How Stone & Browning use automation to boost operational efficiency
Stone & Browning Property Management
Established: 2014\ Location: Barre, Vermont\ Portfolio: Multifamily, community associations, commercial, student housing, single-familyStone & Browning Property Management operate a mixed portfolio of properties ranging from smaller, multifamily apartment complexes and condo associations to commercial buildings. In conversation with Co-Founder Mark Browning, we get to the heart of their story and explore how they use AppFolio Property Manager to increase operational efficiency so they can maximize profitability and deliver a better experience to owners, investors, and residents.
Units managed
1,000+
Previous solutions
Propertyware, Buildium
Increase in units under
management
4X
Increase in online
payments
90%
“AppFolio helps us work more efficiently. When we improve operational efficiency, we ultimately improve our bottom line.”
Small town. Big dreams.
“Back when we first started, there really wasn’t any property management company in our area, which is part of the reason why I think we’ve been successful. Vermont is awesome, but it’s behind the times. We had a long-term vision of growing to 1,500 units and needed the technology to help us get there.”
However, their previous solutions fell short of meeting their needs, which led them to AppFolio Property Manager.
“We started with Buildium, and then we went to Propertyware. It was harder to reach our goals, and we kept hearing from our mentors and everywhere online that if you’re looking for software that’s going to grow with your company and be with you side-by-side, then AppFolio is the answer. I think we made the jump a little sooner than we planned, but we knew we were in good hands and had the ability to grow.”
A seamless switch
After switching to AppFolio, the team at Stone & Browning was able to get up and running quickly and start seeing the value of using a robust system.
“The onboarding process was seamless. The training was definitely super helpful. The communication was on point. There was always the initial check-in. Then, there were always follow-ups that happened at a scheduled time, which I think was, from a planning purpose, really great. You would hold us accountable just as much as we would hold you guys accountable in the onboarding process. So, that was pretty cool.”
Efficiency by way of automation
With so many moving parts in property management, processes can quickly become inefficient. Stone & Browning are able to simplify and streamline complex workflows like accounting and reporting by putting automation to work.
“When you’re spread out over a lot of different buildings, it means you have a boatload of bills. We take advantage of the Smart Bill Entry feature in AppFolio. We’re able to quickly scan things in, and it automatically pre-populates things on the bill, which helps our finance department stay much more organized.”
Along with accounting and reporting, the team leverages automated marketing tools to save time and post vacancies faster.
“AppFolio's ability to house all of the marketing information for our units is amazing. Being able to post vacancies to listing sites and our website with literally a click of a button makes marketing our vacancies so easy. Efficiency-wise, that’s made us a much better company.”
Taking a stand for standout service
“We are living in the 21st century. Most people offer an online ability of some sort. So, the fact that our residents have an online portal where they can log in to make rent payments, view their lease, or read any other documents that we might have uploaded is definitely huge to them. I think that’s probably, from the resident experience, one of the best parts of it, and it keeps renters around.”
And it’s not just Stone & Browning’s renters who benefit from their differentiated service — their owners and investors also appreciate the transparency and accessibility a fully digital system provides.
“From our owners’ point of view, having the ability to access information relatively quickly is amazing. When we send out owner reports, it’s super easy for them to log into the app and get day-to-day updates. We also use AppFolio Investment Management. A lot of our existing clients are also investors and they’re already familiar with AppFolio. For them to be able to log in and have everything look the same makes it much easier for them to find what they are looking for.”
More time for meaningful work
Stone & Browning’s team is the foundation of their business. AppFolio has automated and simplified a lot of manual processes, giving the team more time to focus on higher-value tasks.
“When people think of property management, it’s a kind of grueling business sometimes. It’s 24/7. Having AppFolio allows them to take on what might be a burden to other people and alleviate that frustration, which in turn makes their jobs more fulfilling.”
In addition to investing in their team through technology, Mark and Reuben are strong believers in mentorship and aim to help their team succeed both inside and outside of the office.
“Reuben and I really love educating our team on the benefits of owning real estate. Over the past couple of years, we've actually got some of our employees to invest in some real estate side-by-side with us. As a long-term goal, we really want to help our team achieve their personal financial goals and build equity by investing in real estate.”
More than a provider — a partner
In property management, challenges need to be solved quickly, which is why it’s critical to have software with a solid support foundation. In their partnership with AppFolio, the team at Stone & Browning feels like they have the resources and timely assistance they need to overcome obstacles and stay successful.
“One of the greatest things about using AppFolio and one of the reasons why we went with them is their customer service and responsiveness to feedback. When you have an issue, you’re not just getting passed down the line over and over again to someone. You’re treated like a person. If we have suggestions, they listen. A lot of larger companies, when you give them a suggestion on something, they’re just like, ‘Okay, cool. We’ll store that in a box in the back filing cabinet.’ But, AppFolio has always followed up.”
Success fueled by efficiency
Stone & Browning lean on technology to make their business more efficient, which in turn gives them clarity to make better business decisions and the time to focus on their goals.
“AppFolio allows us to scale quicker, take on more clients, streamline processes, and communicate effectively. But more than anything, it gives us more time in the day.”
Mark Browning Jr.
Co-Founder, Stone & Browning Property Management , 1,000+ units
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