@PSP – Issue 7, August 2023
Property managers with passion and a flair for technology

Let’s start with an easy question: What does the daily routine of a property manager look like?

Stefanie (laughs): You can plan your day, but all it takes is a single e-mail or a call from a tenant to have you throwing those plans right out the window. That’s why I like to come in early in the morning, sometimes at half past six in the summer. The best time to work through my to-do list is in the peace and quiet of those morning hours.

Karin: For me it’s the other way round. I usually don’t get started until around a quarter past eight, when I begin playing fire brigade right away. In my 18 years with PSP, I’ve learned that I can’t schedule any unpostponable appointments after a long weekend. From storm damage to acts of vandalism to a heating system failure, there’s always something that needs to be attended to afterwards. When things begin to die down around 5 p.m., I work through my to-do list and do what I originally planned to do, check the tenant enquiries, work on budgets and take care of everything you can imagine.

Aurélie: Every day we are confronted with questions from our tenants relating to legal matters, construction, energy and many other issues that we want to deal with as quickly as possible. PSP’s portfolio consists of quality and high-standing properties. It’s our duty to ensure that the buildings and their technical installations are carefully maintained. Things definitely never get boring, because when I get up in the morning, I have no idea what the day will bring.

How do you experience this cooperation with the tenants in day-to-day life?

Karin: As a manager of commercial properties, I attach great importance to relating to the tenants in a spirit of partnership. I use the term partnership because I involve them in the projects and also like to evaluate the feasibility of special wishes.

Aurélie: My office is in the middle of the city of Geneva, and the same goes for the properties I look after, so I see the tenants regularly in the building or out and about on the street. This closeness creates a close bond based on partnership. On this basis, you can easily enter into conversation or answer a question.
 

How do you know what the tenant wants so you can support them proactively?

Stefanie: If tenants have any special needs, they know they can contact us at any time. It’s up to us to evaluate whether their ideas are structurally and financially feasible and make sense in terms of the tenancy.

Karin: We always actively approach the tenants, not only for contract extensions but also in regard to upcoming construction projects being implemented by the landlord. I see most of the tenants regularly when I visit the properties.

Aurélie: As a property manager, you have to be a person who likes to be in contact with others – because our jobs involve a lot of contact.

How has your profile of job requirements changed over the years?

Aurélie (replies with a laugh): A lot! I deal with many more technical issues today than I used to. Issues relating to sustainability have moved to the forefront even further. I say “even further” because PSP embraced sustainability at a very early point in the game. In terms of sustainability, every new installation is to be examined in the context of the entire building. Only by looking at the big picture can we find an optimal solution that benefits both the tenant and the landlord.

Karin: While my work in the past was filled with administrative tasks and bookkeeping, today – as with Aurélie – it’s all about technology. My primary task is to ensure that the property is operating well. We act as mediators between tenants and landlords.

Aurélie: Today’s tenants are more demanding than in the past. They want clear and detailed answers. This in turn means that I have to be even more proactive and acquire even more knowledge and skills so that I can quickly respond at the earliest point possible.

Stefanie: Although I’ve only been with PSP since July 2022, I’ve been in the business for a long time and am experiencing this change in a similar way. I also see the digital transformation as a major driver of the way our work is changing. What was once on paper is now online, and I think things will go a lot further in this direction in the future.

Karin: I agree! I no longer turn a physical lever when I want to adjust something on the heating system. Instead, I change the setting online on my tablet or laptop.

“I also see the digital transformation as a major driver of the way our work is changing.”

Stefanie Imhof

How do you deal with the growing demands in terms of technical expertise?

Stefanie: For me, the on-site caretaker is key. He’s the building’s expert. My role ranges from generalist to counsellor, which makes it extremely exciting. However, I’m all the more dependent on the expertise of the experts – and also on them being able to contribute to our discussions.

Aurélie: I’m also in regular contact with the technical caretaker. And communication with PSP’s various specialty service providers is equally important, which helps in the formulation and anticipation of the overall strategy.
 

And how do you deal with the changes in the area of sustainability?

Karin: At PSP, awareness of the issue has been raised for a number of years, but there is still a great deal to learn. The Optima project supports us with guidelines, checklists and statistics. It involves matters such as verifying ancillary costs but also questions regarding how I can optimise the operating times of the air conditioning or heating. The goal is to optimise the building’s maintenance and ancillary costs, and that requires always keeping the entire property in mind.

How has your profile of job requirements changed over the years?

Aurélie (replies with a laugh): A lot! I deal with many more technical issues today than I used to. Issues relating to sustainability have moved to the forefront even further. I say “even further” because PSP embraced sustainability at a very early point in the game. In terms of sustainability, every new installation is to be examined in the context of the entire building. Only by looking at the big picture can we find an optimal solution that benefits both the tenant and the landlord.

Karin: While my work in the past was filled with administrative tasks and bookkeeping, today – as with Aurélie – it’s all about technology. My primary task is to ensure that the property is operating well. We act as mediators between tenants and landlords.

Aurélie: Today’s tenants are more demanding than in the past. They want clear and detailed answers. This in turn means that I have to be even more proactive and acquire even more knowledge and skills so that I can quickly respond at the earliest point possible.

Stefanie: Although I’ve only been with PSP since July 2022, I’ve been in the business for a long time and am experiencing this change in a similar way. I also see the digital transformation as a major driver of the way our work is changing. What was once on paper is now online, and I think things will go a lot further in this direction in the future.

Karin: I agree! I no longer turn a physical lever when I want to adjust something on the heating system. Instead, I change the setting online on my tablet or laptop.

How do you deal with the growing demands in terms of technical expertise?

Stefanie: For me, the on-site caretaker is key. He’s the building’s expert. My role ranges from generalist to counsellor, which makes it extremely exciting. However, I’m all the more dependent on the expertise of the experts – and also on them being able to contribute to our discussions.

Aurélie: I’m also in regular contact with the technical caretaker. And communication with PSP’s various specialty service providers is equally important, which helps in the formulation and anticipation of the overall strategy.
 

And how do you deal with the changes in the area of sustainability?

Karin: At PSP, awareness of the issue has been raised for a number of years, but there is still a great deal to learn. The Optima project supports us with guidelines, checklists and statistics. It involves matters such as verifying ancillary costs but also questions regarding how I can optimise the operating times of the air conditioning or heating. The goal is to optimise the building’s maintenance and ancillary costs, and that requires always keeping the entire property in mind.

Aurélie: Optima is a daily task for me, whether I am on-site or talking with the PSP staff. The tenants are grateful for the project, and it’s gratifying when I am able to reduce costs for everyone.

Stefanie: Using the Optima statistics, we consider where there is a lot of energy consumption and where measures for improvement may be necessary and possible. It’s crucial to walk through the property with your eyes open.

Karin: Exactly. This includes checking operating hours, motion detectors, light and time switches, roller blind systems, waste disposal management and lift maintenance. The objective is to achieve a great deal of benefits with a manageable amount of effort. If we need a new pump, I don’t just evaluate the pump, I also ask for the energy-optimised version. Paying a small premium on the price can quickly lead to major savings.

Stefanie: I involve the technical service staff and the caretaker and request that they contribute their ideas. I ask them what has caught their eye. They know the building best. This experience has taught me to delegate. When it comes to sustainability, it’s often many small things that add up to significant savings.

“Continuous education and training are important. PSP supports us in this in an exemplary way.”

Aurélie Berg

Aurélie: Whether technical or sustainability topics are involved, continuous education and training are important to me. I attend internal PSP courses as well as external ones and continue my education independently. This is something we call auto-formation in French.

The topic of sustainability plays a key role at PSP. It begins with construction and goes all the way through to the management of the properties. How do you deal with this topic in your daily life at PSP?

Aurélie: Sustainability is a challenge that will accompany us for years to come. It’s not just a matter of implementing measures, such as those required within the framework of the Geneva-specific Eco21 programme. More and more attention is being focused on topics such as the CO₂ footprint of construction materials and how they are recycled.

Stefanie: The challenge lies in the unique nature of each property. A building located in an industrial zone cannot be compared with a listed building in the historic district. The requirements are completely different, and that means the approach is new and different for each property. It’s important to involve the tenants in the process at an early stage and to consider which measures are actually feasible.

“The challenge lies in the unique nature of each property.”

Stefanie Imhof

Karin gives an example: With a room height of 2.20 metres, it’s practically impossible to install a ventilation system, as this takes away another 10 centimetres of height.

Stefanie: ... and installing a heat pump in a building located in the historic district is usually an impossibility due to the structural conditions.

Aurélie: I’ve noticed that tenants today have much greater awareness of the topic. They know more than before and therefore want to know more from us. The invoice for ancillary costs, which is increasingly complex and itemised in greater detail, is scrutinised more closely, with tenants asking more questions about it. This is especially the case in the face of rising energy prices.

PSP is known for finding new uses for and revitalising land such as the Grosspeter site in Basel or the Hürlimann site in Zurich. Asset management, construction and management need to work hand-in-hand.

What’s your experience with this cooperation? Where do the challenges lie?

Aurélie: For me, the experience of these projects is about the interaction of the various stakeholders. As a property manager, I know the needs of the tenant and contribute this knowledge to the project from the very beginning. Together with the construction project manager, asset manager and property manager, we get the most you can out of the project.

Karin (chimes in with a smile): The challenge lies in balancing the different interests: The architect wants things to look nice. The construction department wants to keep the costs low. The legal department is looking to optimise the contracts, and marketing wants to achieve full occupancy. And what about us property managers? We want the best for the property and for everyone involved! We’re the ones who will have to deal with the tenant and the landlord if there are any future deficiencies or planning mistakes.

Stefanie (nods in agreement): The task is to reconcile the various interests and wishes, including price, appearance and practicality. Some architects like to choose a beautiful and stylish-looking product that, unfortunately, is found to be less than persuasive in everyday use.

Finally, what have been your best moments as property managers at PSP?

Aurélie: One of my most formative memories came when I was appointed as a property manager in January 2021. During the 10 years I worked as an administrator, my supervisor always validated me in my work and entrusted me with more and more tasks over time. I’m very grateful to her for that. For me, the promotion was a confirmation of the trust that management has placed in me, and I was thrilled. I’m motivated and strive every day to perform my duties in the best possible way and to constantly develop my knowledge and skills.

Stefanie: After the successful implementation of a tenant’s request, I’m always happy to receive a thank you that comes from the heart.

Karin: It’s always nice to get positive feedback from tenants. I find every successful completion of a project gratifying – especially when we were able to implement an optimal solution together with the tenant.