Supplier relationships are one of community associations’ biggest risk factors. That’s because when you don’t keep suppliers happy, your landscaper may stop returning your calls, or the maintenance crew could put your projects at the back of the line.
Those service gaps impact residents first, and board members aren’t far behind with questions about why things aren’t getting done.
At AvidXchange, we’ve helped community association management companies like yours implement accounts payable (AP) automation, and we’ve seen what happens when supplier relationships fall on the back burner.
The good news is, with the right tools in place, you can help get suppliers paid on time and feeling valued. In this article, we’ll look at what causes the frustration with your suppliers and how you can turn things around.
Challenges That Hurt Supplier Relationships in Community Associations
A landscaper calls for the third time this month asking when they’ll be paid. You know the invoice is sitting in a board member’s inbox for approval, but you don’t have a clear update to give them. By the end of the call, it feels like the relationship is on shaky ground, and you wonder how it’ll affect next season’s contract negotiations.
When your community association management company doesn’t have a smooth AP process, scenarios like this can frustrate suppliers and have ripple effects throughout your community. The most frequent complaints from your suppliers might include:
- Payments arrive late, leaving suppliers like landscapers, pool contractors, or security companies scrambling to cover payroll and expenses.
- Invoices get caught in long approval cycles, especially when multiple board members need to sign off, leaving suppliers unsure whether their work was even logged.
- Calls and emails pile up as suppliers chase updates, eating into the time your team could spend supporting residents.
- Suppliers feel ignored instead of a part of the community’s success.
When these issues become routine, suppliers eventually start looking for easier associations to work with. And when they leave, replacing them can lead to delayed maintenance, unhappy residents, and board members questioning your leadership.
How to Fix Supplier Relationships
The good news is that even if your supplier relationships feel like they’re on the rocks, there’s a way to turn things around. With a few best practices—and some help from the right technology—you can replace dissatisfaction with trust.
Here are some proven ways to improve supplier relationships so you can give your community a stronger foundation of reliable services:
1. Give Suppliers Real-Time Visibility
Suppliers shouldn’t have to chase your AP team for invoice updates. Tools like a supplier portal give them 24/7 access to invoice and payment status, along with automated notifications and reconciliation features. This transparency makes suppliers feel confident they’ll be paid and reduces the back-and-forth for your team.
2. Maintain Predictable Payment Schedules
Consistency is just as important as speed. When suppliers know exactly when they’ll be paid, they get a better view of their cash flow, which means they can plan payroll and expenses without worrying. And with AvidXchange, they can also ensure they get paid how they want, whether that’s virtual card, check, or enhanced direct deposit. For community associations juggling multiple properties, this consistency builds loyalty and prevents service delays.
3. Simplify and Streamline Approval Processes
In community associations, invoices often pass through multiple board members before getting signed. The key is to create an approval process that moves quickly and gives suppliers a clear sense of timing. For example, with AvidXchange, approval workflows route invoices to the right people automatically and give managers visibility into where things stand. This makes updates faster, clears bottlenecks more easily, and keeps timelines clearer.
4. Strengthen Communication Channels
Suppliers value responsiveness just as much as residents do. Establish a single point of contact for questions and schedule regular check-ins so suppliers feel heard and respected. Simple gestures, like letting them know when an invoice has been received, signal that their work is valued.
5. Evaluate and Provide Feedback
Performance reviews aren’t just for your staff. Setting aside time to evaluate suppliers and provide constructive feedback keeps expectations aligned and builds stronger partnerships. It also creates space for suppliers to share their challenges, which helps prevent issues before they escalate.
6. Put Agreements in Writing
Clear contracts should spell out what work will be done, when it will be finished, and the quality you expect. This way, suppliers know exactly what’s required, and your team has something to point to when making decisions with the board or setting budgets. Having everything in writing helps prevent conflicts and makes it easier to strengthen the relationship over time.
7. Address Issues Promptly
Supplier problems will happen, but leaving them unresolved hurts the relationship. Establish a structured process for quickly resolving conflicts, whether that’s missed deadlines, delayed payments, or service concerns. When suppliers see you taking their issues seriously, they’re more likely to remain invested in the relationship.
8. Don’t Overuse the Bidding Process
When requesting bids for one-off projects like roofing or paving, make sure it’s a real opportunity. Too many bid requests without awarding contracts can lead to “supplier fatigue” and ultimately damages trust. Be transparent about your process and provide feedback so suppliers stay engaged.
Conclusion: Stronger Supplier Relationships, Stronger Communities
Poor supplier relationships don’t just make your job harder. They can slow down services, which frustrates residents and ultimately damages your reputation as a community association management company.
Here at AvidXchange, we’ve seen firsthand how accounts payable automation can turn those challenges around. We’ll admit we’re biased—we build technology designed to make this easier—but the truth is, suppliers care most about being paid on time. The right tools give you the consistency and transparency that keep suppliers loyal and communities running smoothly.
“(AvidXchange is) helping us serve our clients by empowering us to spend more time with them, and we know that when their payments team communicates with our suppliers on our behalf, they represent us with a professional and friendly face.”
Now that you understand how AP automation can help your community association management company, the next step is to explore the difference between pay-only solutions and end-to-end AP automation.
Or if you’re ready to dive deeper, download the free eBook that guides you through getting started with AP automation in community association management.