Block Management UK Ltd appoints client-facing manager to head up handovers In a move to streamline and improve new customer relationships, Block Management UK Ltd has appointed current staff member Holly Ditton to the new role of Business Integration Manager (BIM). Holly's primary responsibilities will be to manage and execute the handover process on behalf of new clients. Holly was already handling elements of this key role along with other duties. Now, she can focus on supporting our Business Development Manager in onboarding new clients, especially those with larger sites. Holly has worked at BMUK for over four years in a variety of roles including PA, management of our maintenance team, and marketing and sales support roles. Her experience across the company will be vital in onboarding new clients. What is a Handover? The handover is the process by which a managing agent gathers all the information needed for them to begin managing a new property. Traditionally, the handover process can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months. Each handover is individual to the property and can be a little fraught as the new agent is in contact with the old agent and sometimes there is a soured business relationship to contend with. Handovers need to be handled professionally, diplomatically, and swiftly. Typically (or though this is not a complete list) a handover list includes: documents from Companies House (incorporation details, Mem and Arts, Company Secretary details, CAC code) insurance documents including buildings/D&O insurance, engineering insurance (for example, for lifts) PLI details of any insurance claims other key documents from previous agents or self-managing directors property employees' details list of current contractors the client would like to keep on utilities suppliers lifts maintenance contracts fire risk assessment reports structural reports gas safety paperwork any immediate maintenance requirements, decorating or Section 20s going through door/CCTV keycodes or passwords all leaseholder and tenant names and details The checklist is long and needs to be completed before sending to the property management and accounts departments. Once a full set of documentation is collected, details will be entered into our property management software - Qube PM - where the building will be set up along with its accounts. Upgrading the Handover Experience The appointment of a new Business Integration Manager gives Block Management UK the opportunity to review our processes and make improvements to streamline the experience. We already have a proven four-stage process for making this happen, tested across many years of conducting handovers. The key elements for successful handovers that we are looking to improve are: Client education - making sure they know what is going on even when the process enters a long-drawn-out stage Follow up system - keeping collecting information and pushing for outstanding documentation Robust CRM - we use Salesforce, the world's number one CRM (customer relationship management) software to keep track of new client information and build up a comprehensive handover record, ready to be passed on to operations in time for the management start date. Asked about her new role, Holly said: "I'm looking forward to walking new clients through the process of becoming fully-fledged customers of Block Management UK Ltd. The handover process is an interim period in the management of a property. Many new clients are under the impression that our role as managing agent has begun in earnest but that is not the case. We have no authority to manage or begin any work on their property until the management commencement date which comes after the handover period and is shown in their contract. Typically, the last thing that we will receive is any outstanding monies so we are unable to finance any jobs and the previous managing agent will be reluctant to do any more on the property themselves. We undertake the handover process to best prepare the property management and accounts departments to hit the ground running on the commencement date. A large part of handovers is out of our control - we must wait for the previous property manager to do as we ask. So, it can be a frustrating time for new clients, but I would ask that they be patient and allow us enough time to complete the handover process." (03 June 2021 )

Block Management UK Ltd appoints client-facing manager to head up handovers

In a move to streamline and improve new customer relationships, Block Management UK Ltd has appointed current staff member Holly Ditton to the new role of Business Integration Manager (BIM). Holly's primary responsibilities will be to manage and execute the handover process on behalf of new clients.

Holly was already handling elements of this key role along with other duties. Now, she can focus on supporting our Business Development Manager in onboarding new clients, especially those with larger sites. Holly has worked at BMUK for over four years in a variety of roles including PA, management of our maintenance team, and marketing and sales support roles. Her experience across the company will be vital in onboarding new clients.

What is a Handover?

The handover is the process by which a managing agent gathers all the information needed for them to begin managing a new property.
Traditionally, the handover process can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to several months. Each handover is individual to the property and can be a little fraught as the new agent is in contact with the old agent and sometimes there is a soured business relationship to contend with. Handovers need to be handled professionally, diplomatically, and swiftly.

Typically (or though this is not a complete list) a handover list includes:

documents from Companies House (incorporation details, Mem and Arts, Company Secretary details, CAC code)
insurance documents including buildings/D&O insurance, engineering insurance (for example, for lifts) PLI
details of any insurance claims
other key documents from previous agents or self-managing directors
property employees' details
list of current contractors the client would like to keep on
utilities suppliers
lifts maintenance contracts
fire risk assessment reports
structural reports
gas safety paperwork
any immediate maintenance requirements, decorating or Section 20s going through
door/CCTV keycodes or passwords
all leaseholder and tenant names and details

The checklist is long and needs to be completed before sending to the property management and accounts departments. Once a full set of documentation is collected, details will be entered into our property management software - Qube PM - where the building will be set up along with its accounts.

Upgrading the Handover Experience

The appointment of a new Business Integration Manager gives Block Management UK the opportunity to review our processes and make improvements to streamline the experience.

We already have a proven four-stage process for making this happen, tested across many years of conducting handovers. The key elements for successful handovers that we are looking to improve are:

Client education - making sure they know what is going on even when the process enters a long-drawn-out stage

Follow up system - keeping collecting information and pushing for outstanding documentation

Robust CRM - we use Salesforce, the world's number one CRM (customer relationship management) software to keep track of new client information and build up a comprehensive handover record, ready to be passed on to operations in time for the management start date.

Asked about her new role, Holly said:

"I'm looking forward to walking new clients through the process of becoming fully-fledged customers of Block Management UK Ltd.

The handover process is an interim period in the management of a property. Many new clients are under the impression that our role as managing agent has begun in earnest but that is not the case. We have no authority to manage or begin any work on their property until the management commencement date which comes after the handover period and is shown in their contract. Typically, the last thing that we will receive is any outstanding monies so we are unable to finance any jobs and the previous managing agent will be reluctant to do any more on the property themselves.

We undertake the handover process to best prepare the property management and accounts departments to hit the ground running on the commencement date.

A large part of handovers is out of our control - we must wait for the previous property manager to do as we ask. So, it can be a frustrating time for new clients, but I would ask that they be patient and allow us enough time to complete the handover process."

(03 June 2021 )

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