only on a standalone page, but also at the bottom of every listing — see this example here.
• Being able to schedule (and reschedule) viewings online, if they are doing an on site viewing.
• Receiving clear information about the screening and matching process, having information about the housemates of a specific home they have chosen, and even having the option to meet them through the final steps of the decision process. 
• Last but not least, reviews available online, through trusted third parties (Google or Facebook, typically).

Do you want to excel at this stage?

1. Ensure that your technology platform (mainly the CRM) can create a consistent and informed experience through a tight integration with the CMS. Having more information available through your platforms and being able to share this data upfront helps. Doing this consistently prospect after prospect helps to seal the deal.
2. Build your “customer advocacy” programs and tools, to get the current members more involved in this stage of the customer journey. Authenticity is more effective than anything else when it comes to personal decisions like a new home!

Move-in

A great customer experience at this stage comes in many forms:

1. From convenient tools (again!) such as electronic signatures for the lease agreement and any other documents, as well as automated and consistent communication (for example with an email introduction to the community manager, and a calendar picker to grab a time for a coffee together). 
2. Product customization, which can be as simple as name tags on doors or go as far as giving the ability to choose the furniture they want for their new homes (for example, through furniture rental plans)
3. Building/home space, including the access to the coliving space. While this alone won’t get you a 5-star rating (though iglooHome may disagree) it certainly adds up to the overall experience. 

All these require strong operational capabilities, supported by the right tools (again mainly the CRM) to be able to execute consistently. Scale matters for operational excellence and consistency, and large operators have an advantage here. 

Stay

This step of the journey is the main living experience, and tends to be mainly about the community and the product. From a customer experience perspective, how you deal with “living matters” (maintenance, billing, housemates, …) and what additional experiences you (or the community) can create, become differentiating factors. 

Beyond the basics, the most successful operators focus on providing “building blocks” or services to enable their members’ lifestyle. Example these are:

• DoveVivo created a rich catalog of deals available to its members through their mobile app, going from wine home delivery, to gym subscriptions, from travel deals, to camping equipment rentals.
• ZoloStays, also through their mobile app, offers to its members value added services, such as weekly food deliveries, landry services, or bedsheets replacement, for an additional fee

Providing the ability to manage “living matters” in a self-service manner is crucial for a great customer experience; having also the ability to get these additional experiences in the same fashion becomes a way to delight customers. That’s why larger operators have their own members’ mobile app to do both.

Move-out

All good things come to an end. At this last step of the process, the intrinsic convenience-value of coliving should be enough to guarantee happy customers. Moving out of coliving spaces is much, much easier than moving out of usual homes, not just because there is no moving company to call. 

However, judging from the online comments from some customers, that’s not always the case. Check out Google reviews for more on this.

On the other hand, the most successful operators have managed to use this last step of the journey to leave a lasting impression on their soon-to-be-ex-members. Besides giving some swag as a parting gift (because who doesn’t like a company tee-shirt?), here are some examples of two services that can extend the convenience of coliving post move-out:

• Hmlet sells furniture 
• Ollie offers household essentials 

In Summary

Throughout all the steps of the customer journey, using technology is the constant that we see playing a difference in the operators ability to be able to deliver a superior customer experience. Having the right tools (and processes) can help you offer a customer experience on par with that of larger operators.

The post Successful coliving operators deliver superior customer experience, not “just” convenience appeared first on ColivHQ Website.

1. Reduce the need to use too many tools having to conduct complex tech integrations

A common challenge that many coliving operators face is that they have to use and integrate many tools to be able to provide a coherent online experience to their prospects and members (see Indispensable tools for coliving operators for more about this). With ColivHQ you can replace multiple tools with only one tool, and one that is specifically designed for coliving.

2. Keep it all in one place

You can store in ColivHQ all your information about your homes, your prospects, your members, their requests, and their bills. You can store in one place not only data, but also images and documents.

3. Do not let opportunities fall through the cracks

ColivHQ includes a simple CRM for you and your team to receive and manage prospects through the onboarding process.

4. Make it easy to connect your website and provide accurate up-to-date information to your prospective members

As easy as four steps taking less than a hour to complete (see How to create a website for your coliving business, with home inventory listing, in less than one hour)

5. Automate repetitive tasks, such as emails and bills

Sending bills can be a full day of work once a month, or a few minutes every day. Regardless of your billing cycle, someone has to do this manually. ColivHQ automates billing and makes it faster to answer emails, with templates for your and your team members. Not only does this eliminate mundane work for you, but it also creates a consistent experience for your members.

6. Have a central repository for your home inventory data and push this to other places (such as listing partners), without having to manually update too many records

If you are working with listing partners (such as Anyplace), ColivHQ can push your availability and other updates automatically. Without you or your team having to keep updating information in one or more listing websites manually. If you are not using listing partners yet, now is a good time to start. ColivHQ makes it as easy as possible.

7. Provide reliable reporting to your landlords (and reduce the administrative work of property management arrangements)

Whether you are doing property management, and need to share revenue information periodically, or it’s about the maintenance works in your homes, ColivHQ makes it easy to create simple reports for your landlord partners.

8. Keep track of all issues happening in your homes and the progress of the solutions

There is always something to fix at home… and it’s more so in a coliving home. With ColivHQ you can keep track of your members’ requests and of the actions that you or your team are taking.

9. Share (and monetize) leads with other operators

Ever thought of sharing leads with other operators? ColivHQ comes with this feature out of the box.

10. Improve onboarding of new team members by having your processes and procedures built into your system (with simple reminders, to-do’s, and guided next steps)

The benefit of having everything in one place, of automating some processes, of being able to keep track of all prospective members requests and current members maintenance issues gets more and more tangible when you have to onboard new team members and train them on your processes. 

In conclusion

Some of the benefits are more relevant for larger operators, and when you are getting started you may not see the advantages of using ColivHQ. However, you can start for free, and continue to use the full features of ColivHQ free, until you have more than five units. Try it for yourself! You can sign up at https://mobile.colivhq.com/ and do not hesitate to contact us (at hello@colivhq.com) for more information on how we could help you.

The post Ten benefits of using ColivHQ as a coliving operator appeared first on ColivHQ Website.

Home inventory management

Have your rooms reservations, availability, info, and content all in one place

ColivHQ is a property management system (PMS) for coliving operators specifically. It helps you to keep and track information about your homes, rooms, and beds (to support different models), in larger buildings or across different apartments around town, providing a simple reporting functionality, to keep your landlords always up to date. 

Homes, rooms, beds

Keep all your information about your homes, rooms, beds in one place. From photos to measurements, from home guides to requirements, everything you and your team need to run your business in a centralized location. The system can be customized to your needs, whether you want to have different prices by length of stays, or the flexibility to price beds, rooms, and homes separately, you can do it with ColivHQ.

Home report for landlords

You are also able to display the performance of one single home and create a report of the revenue generated and the issues related to one home (if you are reporting this information monthly to your landlords, for example, to pay them a monthly rent based on your revenue).

Homes CMS

Connect your inventory management to your website and provide real time info about availability, (anonymised) info about the current guests, and all your content, including pictures and 3D virtual tours of your properties

In addition to storing information about your properties, ColivHQ makes it easy to share and distribute this info to other systems, such as your website or third party listings. This out of the box content management system (CMS) functionality avoids duplication of data and complex integrations, all while keeping in mind mobile usability.

Real time inventory and more for your website

You can use ColivHQ (and the Google Cloud Platform which ColivHQ runs on) as your CMS. Not only your inventory information, available in real time, but also information about the housemates, all pictures of your buildings, homes, rooms, reviews, maps, etc…Here is more about how you can connect your website to our platform via ColivHQ APIs. And if you are looking to build your website, you can use our frontend template (in Nuxt.js) to jumpstart your project. Here is more info about it: How to create a website for your coliving business, with home inventory listing, in less than one hour

Mobile friendly 

All images are saved in various sizes and versions. You decide which versions you want, for computers, tablets and phones, all as you define it into your company settings. 

Channel manager

Your inventory data is not only there for you to see, but it’s available for you to publish on your website or for third party services to access. Leveraging on the same APIs as your frontend, you can connect other systems that need to get updates from you (here is the example of how Casa Mia Casa Tua connected to Anyplace.com). 

Lead capture and management 

Feed leads from your website, chatbots, or other online forms to the platform, via open APIs, and manage these leads throughout your sales and onboarding process. 

ColivHQ helps you keep track of all prospective members, their requests, and even makes it possible to share leads with other operators (and monetise them). 

Lead capture

ColivHQ has an easy to use set of APIs for you to push data from your own website or other systems. All you need is an account with ColivHQ and you will have an access key to be able to post data directly from your website, to have everything in one place. If you do not have the in-house capability to push data to an API, our team can do that for you (depending on which platform you use for your website) And of course, the leads generated by listing on ColivHQ.com are already coming into your dashboard.

If you are new to coliving, our form fields will give some best practice guidelines on which questions to ask prospective members. If you have your own form, our flexible data structure will accommodate your data in the best possible way. This will allow you to track individual leads, requests from those leads, and follow up actions.

Pre-built lead form template

What if you don’t have a website yet, with forms to collect leads? Here is a good starting point for you: How to create a website for your coliving business, with home inventory listing, in less than one hour

Request pipeline and quick actions

Once you have all your leads in one place, time to work them. We help you to make sure that every lead gets a follow up, whether it’s someone who has already identified where they want to stay or someone who was scouting out long in advance, we have simple to do activities and reminders to make sure that not a single prospect or opportunity falls through the cracks. And all of this, with plenty of guidance. Based on which step of the sales process each lead is in, you will have a list of different possible actions to take.

Lead sharing

If there is a lead that is “not for you”, because of some of the requirements or inventory constraints, do not simply do nothing. You can share the lead with other operators in the same city as yours (and get paid, if someone else closes that lead). How does lead sharing work?

30 day availability (at a glance)

Having everything in one single place, also means that you can see everything at a glance. The availability view is what allows you to do so. It shows what the status of your inventory is, unit by unit (whether you choose to break it down to the bed), and what is happening with move-ins and move-outs.

This feature is not only for reporting purposes.  Your sales team can also leverage this same view when they are looking for a room for a prospect. They can open the availability view and look for a certain type of room, directly from the request record they are working that opportunity.

Members CRM

Keep the info about your members (contact info, documentation, contracts, …) all in one place

ColivHQ allows coliving operators to keep all their data in one place. Members are the center of it, which makes it easy to get an holistic view of what’s happening with a meme, at any given time. From requests to issues, emails and survey results, all is automatically linked back to the members. 

Member-centric view

Whether you are running a small or large coliving business a great customer experience hinges also on good data about your customers. With ColivHQ you have all their info in one place, from the first contact, until they leave (yes, members leave eventually…) You will be able to see every transaction with them, whether they had a request, a billing issue, a compliment for someone in your team. It’s all in there, for you and your team to have the right data anytime you need it.

Outbound and inbound emails

You are able to send emails directly from ColivHQ, to be able to find them quickly in the future, and you can also receive email directly in ColivHQ, to keep track of new requests coming in or support issues being raised via generic email aliases, such as sales@ or help@, by adding these email addresses in ColivHQ.

Maintenance issue tracking

Enter user requests, resolution activities and tasks for your team 

Part of a good customer experience includes good customer service. Tracking of maintenance issues is the core of day-to-day coliving operations.  

Issues and solutions

ColivHQ’s maintenance tracking allows you and your team to see all the issues that your members have been reporting, their resolutions, who worked on the issues (whether that was something resolved in-house or from an outside vendor).

Not only, your real estate acquisition team can also use this information to share records of everything that has been done to keep a property in tiptop condition; your landlords will appreciate the detailed records.

Email based

Emails are the main medium to keep track of ongoing maintenance issues in ColivHQ, making it easy for members to raise issues and for the operator’s team to keep things organized. 

Billing 

Create and manage monthly recurring bills or one-off bills

ColivHQ makes it easy to automate recurring work, such as billing. 

Automated bills

Billing can get complicated, and certainly do not want to keep track of it manually. With ColivHQ, you can set up automatic billing for your members to get a monthly invoice directly in their inbox. Whether you are billing at the end of each month, or every 30 days, whether you charge an all-inclusive fee or separate amounts for extras, charge a deposit or not, you can set this all up in your billing preferences, and then create automatic bills directly in your requests. And if you need to create a one off bill for something unexpected, or a credit note, you always have the option to do one off bills.

Once the bills are done, you can automatically send them or you can decide to check them one-by-one and send each out, directly from ColivHQ.

ColivHQ grows with you

We have a number of functionalities in the works. As a famous software vendor always says at the beginning of every presentation, software purchase decisions should be made on the basis of what’s currently available. However, coming onboard with ColivHQ means that you will be able to input into new functionalities to be added, whether that’s in the area of reporting, billing, payment or incremental improvements to current functionalities. 

Here are some of the functionalities which we will likely prioritize in the coming months:

1. Email workflow to be able to automate some of the most repetitive tasks (like reminding a new member about their move in or sharing info about their new home).
2. Lead submission via Zapier, to make it possible for you to connect even more systems, without having to get too technical.
3. Gmail app add-on to be able to see requests and issues in a sidebar in your Gmail client directly. Still keep everything in one place, but do it conveniently!
4. Reports for people looking well in advance. People looking for next month and two months out.
5. Customer satisfaction surveys, after move in, after maintenance, and other key events.
6. A members portal for them to be able to view their bills and raise issues in a self-service fashion.
7. Reviews (incl approval for publishing).
8. Whitelabel members’ mobile app, to make it possible for any size coliving company to launch their own branded mobile app.

Try ColivHQ for free

You can try, and even use, ColivHQ for free. It’s completely free to use for coliving operators starting off, and having less than five units. Sign up here: https://mobile.colivhq.com/

The post Overview of ColivHQ – launch release appeared first on ColivHQ Website.

To be able to follow along and deploy your company website, you will need to have (all of these items are free to start (and will only charge you a fee once your volumes are high enough to justify the cost):

• a Prismic.io account
• a ColivHQ account
• A GoogleMaps API key
• a Google Tag Manager container

Finally, you will also need a place to deploy your website. In this article, we show you how to deploy to Google Cloud Platform, but you can choose any other option.

Here are the steps that we will cover in this article:

1. Create the basic data structures in the CMS and add some initial data (such as your logo, company brand colors, header menu items, footer menu items).
2. Add at least one home in ColivHQ (if you are already using ColivHQ you will not need this step).
3. Clone the New CoLive git repository on your machine, set up the environment variables that you will need to connect to Prismic, ColivHQ, GoogleMaps, and the Google Tag Manager container, and test the website on your machine.
4. Once everything looks good, deploy your frontend to Google Cloud Platform.

We will go through each of these steps in detail next. If you have any questions, the Wiki in the GitHub repository may have the answers you need. Otherwise, you can reach out to us at hello@colivhq.com. 

Step 1 – Create the basic data structures in the CMS and add some initial data

Prismic.io is an awesome headless CMS. By attaching it to your website, you will be able to customize your website on your own easily and without having to go to a developer everytime you need to make changes.

Create an account and get the API endpoint to connect to your website

You can logon to https://prismic.io/ to create an account (there is a basic plan for free and other options to suit all your CMS needs). Once you have the account, you will need to:

1. Create a new repository, with your company name and the main language which you would like to use
2. Go to the settings at the bottom of the left side menu bar, and select API & Security to see the API endpoint
3. Copy the API endpoint, as you will need it later on

Create the data structures 

It’s time to create the data structures to store your CMS data. Make sure that you copy the names of the custom types accurately, as those are the references that the frontend is looking for. You can start with the Homepage of the website:

1. Click on Custom Types on the left side menu bar
2. Click on Single, and enter Homepage as name
3. Go to the JSON editor on the right side of the page and paste the code from the homepage.json in the GitHub repository
4. Save and click the left arrow on the top left of the page to go back to Custom Types

You will need to take the same three steps a few more times, to create a few other types, staring with the Header bar:

1. Click on Create New, Single Type, and enter Menu as type name
2. Go to the JSON editor on the right and paste the code from the menu.json in the GitHub repository
3. Save and click the left arrow on the top left of the page to go back to Custom Types

Then, the footer:

1. Click on Create New, Single Type, and enter Footer as type name
2. Go to the JSON editor on the right and paste the code from the footer.json in the GitHub repository
3. Save and click the left arrow on the top left of the page to go back to Custom Types

Then, a typical content page:

1. Click on Create New, Repeatable Type, and enter Page as type name
2. Go to the JSON editor on the right and paste the code from the page.json in the GitHub repository
3. Save and click the left arrow on the top left of the page to go back to Custom Types

Then, the standard page for your home listing:

1. Click on Create New, Single Type, and enter Homes as type name
2. Go to the JSON editor on the right and paste the code from the homes.json in the GitHub repository
3. Save and click the left arrow on the top left of the page to go back to Custom Types

And finally, a blog post (you can skip this if you do not plan to host a Blog on your website):

1. Click on Create New, Repeatable Type, and enter Blogpage as type name
2. Go to the JSON editor on the right and paste the code from the blogpage.json in the GitHub repository
3. Save and click the left arrow on the top left of the page to go back to Custom Types

Now your CMS is ready to host your data.

Add the initial data 

Once the data structure is ready, now you need some data to be able to show content on your website. This time we will leave the homepage for last, since it will need to link to the other pages. 

Let’s start from a page with a list of your homes (looking like this https://newcolive.colivhq.com/page/findahome or https://newcolive.colivhq.com/page/singapore):

1. Click on Documents on the top left of the left navigation bar
2. Click in Create New, select Page.
3. Name the page with findahome.
4. Based on your branding, pick a color for the “Divider and button color” field. This will set the color schema for the page.
5. Go down to the slices and click on the + sign to add a new one (you can add as many of these components as you want, to customize your page). Make sure that you add the Listing component. If you would like to have a map on the listing page, toggle on the Map option.
6. You should also have the CTA component at the bottom of your page.
7. Go to the Social Cards and fill in all the information (to make sure that your page will be SEO friendly).
8. When done, click and save and publish (two times).

Now that you have a page to list your homes, let’s add a page to show the details about each of your homes:

1. Click in Create New, select Homes.
2. You can decide whether you want to have a slider for your home pictures and for your room pictures and also turn on/off various sections on this page (the 3D virtual tour, a map, basic info about the housemates, the list of similar homes, etc…)
3. You also have the option to add more text or additional info to the bottom of this page.
4. When done, click and save and publish (two times).

Next let’s add a page with your about info and contact info:

1. Click in Create New, select Page.
2. Name the page with about.
3. Add a hero image, a title, and as many components as you would like.
4. Go to the Social Cards and fill in all the information (to make sure that your page will be SEO friendly).
5. When done, click and save and publish (two times).

If you want to have a blog, let’s add a home with all your blog articles:

1. Click in Create New, select Page.
2. Name the page (with something like “Our blog” or “The New CoLive diary”).
3. Add a hero image, a title and a description.
4. Then in the components pick the Blog Cards component, add a Title and select how many cards to display max on the page (for example 30).
5. Go to the Social Cards and fill in all the information (to make sure that your page will be SEO friendly).
6. When done, click and save and publish (two times).

Time for a homepage

Now that you have most pages ready, it’s time to bring everything together with a homepage, header and footer. Here are the steps for this, starting with the homepage:

1. Click on Create New, select Homepage.
2. Add a hero image (you want something at least 1920 pixel wide …if you do not have any great picture of your coliving place yet, start with something that you can find on Pixabay), and a title.
3. Then click on the text component and enter a short description for your business.
4. Then you can pick any of the other components you may want to add to customize your home page.
5. Go to the Social Cards and fill in all the information (to make sure that your page will be SEO friendly).
6. When done, click and save and publish (two times).

To add a header:

1. Click in Create New, select Menu.
2. Upload a logo, and click on the logo link field, then select Link to a document, and find and select the “Homepage”.
3. Pick a color for your header and a transparency setting (0% means the header is solid).
4. Pick a color for the text on the header.
5. Then in the menu link add a label “Find a home” and click on select a link, select Link to a document, find and select the page called “findahome”.
6. Then in the “Border link label” enter “GET IN TOUCH” and click on “Border link”, select Link to a document, find and select the page called “About us”.
7. Save and Publish, then go back to the Documents

And finally, let’s add a footer:

1. Click in Create New, select Footer.
2. Add a logo and in the Logo Link select Link to a document and point to the homepage.
3. Add any info you would like in the “Copyright”, like “All rights reserved”, and address and then choose colors for your footer, the text on the footer, and the bar at the very bottom of the footer.
4. Click on “Menu” list to add a new column of footer items.
5. In the header add “COMPANY” and you can leave the Header link field blank
6. In the repeatable zone, in the first item enter “About us” and select to point to the page called “About us”
7. Click on + to add a second item
8. Enter “Blog” and in the link find the page called “Blog”
9. Save and Publish, then go back to the Documents

And with this last step, the website content is ready. Time to add some inventory to display on the website.

Step 2 – Add at least one home in ColivHQ

ColivHQ will host the information about your inventory and availability, among other things. Log on to https://dash.colivhq.com/ and click Log in or Register. to get started. There are two steps, first of all we need to generate and API token to connect ColivHQ and your website, second we will add some inventory in ColivHQ.

Generate the API token to connect to ColivHQ

Once in ColivHQ, take these steps to generate a token to connect ColivHQ to your frontend:

1. Click on the down arrow next to your name, in the left navigation bar, click on MY COMPANY.
2. Once on your company profile, click on the Settings tab and scroll down to API Access.
3. Click on the + button to generate a new token. Enter a name, such as “Website” and click add. 
4. Once the token is created, click on the eye icon next to it to open the pop-up with the actual token and copy this.
5. Note this key down, as you will need this in the next step. 

If you are already using ColivHQ as your system and have already some inventory in there you do not need to do anything else here (you can jump to Step 3). 

Add homes and rooms in ColivHQ

Here are the steps to add one home and one room in your ColivHQ account (and for a more detailed explanation of these steps, you can check these articles here):

1. First all, while in the Settings, go to the Billing tab and scroll down to BIlling settings. Click on the edit pencil and pick one (or more) currencies that you would like to use for your prices.
2. Then click on Homes in the left navigation menu.
3. Click on the + button on the top right to add a new home.
4. Enter all the details about your new home, and add at least one picture.
5. Once done SAVE and click on DETAILS to go into your home details page.
6. Scroll down to Rooms and click on the + button next to it to add a new room to the home. Enter all the room details, and remember to add at least one picture. When done click SAVE. You can repeat this step multiple times to add multiple rooms.
7. Once done, on the very top of the home details page, toggle on the Publish switch. The home is now officially part of your inventory.

For more information about using the home inventory component of ColivHQ, you can check these articles here: Getting Started with Homes

Now that you have some inventory in ColivHQ, it’s time to create your website frontend.

Step 3 – Clone the git repository on your machine and set it up

Clone the git repository on your machine and set up the environment variables that you will need to connect to Prismic, ColivHQ, GoogleMaps, and a Google Tag Manager container. 

Using Google Tag Manager, you will be able to add tags from Google Analytics, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and any other third party services you want to add, without ever having to touch your code again. If you do not have a Google Tag Manager account, set up one (for free) here: https://marketingplatform.google.com/about/tag-manager/

You will also need to have a Google Maps API key, to be able to connect your frontend to Google Maps and display the location of your homes. Here are the steps needed to get a key: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/get-api-key

Get your website ready on your local machine

Once ready with all of the items needed, here ate a few simple steps to get your website ready on your local machine:

1. Start by cloning this project here: https://github.com/Colivhq/NewCoLive (download it from the website, use GitHub Desktop, or fetch it via command line, as you prefer).
2. Browse to the /static/ folder and replace the favicon.ico file with a favicon file of your choice (here is a simple tool to generate one for your business: https://favicon.io/).
3. Add a .ENV file in the root directory with the following entries (making sure to replace the entries here with the Prismic endpoint from Step 1, the ColivHQ token from Step 2, the Google Tag Manager repository ID and Google Map API key from the last paragraph, your coliving operator name last (including the quotation marks), and replace your BASE_URL with your own website url, such as (https://newcolive.colivhq.com):

PRISMIC_ENDPOINT=[REPLACE ME] COLIV_HQ_KEY=[REPLACE ME] GTM_KEY=GTM-[REPLACE ME] GOOGLE_MAP_KEY=[REPLACE ME] COMPANY_NAME=”[REPLACE ME]” BASE_URL=[REPLACE ME]

Your website is almost ready, time to test it locally. Make sure that you have Node.js installed on your machine. If not, install it first (Node.js downloads). Then, in the folder of the project, open a terminal and do the following:npm install npm run dev

Open http://localhost:3000/ and you will see the local version of your project. You can add content in the CMS and customize your website as much as you would like. After customizing the website as much as you would like, it’s time to get your website out there and visible to the whole world! Ready for the final step?

Step 4 – Deploy your frontend

For this article, we are going to deploy the website to Goolge App Engine (the repository already comes with a app.yaml, so you should be able to just build a deploy), but if you prefer or are already  using another cloud platform, like AWS or Azure, you can find here more about the steps needed to deploy a Nuxt.js web application: https://nuxtjs.org/faq).

For Google Cloud, here are the steps to take:

1. Go to Google App Engine log in (or create a new account if you need to), create a new project for your website, and click on Get started.
2. From there, choose Node.js and Standard environment. If you need to, click on download the cloud SDK when suggested (you will need to do this, unless you already have it installed on your machine). Note down your project ID. 
3. If you want to set your website domain now, you can click on Settings and add a custom domain from here. You will get a few DNS records to update in your domain registrar.
4. Now it’s time to build and deploy. Open a terminal window on your machine and go to the folder where your website project is saved. To create the build and, finally, to deploy, type and execute (replacing in the project ID you wrote down before from Google App Engine):

npm run build gcloud app deploy app.yaml –project [project-id]

If you have already updated your DNS records, you should be able to see your website at the address you have added on Google Cloud (and if not, you can go to the url in the terminal window). Your website is up and running!

Additional steps

Now that you have a website up and running for your coliving business, here are some ideas on how to take this further:

• You can add more content to it in the CMS. Add more pages, using the Page custom type (remember to link the pages in the header and/or footer, as appropriate).
• You can add one or more blog article(s), by adding a new page using the Blog custom type.
• You can add more inventory in ColivHQ (remember to publish it).
• You can adjust your settings of how to show your homes, from the Homes page in the CMS.
• You can create pages specific to one of your locations, such as the Singapore and Tokyo pages in New CoLive. These are simply instances of findahome where there is a cityId to filter the results.
• If you are technically savvy, you can customize the CSS files in your own website project to create a version of the website that reflects your branding even more closely than the template does.

If you have any questions, the Wiki in the GitHub repository may have the answers you need. Otherwise, you can reach out to us at hello@colivhq.com. 

The post How to create a website for your coliving business, with home inventory listing, in less than one hour appeared first on ColivHQ Website.

The long list of tools every coliving operator needs

PMS (property management software) 

Even though most small and medium operators actually use spreadsheets, a share drive, and lots of swivel chair integrations — for the non-tech savvy here is a definition of swivel chair integration   — this should be the brain of a coliving operator. A PMS helps to keep and distribute information about the home/room inventory. Depending on the system itself, it could handle much more. There are some coliving-specific products (like our ColivHQ), which means they are designed to handle the higher turnover of coliving (as opposed to traditional rental businesses). 

For the PMS to be effective, it needs to be tightly integrated with the CRM and the CMS. In this way, it will be able to provide helpful data to prospects during their online experience and to show in real time information about room availability.

CMS & Co

First of all, an operator will need a content management system (CMS) to keep all the great marketing assets of homes and rooms, descriptions, and other info. For the CMS to be able to show this great content to prospective users, it will need a web frontend. either custom developed or off the shelf (such as WordPress or Webflow).

Second, there are a set of tools needed to deliver a good online presence, and these fall mainly in three categories:

• Analytics (typically Google Analytics or Facebook Analytics)
• Landing pages and conversion (such as LeadPages or InstaPage)
• Social media management (Sprout or Hootsuite)

Every business which wants to achieve a good web presence will need all these tools. While the CMS (as well as the frontend, analytics tools, landing pages tools, and social media management tools) are not coliving-specific, having a CMS that is easy to integrate with the PMS will save a lot of time, effort and avoid potential errors (for example, disjointed experience). In the case of ColivHQ, the platform provides a CMS read API out of the box, so our customers will not need to think about the integration part. Additionally, we have a templated web frontend, based on Nuxt.js and Prismic.io, for anyone interested in launching a website directly with us.

Channel manager

As coliving grows and evolves, we believe that the ecosystem will shape up to have agents (like expedia.com or booking.com for hotels) specializing in long-term accommodation. Anyplace is the first of such agents globally, and there are a few local ones (such as Relogo in Singapore or Flat Monthly in Thailand). An operator will have to deal with one or more agents, similar to hotel operators today. Managing this manually becomes time consuming and inefficient very quickly.

Coliving operators need a tool to keep inventory information up-to-date on multiple agents’ platforms. A tool that does this automatically, via APIs, saving time and guaranteeing accuracy. Today, larger coliving operators have channel managers in place, while smaller coliving operators handle this work manually. ColivHQ open APIs allow operators to publish their inventory and give access to it to specific agents, via secure connections.

CRM etc

A CRM is the heart of the sales process for most businesses, not just coliving, keeping information about prospects and customers, tracking their requirements and the activities done with them, and storing their preferences to serve them better. There is a long list of CRM tools, such as FreshSales, Zoho, or Salesforce, but they are not specific to coliving. 

Additionally, as part of the CRM or separately, many operators will need tools for:

• Lead capture, such as Typeform
• Email marketing, such as Mailchimp, or even full-scale marketing automation depending on their sophistication
• Chatbots, such as Intercom or Drift
• E-signing, such as DocuSing or HelloSign, or full blown contract management software

To provide a good, coherent customer experience, coliving operators will need to make sure that their CRM, PMS and other systems are well integrated together. For example, if they want to share some information about the other guests staying in an apartment, this information needs to flow from the CRM to the CMS. ColivHQ has a coliving-specific CRM built inside, with the inventory and the content components leveraging on it natively. Additionally, it has APIs to push content about new prospects and new requests, and it can do this via Zapier, not just APIs, to integrate more easily with other tools.

Customer service software

Like most consumer businesses, coliving operations need a customer service software (like FreshDesk or Zendesk) to keep track of issues raised by customers, the solutions provided, and the customers’ satisfaction with these solutions. 

Some PMS will do this, and additionally will keep track of the works (and vendors) done on each home or room. Similarly, ColivHQ provides a simple customer service software, integrated with emails to streamline its usage as much as possible.

Billing system

Coliving operators need a billing system to invoice customers and handle payments. In some cases, this could be handled directly by the accounting system, provided that there is a good interface between the accounting system and all other systems (which have prices, stay information, customer data). 

This is also something typically done by a PMS, and similarly, ColivHQ provides simple billing (and payment) functionalities.

Community engagement

Finally, operators with a greater focus on community will have tools to foster community engagement. These tools can range from simple apps to share events and schedules, to more sophisticated platforms to facilitate communications, providing additional “concierge-like” services (such as Spaceflow).

In summary, streamlining operations

ColivHQ’s promise for coliving operators is to streamline operations for greater efficiency and to enable them to deliver better experiences for their customers. With an all-in-one PMS, CRM, and CMS and its open APIs to easily integrate with other systems, ColivHQ can significantly reduce the need to have multiple independent tools. ColivHQ can play the role of being the center of a coliving operator’s back office.

The post Indispensable tools for coliving operators appeared first on ColivHQ Website.