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The biggest problem with these informal
members; Document Management Systems
communication
that
(DMS), which allow real time publishing
management is usually excluded. By giving
of documents to members in a secure
members an official platform to voice their
environment; Enterprise Resource Planning
opinion throughout the year, management
Systems
will be informed of any issues as they arise
effective management of the organisation
and be given the opportunity to deal with
and Customer Relationship Management
them before they become problematic.
Systems (CRM), which assists with the
platforms
is
(ERP),
management
Use technology to keep up: Technology
of
which
assist
member
with
relations
the
The system(s) should be actively
managed on a daily basis to ensure
the information in the system is
relevant and up-to-date. The garbagein-garbage-out principle certainly
applies when the information
provided to the system is incomplete
or inaccurate, then the information
out and other outputs of the system
will probably also be inaccurate.
and
Support: A Community Management System
more.
is an integral part of office management and
has progressed at a pace never seen
before and most people have accepted
When selecting and implementing a Community
administration. Access to effective support is
the fact that they should either keep up
Management System, the following should be
therefore critical, and direct contact to an
with technology, or stay behind. Members
considered:
individual(s) who understands each client’s
of
residential
communities
are
unique needs is a huge benefit.
mostly
technologically connected, even if it is just
Usability: Probably the first factor to consider
being able to receive short messages and
when selecting a CMS is the usability of
Data Security and Reliability: With the
emails on their mobile phones.
the system(s) in your specific environment.
introduction of the Protection of Personal
Systems which are implemented should
Information Act (POPI), data security has
Various systems and tools are available
assist with your daily tasks and not make
become
to assist with the communication and
life more difficult or add an administrative
implementing systems and tools to manage
management of residential communities.
burden. Some effort and discomfort goes
sensitive community data. All the necessary
These range from loose standing tools like
along with the implementation of any new
measures, both technical and procedural,
bulk sms and email solutions, to integrated
system, but once settled, it should enable
should be in place to ensure member’s
management and communication solutions.
effective and efficient management.
information is secure at all times.
Integrated Solution: Various systems can
Being able to communication effectively and
be found and implemented to take care
regularly within a community environment is
of specific needs, but ideally the amount
critical and implementing a good Community
CMS software launched in South Africa in
of systems should be limited. The more
Management System will go a long way in
2007 and was specifically developed to assist
functionality found in one system, the
creating the platform for successful dialect
communities with day-to-day management
easier it is to manage (although finding
between all relevant parties.
and communication. The acronym CMS
one that does it can be difficult to source).
CMS - Community
Management Systems
This
is also used for Content Management
a
article
critical
was
consideration
written
by
when
Adriaan
taking
care
Odendaal of GLOVent Solutions. GLOVent
disciplines
like
has developed and supported Community
finance, security and general management
Management Systems for more than 8
Systems, but in this context we refer to
Having
a Community Management System, which
of
includes elements of Content Management
Systems and many residential communities
for example is practical, but ideally these
years. GLO-Portal (the GLOVent CMS) is
refer
Management
systems should then be integrated and
currently being used by more than 300
System as an Estate Management System
‘talk’ to each other, even if it is through a
communities internationally, touching the
(EMS).
manual process.
lives of more than 60,000 people. For more
Leading community man vV