“Reviews consistently show that property managers’ biggest failing is responsiveness. Most one-star reviews cite unanswered calls and unreturned messages,” says Lindsay Liu, co-founder and CEO of Super, highlighting a persistent challenge in the property management industry that her company aims to solve through artificial intelligence.
The Technology Shift in Property Management
Property management has traditionally lagged in technological adoption. However, Liu notes a dramatic shift in attitudes toward AI: “The industry has gone from ‘I don’t want AI, I’m skeptical’ to ‘I think I need it in my business.’” This evolution reflects a growing recognition that embracing technology is no longer optional but essential for survival.
“We’re not talking about an incrementally better solution or a tenant portal that’s 15% better,” Liu emphasizes. “This is a completely new paradigm, a fundamentally different way to think about service delivery.”
Super’s approach focuses on what Liu calls the lowest friction path, their AI acts as a team member, handling conversations and tasks without requiring complex technical implementation. The goal isn’t to replace human staff but to ensure” the right things get to the right people at the right time.”
Supporting Small to Mid-Sized Operations
While many tech companies chase institutional clients, Super deliberately serves small to mid-sized property managers. “These operators are often the most resource-strapped,” Liu explains. “It’s typically just the owner with maybe one or two remote team members.”
For these businesses, implementing AI becomes a clear financial decision: “Do I double my overhead by hiring additional staff, or can I leverage technology to scale more efficiently?”
Evolving Service Expectations
Modern tenants bring increasingly sophisticated technology expectations to their property management interactions. “People are using AI tools in their daily lives,” Liu observes. “Many now say ‘I don’t even use Google Search anymore, I just talk to my AI chat.’”
This shifting consumer behavior creates new service expectations. “When people experience that level of convenience and immediacy, they naturally want it in other aspects of their lives,” Liu notes. She shares an amusing example of tenants testing Super’s AI: “We had someone intentionally trying to trip up the AI, even attempting to negotiate lower rent. Thankfully, our AI stood firm.”
The Next Challenge: AI Integration
Looking ahead, Super aims to address what Liu calls AI training fatigue. “Just as we saw software fatigue from 2020 to early 2024, the next wave will be resistance to repeatedly training different AI systems,” she predicts.
The company’s vision is to become “the universal training layer for customer service,” solving the challenge of managing communications across multiple platforms, from Facebook Messenger to VRBO and Airbnb, through a single, standardized AI interface.
Market Dynamics and Opportunities
Liu maintains a pragmatic outlook for 2025, noting that the challenges of recent years persist. She points to concerning trends, including increasing tenant delinquencies and portfolio adjustments in certain markets, which require property managers to reassess their business models.
However, these challenges underscore the value of AI-powered efficiency. “While 24/7 staffing isn’t feasible, technology can provide cost-effective solutions,” Liu explains. “Being responsive isn’t just about operations, it directly impacts your brand awareness and reputation.”
For property managers navigating this evolving landscape, AI solutions like Super offer a path to maintaining service excellence while controlling costs, an increasingly crucial balance in today’s market.
