The Mixed Messages from SCA Are Confusing Me
Since the start of the 2024 Strata Insurance Crisis there’s been a lot of talk about what strata managers should do, shouldn’t do, can’t do, won’t do, etc, etc, etc,
And, since the largest Australian industry body for strata managers is the SCA [Strata Community Association], it is the obvious place to look for guidance and leadership.
Sadly, there’s been very little of that over the last 11 weeks with:
only 2 major public announcements made by SCA on the key issues,
the first change initiative [the Strata Insurance Best Practices Guide] still hasn’t started, and
no outcomes on the ethics and conduct complaint about Netstrata.
But, that’s not so bad as these are very challenging issues that aren't easily fixed.
What I’m more confused [and concerned] about is the mixed messages that SCA are sending by their actions and in their public communications about SCA strata manager commitment to improvements as these 3 examples from just the last week demonstrate.
A positive message
First, on 1 June 2024, SCA Queensland’s president, Andrew Davidson, published an article The Winds of Change in Strata Management: Embracing a New Era in which he says:
‘our industry is facing a greater demand for higher transparency, probity, ethical behaviour, and professionalism’,
'it is critical that we uphold the principles of social license and that we all provide leadership and call out wrongdoing’,
‘let’s embrace these changes and work towards a brighter, more ethical, and transparent future for the strata management sector’ and
'if we don't proactively clean up our sector, the government will step in to do it for us’.
You can read it here.
This kind of transparency sounds like a good a pretty good and positive message that everyone can support.
I like this one.
A whinging message
Second, SCA Western Australia has been re-promoting its 2021 protocols for strata owner communications with their strata manager that includes:
the complaint that some strata managers have to deal with up to 60 strata buildings and over 300 emails a day,
a reminder that strata managers don’t run strata buildings, strata committees do,
response time frames by strata managers that push anything that’s not an emergency into a 7 day plus response cycle,
detailed instructions about how strata owners should format emails and what to include in them with two ‘best practice’ examples,
9 tips for strata owners about how to communicate properly with their strata manager [and how not to], and
a communication flow chart.
You can read it here.
That sounds to me like they’re saying we’re really busy, it’s not our responsibility to run buildings, unless it’s an emergency it will take a week to deal with things, we’d like you to only communicate with us in ways that make it easier for us, and, by the way. here’s even more rules you need to follow as a strata owner.
This one doesn’t sound very customer centric to me.
A tone deaf message
Third, SCA NSW members spent the 5th of June 2024 driving their performance and sports cars around Eastern Creek Race track on the SCA organised [and presumably funded] 2024 Track Day which they describe as an event that 'offers a unique opportunity for you & your team to enjoy a day of high-speed thrills & adrenaline-fuelled action’.
Really? Is that what SCA should be doing, and now?
This one made me cringe.
But, as I said in my Opinion piece Isn’t it funny … how everyone is strata splaining managers?
‘So, in the nicest possible way I say to all the strata managers: go and solve these problems for yourselves, you know best what you want, what you can [and can’t] do, and where you want to be.’