Facility Automation
Hiring A Facility Manager In 2026: What Operators Get Wrong And How To Fix It
What if the person you hire to run your facility is already set up to fail before they even get the keys?
When you hire a facility manager, you want someone who can manage tenants, keep the property running, handle payments, respond instantly across every channel, and still deliver a smooth experience day after day.
You’re looking for the type of professional who can juggle everything without dropping anything.
But if we’re honest…
The role most operators are hiring for no longer matches the reality of the job in 2026.
The ideal facility manager does not exist at the price the industry is willing to pay.
And even when you find someone great, the workload burns them out faster than you expect.
Hiring a facility manager should give you stability.
For many operators, it does the complete opposite.
Why? Because of the structure you are hiring them into.
After you read through this article, if that resonates with you, take it as a sign to explore how swivl can support your facility team and reduce your dependency on unicorn managers.
The Job Has Outgrown What One Facility Manager Can Handle
On paper, the role sounds simple.
The facility manager runs the property, helps the tenants, collects the payments, and keeps units full.
In reality, the role now includes:
- Phone calls
- Text messages
- Emails
- Chats
- Move-ins
- Move-outs
- Maintenance requests
- Gate issues
- Late payments
- Rate questions
- Lead nurturing
- Walk-throughs
- Follow-ups
- Reviews
- Pricing conversations
- Vendor coordination
Back in the day, much of this was handled by one person in a small office.
This was when tenants had patience and competition was local.
Now, things have changed.
Modern tenants are accustomed to lightning-fast service.
In many cases, prospective and existing tenants can visit a facility’s website, ask an in-built chatbot detailed questions, and get immediate answers.
If you don’t have these systems set up, your facility manager will have to work at breakneck speed to meet customer expectations.
And the worst bit? A chatbot on a facility’s website can answer questions 24/7.
Your facility manager just can’t compete, and they shouldn’t have to.
For your facility manager to hit the ground running, you must invest in the latest self-storage technology.
If you don’t, your competitors will.
This means you risk losing talent and tenants to storage facilities operating at a higher level than you.
When operators make the job too difficult for managers, they pack up and leave.
Unfortunately, this is something we see happen at facilities that never get around to integrating the latest self-storage systems for tenant satisfaction.
Want Your Facility Managers To Win? Fix The Workflow
Operators often say their managers are overwhelmed.
Yes, that’s true, but they should also ask why.
It’s usually because the workflow… just doesn’t work.
Here are some of the problems:
- Chat widgets that require manual monitoring.
- Lead follow-up that depends on memory.
- Billing reminders that depend (again) on memory.
- CRMs that only track half the communication.
Most facilities still rely on a mix of disconnected systems, and it’s driving managers mad.
Then operators hope one person can juggle everything.
Short of hiring a superhuman manager, that’s an unreasonable amount to ask.
They need some technology to automate these problems away.
Tenants Now Expect Instant Everything
Tenants do not want to:
- Leave voicemails
- Fill out long forms
- Wait for email replies
- Come into the office
Actually, let me rephrase that…
They no longer need to.
Locally, they’ll find plenty of facilities with AI-powered chatbots on their websites that answer questions instantly and allow them to reserve units in a few clicks.
This is what you’re up against.
If you want to compete against other facilities locally, tenants must have instant…
- Access
- Pricing
- Answers
- Payments
- Resolution
And they expect it across every channel, which means the mobile version of your website must offer as good an experience as the desktop version.
Managers can provide high-quality service, but it’s near-impossible for them to provide instant service across seven channels at once.
Where The Best Operators Are Shifting Their Thinking
When we speak with operators, we’ve noticed a shift in their thinking on hiring facility managers.
They are no longer hiring facility managers to handle every interaction personally.
Instead, it’s about managers overseeing a system that handles tenant interactions.
What does this look like? Here’s a brief overview:
- A powerful CRM that captures every call, text, email, and chat.
- AI agents that respond instantly to common questions.
- Automated follow-ups that keep leads warm.
- Billing reminders and payment support that run on their own.
- A mobile experience that lets tenants self-serve.
- Reporting that shows exactly what is happening at every location.
swivl is a key part of this puzzle.
Rather than your manager chasing every notification, swivl takes care of the repetitive work so your manager can focus on in-person interactions at the facility.
What A Modern Facility Manager Should Actually Do
When your communication, lead capture, billing reminders, and tenant support are all covered by a unified platform, the manager’s real job becomes clear.
A modern facility manager should focus on tenant relationships, on-site support that requires human judgment, quality control, local marketing efforts, compliance, and a whole host of other pressing issues.
They’ll still have plenty on their plate, but there will be more time to focus on the right stuff.
So, here’s what you should do…
Book a demo of swivl with our team.
Why? Because swivl is an all-encompassing self-storage AI platform that handles the intake across all channels in one place.
The platform combines a powerful CRM, AI agents, and tenant self-service.
As an operator, ask yourself…
What if you could eliminate 50% of your new facility manager’s workload to make room for high-value growth activities that always end up on the back burner?
Aren’t you at least curious to know if swivl’s platform could work for your facility?
If you are ready to see how swivl can support your staff, automate repetitive work, and give you full visibility across every interaction, book a demo today.
