What is the biggest challenge for Maintenance Supervisors in today's multifamily world?

 

Maintenance Supervisors have it rough. They need to know quite a bit about every system to do their job correctly. You have to be personable because we are the last line of defense before angry residents go to corporate for anything facilities related. People are more demanding today than ever before because we charge so much they think they should be getting 5 star service while we are given a 2-3 star budget for Staffing and equipment.
I think overall it is just the lack of understanding and empathy combined with the way we are treated like a line item expense in a budget. If we are good we can save a property hundreds of thousands per year and see nothing in return for it.
Another interesting dynamic that has taken a toll is the implementation of new software tracking systems that feel more like big brother and take more time away from your normal duties to fill out data points that make someone's job easier in corporate to track KPIs and Metrics but they never took away tasks off of our duties or gave us more staff to cover that time. In the last 10 years I can't count how many things companies have added to the MS job duty list saying "it only takes 10 minutes" well you add 10 minute processes 3 to 4 times a year over several years and that's quite a loss of hours per week for them to keep up with.
What I see a lot of is basically many maintenance guys just don't do the stuff in the handbook until it is absolutely required simply because they don't have time. I remember some points in my career staying late off the clock because I wasn't allowed overtime but I'd get in trouble for not getting some audit paperwork like SDS binders or some software filled out. It was funny because the most "successful" of us started being the ones who knew how to talk and play the corporate games more than actually fix anything. They would say anything to make themselves look good. Like I knew people that closed many turns out in Yardi at the 3 to 4 day mark while they were still working in them and then they would win awards and get credit for having best turn times. But they were just cheating. That's what happens when you incentivise metrics above all else. Everyone will find ways to cheat the system. Especially if you attach bonuses to it. (Which is dumb) it should just be based off of NOI not all the other weird crap.
Anyways it's a difficult job. You almost have to thrive in a chaotic environment to be good at it.

Parts

No support from higher ups

Residents

Inexperienced property managers

Rising resident expectations with limited resources.

And to top it off, supervisor make a few dollars more than a regular tech.

Corporate owners.

Maintenance Techs who think they know everything but know nothing and YouTube everything. No one takes pride in their work anymore