5 Maintenance Mistakes That Cost You Money (And How to Avoid Them)

Property maintenance is one of the largest recurring expenses in commercial real estate. Yet many owners and managers unknowingly make costly mistakes that erode budgets and tenant satisfaction. Let’s explore five common pitfalls and how to fix them with smarter tech.

1. Incomplete or vague work orders
   Poorly written requests lead to delays, incorrect repairs, and wasted time. Terminus allows tenants to submit detailed requests through a guided portal, including photos, urgency, and location.

2. Manual dispatching
   Relying on spreadsheets or memory for task assignment creates bottlenecks. AI-driven routing automatically sends tasks to the right resource based on skill, location, or availability.

3. No performance tracking
   If you’re not measuring resolution times, completion rates, or vendor reliability, you’re flying blind. Terminus dashboards make this data visible and actionable.

4. Lack of preventative planning
   Without predictive alerts, minor issues become major ones. With historical trend analysis, the platform flags recurring problems and suggests preventative steps.

5. Delayed tenant communication
   When tenants are left in the dark, trust erodes. Terminus sends automated status updates, reducing emails and increasing transparency.

Avoiding these mistakes doesn’t require more staff—just smarter systems.es.