How Harcourts North Geelong Reduced Maintenance Pressure Across 1,600 Properties with Tapi

How Harcourts North Geelong Reduced Maintenance Pressure Across 1,600 Properties with Tapi Turning Follow-Ups into Forward Momentum

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Managing more than 1,600 rental properties, the team at Harcourts North Geelong was spending a significant portion of each day chasing maintenance updates.

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“Before Tapi, communication with trades was challenging. We were constantly following up to check progress, and invoice processing and payments were often delayed,” says Hayley Hodgson.

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More than 70% of the team’s day was being absorbed by maintenance follow-ups. Emails had to be written, saved, and manually filed against each job, adding unnecessary admin and stress.

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“Everything took longer than it should have, and the pressure on the team was growing.”

The Impact on Renters and Rental Providers

Delays didn’t stop at the office. Renters and rental providers were also feeling the effects.

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“Renters and rental providers were calling us to follow up on maintenance. Approval times were slower, which led to even more phone calls from renters wanting updates.”

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The team knew they needed a better way to keep everyone informed without increasing workload.
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Why Tapi and Why the Team Behind It

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Harcourts North Geelong had trialled another maintenance platform, but it fell short.

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“The dashboard wasn’t user friendly, and the communication to renters and rental providers looked spam-like.”

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What stood out about Tapi was not just the platform, but the people behind it.

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“To be honest, we were really impressed every time we met with Jason at Tapi. After hearing feedback from another Harcourts office, we knew it was time to move.”

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The consistency, transparency, and support shown by Jason early on gave the team confidence that Tapi would be different.

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An Onboarding Experience That Set the Tone
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The onboarding process reinforced that decision.

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“We could not fault the onboarding process. Jason didn’t onboard us and then just flick us off. Dani was also fantastic, and our team genuinely feels like a valued client of Tapi.”

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Rather than a one-off implementation, the team felt supported throughout the transition, with ongoing check-ins and guidance that made adoption smooth and stress-free.

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A Central Hub for All Maintenance‍

Today, Tapi acts as the single source of truth for maintenance at Harcourts North Geelong.

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“We use Tapi as the central hub for all maintenance. Every job, update, photo, message, and invoice is stored in one place.”

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The team has standardised maintenance handling across the portfolio, ensuring consistency regardless of property or manager.
Communication has transformed across all parties.

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“Instead of relying on phone calls and emails, everyone receives real-time updates. Renters can log and track maintenance, rental providers can approve works faster, and trades can communicate directly with updates and photos.”

Measurable Improvements Across the Portfolio‍

Since implementing Tapi, the results have been clear.

• Faster maintenance resolution times
• Fewer incoming phone calls
• Faster owner approvals
• Quicker trade payments through direct invoice forwarding
• Reduced admin and follow-up workload

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“Trades have noticed a really big difference in being paid quicker. Sending invoices directly to owners is now just a click of a button.”

A Noticeable Shift Day-to-Day‍

The biggest change for the team has been clarity and calm.

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“Response times from owners and renters have improved because everyone is informed along the way. That means fewer phone calls to our office.”

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While a small number of owners were initially hesitant and felt the system was too AI-driven, confidence grew quickly.

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“Over 97% of owners are now happy with it.”

Hayley’s Advice to Other Property Managers

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“Do it. As property managers, we always have to think about risk mitigation. Tapi allows us to manage maintenance effectively, ensuring we are on top of things and our renters feel informed and cared for.”

What’s Next

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Looking ahead, the team plans to expand their use of the platform.

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“In the new year, we’re keen to see what new features Tapi releases and to use the asset register more.”

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