With the industry getting more tech-savvy every year, property management companies are exploring ways to take advantage of an ever-growing number of technology products. Lincoln Property Company has perfected a method for incorporating new solutions. With a strong company culture and a tradition of “Lincolnizing” everything from technology products to charitable giving, Lincoln’ solutions work better and its operations run smoother.
“The goal is to make new tools fit, logically, with what our property managers are already doing,” explained Jennifer Staciokas, VP of Marketing and Training at Lincoln. This means the company never introduces a new technology straight “out-of-the-box”. Lincoln works with vendors to customize products and services in a way that will enable them to fit seamlessly with existing practices. Staciokas acknowledges that this may cause some extra work up-front, but the company reaps the benefits in better efficiency and improved morale.
“We often start the conversation with our vendors telling them that we love their product, but need specific changes in order to make it fit,” said Staciokas. “Some have a hard time with this. Some don’t mind. But in the end we find this helps us evaluate vendors and build stronger partnerships with our technology providers. Property Solutions is one partner that is very responsive to our feedback and can iterate quickly when we need a change.” The benefits of customization include increased adoption and a shorter learning curve when the new solution is rolled out. “Because we’ve done the custom work on the front end, by the time the end user sees the product it’s ready to go. It makes logical sense with what they’re already doing,” said Staciokas.
The tradition of “Lincolnizing” isn’t reserved just for technology products. It is an all-inclusive philosophy that permeates the company from the top down. For example, Lincoln has always had a tradition of charitable giving. Over the years employees raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for causes such as the United Way and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. In April of 2008, the decision was made to Lincolnize charitable giving within the company and a 501c3 charity, Lincoln Charities, was created. Employees are able to donate from their paychecks and the company hosts fund-raising events such as golf tournaments and vendor receptions throughout the year. Funds are then distributed, based on application, to team members, families, or others struggling with catastrophic events.
The result of such a strong, inclusive culture is extremely rewarding. Lincoln has achieved operational efficiencies that are unparalleled in the industry. Staciokas noted that as many as 60 percent of Lincoln employees donate to the company’s charity. “It’s because they all care,” she explained. “We have been able to create a work environment that feels personal. People are able to take ownership and feel invested in their work and fellow team members.”
