Property Management / Maintenance operations

Get the right repair request to the right person faster.

Maintenance requests often arrive with incomplete details, unclear urgency, and no indication of who should handle the issue. The AI agent helps residents describe the problem, identify whether it is urgent, collect the information needed for diagnosis, and route the request to the correct maintenance path.

ILLUSTRATIVE REQUEST PATHASSESS URGENCY BEFORE ROUTINE INTAKE

RESIDENT REPORT

“There is water under the sink.”

AI AGENT / URGENCY CHECKDoes this show an emergency sign?

YES · URGENT SIGN PRESENT

Property emergency instructionsConfigured emergency path

Human Handoff can connect the resident with the appropriate emergency or on-call team when staff intervention is required.

NO · NO EMERGENCY INDICATOR

ISSUE-SPECIFIC QUESTIONSWORK ORDERDISPATCH

Collect details maintenance needs before anyone is dispatched.

EMERGENCY INDICATORS

Active floodingSmell of gasLoss of heat in dangerous weatherExposed electrical wiringFire or smokeUnable to secure the unitMajor water intrusionElevator entrapmentAnother immediate safety risk

Follow the property’s emergency instructions. Do not make unsafe diagnostic assumptions or replace emergency services.

The next question should depend on the problem type

Ask about the repair in the resident’s own terms.

Turn the description into a clearer maintenance category without forcing the resident to understand building-maintenance terminology.

MAINTENANCE CATEGORYFOLLOW-UP THAT HELPS TRIAGE

01Plumbing

Is water actively flowing? Where is it coming from? Can you shut off the fixture?

02Heating or cooling

Is the whole unit affected? What does the thermostat show? Is there airflow?

03Electrical

Is one outlet, one room, or the whole unit affected? Are there sparks, heat, or smells?

04Appliance issue

Which appliance? What symptoms do you see? Is power reaching the unit?

05Lock or access issue

Are you locked out? Can the door be secured? Is a common entrance affected?

Plumbing, HVAC, electrical, appliances, locks, common areas, pest issues, or general repairs can follow different paths.

Collect the details maintenance actually needs

A useful work order says more than “something is broken.”

The AI Form node can gather the information in a structured way when several fields are required, giving maintenance a better starting point before anyone is dispatched.

When image input is supported, a photo can show water damage, error codes, broken hardware, cracks, damaged fixtures, or pest activity. It adds context, not a professional diagnosis.

WORK ORDER DETAILSAI FORM

Unit or building location

Affected room or area

When the issue started

Constant or intermittent

Visible damage

Sounds or smells

Services affected

Steps already tried

Neighboring units or common areas affected

Photo evidence

Optional context for the maintenance team before arrival

IF SUPPORTED

Route by skill, building, and responsibility

Dispatch should reflect the issue and where it happened.

DISPATCHERIssue · Property · Urgency · Responsibility

REQUEST TYPEAPPROPRIATE DESTINATION

Plumbing

Plumber

Heating or cooling

HVAC contractor

Electrical

Electrician

Appliance

Appliance vendor

Lock or access

Locksmith

Pest issue

Pest-control provider

Common area or building system

Building engineer or property manager

Cleaning or general repair

Cleaning team or in-house maintenance

Unit issue

Identify the apartment, affected room, and resident access requirements.

Common-area or building-wide issue

Check whether neighboring units or shared systems are affected.

That distinction may change both urgency and the team that receives the request.

Clarify access before dispatch

Prevent a ready team from arriving to a locked door.

Before a visit, the conversation can establish whether staff may enter, whether the resident must be home, and which instructions apply.

If the maintenance process uses scheduled time slots, AI Answer with Scheduling enabled can support booking a visit.

BEFORE THE VISITRESIDENT ACCESS DETAILS

Whether staff may enter with building access

Whether the resident must be present

Preferred visit windows

Pet considerations

Alarm instructions

Entry restrictions

Arrival contact details

POSSIBLE UPDATES AFTER TRIAGEGive the resident a clear next step.

Emergency staff have been contacted

The request has been routed to maintenance

A vendor will contact the resident

A visit has been scheduled

More information is required

The issue is linked to a known building-wide problem

AskHandle building blocks

Use the right workflow for each maintenance path.

01Doc Search

Find property emergency instructions, access procedures, and approved maintenance guidance.

02Dispatcher

Route by issue type, urgency, property, service responsibility, or other available rules.

03AI Form

Collect the structured details maintenance needs when several fields are required.

04Human Handoff

Connect a resident with the appropriate emergency or on-call team when staff intervention is required.

05AI Answer with Scheduling enabled

Support booking an appropriate visit when maintenance uses scheduled service windows.

Common questions

Maintenance triage and dispatch.

Can the AI agent identify whether a maintenance issue is urgent?

Yes. It can look for predefined emergency indicators and follow the property’s emergency procedures. It should not replace emergency services or make unsafe diagnostic assumptions.

Can it collect different information for plumbing, electrical, or HVAC issues?

Yes. The conversation can adapt its follow-up questions based on the type of problem instead of using one fixed maintenance form.

Can residents submit photos?

Yes, when image input is supported in the configured experience. Photos can provide useful context for the maintenance team before dispatch.

Can requests be routed to different vendors or teams?

Yes. Dispatcher can route requests using rules such as issue type, urgency, property, or service responsibility.

Can the resident arrange a maintenance visit?

Yes. When scheduled service windows are part of the workflow, AI Answer with Scheduling enabled can support booking the appropriate visit.

What happens with an emergency?

The agent should follow the property’s emergency instructions and use Human Handoff or the configured emergency path when immediate staff involvement is required.