Most agencies assume property managers need to work faster and harder. However, property management coach and trainer Lauren Robinson says the real culprit is often the structure around them: unclear responsibilities, clients who cost more than they earn and a growth model that rewards winning managements over keeping good ones.

On this episode of The Property Management Excellence (PMX) Podcast, REB editor Liam Garman sits down with property management coach Lauren Robinson ahead of her session at the PMX Conference in Sydney on 5 November.

Robinson starts with the problem: "everyone's incredibly reactive". Agencies often assume property managers need to work harder, she says, when the real issue is the structure around them, from unclear roles to maintenance requests passing through three people.

To hear Lauren Robinson live, secure your tickets to the PMX Conference here.

That clarity extends to the numbers. Robinson says principals and BDMs get fixated on how many managements they hold, when the better question is what each one earns and what it costs to deliver, including the hidden cost of rework. Not every client is worth taking on, she says, and retaining good ones deserves more attention.

Finally, she looks at how agencies can prove their value without racing to the bottom on fees, and how AI can free property managers for judgment and relationships, as long as the processes come first.