Forging lifelong relationships

Things often deteriorate as they age. Once-perfect buildings will start showing leaks and cracks, and property owners will expect their property management to fix them.

For SDB Property Management Sdn Bhd, the property manager of Park Seven condominium in Kuala Lumpur city centre, upholding professionalism and maintaining a strong bond with residents are key ingredients to a well-maintained property with happy residents.

SDB Property Management is the property management arm of developer Selangor Dredging Bhd (SDB), who built and completed Park Seven in April 2008. Located a stone’s throw away from Petronas Twin Towers and KLCC Park, the low-density luxury condominium has only 105 units housed in seven 20-storey towers. Park Seven is SDB’s first high-rise residential development in Malaysia. At the recent EdgeProp Malaysia’s Best Managed Property Awards 2018, Park Seven won joint Bronze in the below 10 years multi-own strata residential category, together with By The Sea — another residential project managed by SDB Property Management. 

“With the building now touching 10 years, we have to consistently update our systems, technology and equipment so that the expectations and needs of residents are well taken care of,” says SDB Property Management head of business unit Peter Quah, who is also SDB’s head of post development.

The recent upgrades include the CCTV system, audio and video intercom system, gym equipment, adoption of LED lights in the common areas and having two new pumps for the swimming pool.

“We had recently also done a building audit for Park Seven to identify crack lines on its bare-finish concrete facade and had rectified them. Looking ahead, we are exploring methods to beautify the facade and camouflage the touch-up marks on these lines on the surface.

“We would like to adopt more technologies at Park Seven, such as timers to control our equipment and a digital notice board in the common lobby and in passenger lifts, while we upgrade the landscape to be more lively and lush, and refurbish and upgrade the playground facilities,” he says.

Maintenance aside, SDB Property Management has established a customer relationship management (CRM) system to respond to issues and requests from residents.

“The CRM system enables us to manage, track and organise data records of owners and residents at Park Seven. In addition, we have an online complaint system through our company website, where the customer tracking system enables them to lodge any complaint they have via the internet,” offers Quah. Besides that, Park Seven also has a handyman service to respond and rectify problems within 48 hours, concierge service and shuttle van service for residents.

The current occupancy rate for Park Seven is about 95%, of whom 30% are foreigners. “Our residents have high expectations. Customer satisfaction is our upmost priority. This relates back to our promise to build lifelong relationships with our customers,” he emphasises. Activities and events are also held every year to encourage interaction among residents so that they too could build lifelong relationships with each other.

The efforts that have been put in are bearing fruit. The customer satisfaction index among Park Seven residents stood at 68% in the second half of 2017, exceeding the target of 60% set by the team.

On top of that, Park Seven has seen an increase in capital value over the past three years with the average property price of a condo unit increasing by 20.67% from RM850.42 psf in 2015 to RM1,026.22 psf today.

Meanwhile, Park Seven management corporation (MC) chairman Tan Mei Sian says SDB Property Management has been playing an integral part in the overall running of Park Seven.

“They have been prompt in responding to our requests and have been offering us excellent quality of service and good preventive maintenance of the property.

“It is important that we create a safe and sustainable living environment for our community and families,” she says.

For the MC and property management team, winning the Bronze award will inspire the team to work harder and achieve higher standards going forward, says Quah.

This story first appeared in EdgeProp.my pullout on May 11, 2018. Download EdgeProp.my pullout here for free.