Property management pros depend on suppliers for everything from maintenance to landscaping to cleaning. Without them, properties simply can’t run smoothly.
But keeping suppliers happy isn’t just about ensuring day-to-day operations. Unhappy suppliers can create big headaches for property management companies. They might fail to show up for an emergency repair, do poor-quality work or prioritize projects from other property management companies who treat them better, leaving you stuck when you need them most. And these risks are especially scary in today’s economy, when rising costs and shrinking budgets make every relationship count.
Using tools like accounts payable (AP) automation to ensure prompt, accurate payments, you can build not only supplier satisfaction—but also trust, loyalty, and long-term reliability.
In this article, we’ll explore why supplier satisfaction matters more than ever and what you can do to strengthen these relationships.
What Happens When Your Suppliers Are Dissatisfied
With so many stakeholders in property management—from regional managers to on-site staff, owners and investors—invoice approvals can quickly become complicated. The longer the process drags on, the more likely payments are to fall behind.
And no one likes chasing payments. When your landscaper or plumber has to call or email to follow up on inaccurate or late payments, it strains the relationship. If they start losing confidence in the ways things are handled, your jobs may slip down the priority list, and they’ll be less likely to take on future work from you.
When that happens, issues like overgrown grass or a broken HVAC unit could go unresolved, and tenants may start to complain. And when tenants don’t feel taken care of, they’re less likely to renew their lease or recommend the building to a friend, which ultimately results in unhappy property owners.
Why Supplier Issues Are Even Riskier in an Uncertain Economy
Scrambling to replace a lost supplier is expensive, and it’s even harder in a market where contracts are competitive and resources are limited.
Earlier this year, an AvidXchange Economic Sentiment Survey found that 91% of real estate finance professionals are concerned about the current economic climate. And with inflation, labor shortages, and tight budgets continuing into 2026, suppliers are stretched thin. When forced to choose which jobs to take, they’ll prioritize clients who pay quickly and communicate effectively.
Lose trusted suppliers, and you’ll be forced to resort to suppliers you’re unfamiliar with or those with lower quality standards, and you may pay a premium for last-minute work.
The bottom line is dissatisfied suppliers don’t just inconvenience you. They undermine your ability to deliver consistent, reliable service in a fragile market.
How Property Managers Can Strengthen Supplier Relationships
The good news is that even if your supplier relationships are shaky, there are ways to turn things around. With a few best practices, and some help from the right technology, you can win their trust and earn their loyalty.
Here are some proven ways to improve supplier satisfaction so you can keep your properties well maintained and efficient, even in today’s market.
Be reliable with payments
What’s most important to suppliers? Knowing they’ll be paid on time. Automating payments helps avoid delays by eliminating time-consuming, cumbersome work like shuffling invoices for approvals and mailing paper checks. Delivering on-time payments gives suppliers confidence in your partnership.
Make communication easy
Don’t make suppliers chase you for payment status. Designate a point of contact and keep them updated. Tools like a supplier portal can help by giving them 24/7 access to invoice and payment status, along with automated notifications and reconciliation features. This transparency and easy access makes suppliers feel confident that they’ll be paid on time, and it eliminates the back-and-forth that drains both resources and sanity.
Simplify approvals
One of the ways to get suppliers paid on time is to move invoices through the pipeline at a quicker pace. With AvidXchange, you can streamline approval workflows and route invoices to the right people automatically. It’s not only quicker, but it also gives managers visibility into where things stand—making updates faster and timelines clearer.
Create predictable payment schedules
Managing cash flow in today’s fluctuating economy is tricky for your suppliers, too. You can help by scheduling payments: for instance, consistently issuing payments on the 15th of every month or paying in advance for recurring services like lawn mowing. AvidXchange’s solutions, which are designed for the real estate industry, can issue automated reminders to property managers and can even process payments automatically once approvals are complete. And since payments are quickly made upon approval, you don’t have to worry about submitting payments early so that the supplier receives payment on time. This means you have the freedom to hold onto your money longer.
Be fair with contracts and bids
A great supplier relationship starts with fairness. Create a level playing field by keeping your bidding process open and honest. Respect suppliers’ time, manage expectations, and only send out bids when you’re serious about awarding work. Once terms are agreed upon, put the agreement in writing to set clear expectations and help to build long-term trust.
Show respect and partnership
A commitment to fairness and clear, ongoing communication helps suppliers feel like partners delivering value to residents, not just vendors providing a service. Small gestures—like recognizing their contributions, including them in planning meetings, and reaching out for their advice—go a long way in making them feel valued.
Conclusion: Stronger Supplier Relationships, Stronger Operations
Remember that missed calls and late payments aren’t just part of doing business. They’re signs you’re not prioritizing your relationships with suppliers, and that’s never good for business.
Happy suppliers perform quicker, better work and, in turn, this provides a better experience for residents. And happy residents keep renewing their leases. Happy suppliers also means fewer disruptions and issues for you to resolve at each property.
At AvidXchange, we’ve seen firsthand how AP automation helps management companies strengthen supplier relationships by helping ensure timely payments and reducing frustration on both sides of the relationship.
Now that you understand how AP automation can help improve your supplier satisfaction, the next step is to see if your property management business is ready for AP automation. Here are 5 signs it’s time to automate your real estate AP.