The Dinerstein Companies Optimizes Maintenance Operations with HappyCo's People-First Approach
50-60%
decrease in after-hours calls across TDC's entire portfolio.
50-60%
decrease in after-hours calls across TDC's entire portfolio.
The Dinerstein Companies (TDC), a leader in multifamily and student housing, prioritizes innovation and people-first approaches. TDC leverages technology to enhance operations and employee satisfaction, particularly in maintenance. Combining cutting-edge solutions with employee care positions TDC as a progressive force in property management.
To enhance operational excellence and support their site teams, TDC recognized the need for a solution that balances high operational standards with the well-being of their maintenance teams and after-hours workloads. This led TDC to search for a technology solution that integrated with their existing systems, offered effective tools for maintenance staff, and improved overall operational performance and resident satisfaction.
HappyCo answered TDC’s maintenance call. The software solution seamlessly integrated with TDC's existing tech stack, providing smart tools tailored for maintenance teams. Harnessing HappyCo’s centralized maintenance approach improved after-hours call handling, provided real-time performance metrics, empowered maintenance staff, and enhanced operational efficiency and resident satisfaction.
Maintenance teams are pillars in property management, directly impacting resident satisfaction and a company's reputation on a day-to-day basis. These frontline heroes need more than just recognition to excel in their roles—they need the right tools and support tailored to their specific challenges, skill sets, and responsibilities.
For The Dinerstein Companies (TDC), a multifamily developer and owner-operator, embracing innovation has become a key part of their strategy to address the needs of both their maintenance teams and residents. At the forefront of this technological revolution is John Barr, Director of Leasing and Innovation at TDC, who has found a valuable partner in HappyCo.
As a company that prioritizes people and innovation, TDC faced a common industry challenge: how to streamline operations without compromising the well-being of its staff, particularly its maintenance teams. The need for after-hours support was affecting employees' work-life balance, and the lack of centralized maintenance data made it difficult to make informed decisions.
John Barr explains, “Maintenance teams just want their peace and quiet. They just want to be able to be at home and be with their families. Sometimes they can't because if they are on call that week, they are taking after-hour pressures home with them.”
After discovering HappyCo at an industry conference, Barr initiated a pilot program with HappyForce, the platform’s 24/7 remote maintenance service. Initial success led to a broader implementation across TDC's portfolio and paved the way for exploring the full HappyCo suite.
“We started the pilot period for Happy Force a little over a year ago. I'll be honest, I was skeptical at first. How do you centralize maintenance? What is that? But I couldn't tell you how much good feedback I've heard from the onsite team, specifically with Happy Force.”
John Barr,
Director of Leasing and Innovation
The Dinerstein Companies
“We started the pilot period for Happy Force a little over a year ago. I'll be honest, I was skeptical at first. How do you centralize maintenance? What is that? But I couldn't tell you how much good feedback I've heard from the onsite team, specifically with Happy Force.”
John Barr,
Director of Leasing and Innovation
The Dinerstein Companies
The implementation of HappyCo's solutions has yielded notable results for TDC, including a 50-60% decrease in after-hours calls across TDC's entire portfolio.
“For us to go from two hours and potentially overtime pay to deflecting 50% to 60% of our phone calls is major.”
By reducing after-hours calls, TDC is now reducing overtime expenses. As Barr notes, “Being able to deflect 50 to 60% of our phone calls is major. That's two hours of unnecessary overtime at time and a half.”
HappyCo's reporting capabilities have provided TDC with valuable insights into ticket close times and team performance. Barr emphasizes, “Now we can make decisions based upon what's actually happening.”
Beyond the success metrics, HappyCo has brought about a cultural shift at TDC, highlighting the contributions of often-overlooked team members. Barr passionately states, “Happy Co has put focus on a team member that deserves it–our maintenance supervisors and our maintenance teams.”
This recognition has had a ripple effect throughout TDC’s entire organization. “If our maintenance staff is happy, our residents are going to be happy. It creates this ecosystem mentality of ‘we're all here to win,’ and our residents are part of that,” Barr explains.
For TDC, HappyCo has been more than just a technology provider. The partnership aligns closely with TDC's core values, particularly in its people-first approach. Barr elaborates on this, stating:
"HappyCo aligns perfectly with TDC's core values because they start with the first thing that matters - people. Many times, when new technology stacks come out, the developers don't understand the importance of this. HappyCo does. They're true partners helping us solve real-world challenges our teams face daily."
- John Barr, Director of Leasing and Innovation at TDC
This alignment extends to the flexibility and responsiveness of the HappyCo team. Barr recounts an incident in which a procedural issue was quickly addressed: “The next day, I was on a phone call. The following day, the SOP was updated. And within a day, the problem was solved.”
With the success of Happy Force, TDC is eager to explore more of what HappyCo has to offer. “We're starting to pilot the full HappyCo suite,” Barr reveals. “I'm really excited for what’s ahead.”
As TDC continues to grow and innovate, HappyCo continues to play an important role in shaping the future of their maintenance operations. By focusing on the needs of their maintenance teams and leveraging data-driven insights, TDC is well-positioned to continue delivering positive experiences for both their staff and residents.
John Barr sums it up best: “It's all about people. We're all here to win, including our residents as part of that.”
To explore the solutions driving TDC’s maintenance operations success, check out Happy Force. To experience HappyCo for yourself, book a demo.
Please note that positions and personnel mentioned in our customer stories may change over time as individuals transition within or leave the company.
John is a seasoned professional at The Dinerstein Companies, where he leads leasing strategies and drives innovation across the company's portfolio. With over 4 years of property management experience, John consistently achieves key performance benchmarks through his expertise in operations and financial management. His role focuses on identifying and implementing cutting-edge technologies and partnerships to enhance both employee and resident experiences nationwide.
Please note that positions and personnel mentioned in our customer stories may change over time as individuals transition within or leave the company.
The Dinerstein Companies (TDC), a leader in multifamily and student housing, prioritizes innovation and people-first approaches. TDC leverages technology to enhance operations and employee satisfaction, particularly in maintenance. Combining cutting-edge solutions with employee care positions TDC as a progressive force in property management.
