Case Study: How GetQuorum helped two KDM Management Inc. properties hold successful virtual AGMs
KDM Management Inc. strives to provide the highest standard of service as a leader in Condominium Property Management. With 30+ years of success in the industry, the firm specializes in the management of Condominium & Homeowners Associations in and around the Greater Edmonton Area.
The Challenge
Like many other Condominium Management firms, KDM Management Inc. plays an active role in the operations of the properties they manage, including their Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Traditionally conducted through live, in-person events, the firm not only handles the preparation of meeting packages, chairing of meetings, and other various tasks associated with their clients' AGMs, but is also a go-to resource for Board Members when they have questions or concerns pertaining to their upcoming AGM.
That's why when the Government of Alberta passed Bill 53: the Service Alberta Statutes (Virtual Meetings) Amendment Act; clearly permitting Condominium Corporations, RAs and HOAs across the province to conduct their AGMs virtually, the Board Members of some corporations, including The Omega and The Puffin, turned to the firm for advice on whether they should hold their upcoming AGM virtually.
Having struggled to achieve quorum for prior AGMs, Dawn Ker, Senior Condominium Property Manager at KDM Management Inc., knew that increased accessibility and improved convenience of virtual AGMs' would provide the corporations with the best chance of seeing the increased owner turnout they needed to ensure quorum would be achieved at their upcoming AGMs. And after some internal discussions and both boards deciding to hold their upcoming AGMs virtually, Dawn began searching for a suitable solution to conduct the upcoming meetings.
The Solution
Quickly into her search, Dawn recognized that both corporations would require more than a user-friendly platform to conduct a successful virtual AGM.
Like many other Alberta Condominium Corporations, both The Omega and The Puffin had unique requirements regarding the unit factor of proxy and live vote ballots submitted by owners. This meant for the meeting to comply with the corporation's bylaws; she would need to find a platform that could account for the unique unit factor of every proxy and live ballot submitted, something which neither standalone webinar software nor many electronic voting platforms were able to do. However, after researching numerous service providers, many of whom could not answer important questions nor meet their requirements, Dawn came across GetQuorum.
Intrigued by what she saw, Dawn decided to reach out to GetQuorum to learn more about their full-service, Hosted Virtual Meeting solution.
And after her initial encounter with the GetQuorum team, Dawn recognized that working with GetQuorum would be integral to the success of the upcoming AGMs.
In terms of technology, the GetQuorum platform was exactly what they needed; a secure, user-friendly platform that would allow owners to join and participate in their AGM from seamlessly anywhere. The GetQuorum voting portal was dynamic and easy to use, providing owners with a secure, convenient way to submit their ballots both before and during the meeting while accounting for their unique unit factor and ensuring the correct tabulation of electronic ballots. And while impressed with the platform's functionality and capabilities, what truly impressed Dawn was the client-first mentality and responsiveness the GetQuorum team had demonstrated throughout their encounters.
While the GetQuorum team members are experienced experts in conducting virtual meetings, they understood that was not the case for Dawn nor the board members and owners of both The Omega and The Puffin. That's why the GetQourum team was understanding of any apprehensions the group had towards transitioning to a virtual AGM and was more than happy to answer any question or address any concerns the group had throughout the process to ensure they felt comfortable going into their first-ever virtual Annual General Meeting.
With a clear understanding of the platform and the team GetQuorum by their side to provide the necessary support, Dawn and the Board Members of both The Puffin and The Omega felt confident heading into their first-ever virtual Annual General Meeting.
The Result
The AGM couldn't have gone better. GetQuorum's full-service approach and user-friendly platform made the process of conducting a virtual Annual General Meeting simple for all parties involved.
The meeting ran smoothly, preliminary and post-meeting functionality was executed seamlessly, and the dynamic capabilities of the GetQuorum platform ensured that both the proxy and live, real-time votes were weighted and tabulated correctly based on the appropriate unit factor.
Owners appreciated the improved convenience and accessibility that comes with submitting proxy votes and conducting an AGM electronically. As a result, both The Omega and The Puffin saw a significant increase in proxy submissions and meeting attendance, which led to a quorum being achieved at their respective AGMs.
In addition, Dawn and the board members from each property also saw additional benefits from holding their meeting virtually, such as improved efficiency and notable cost savings.
"During my experience with GetQuorum they were responsive to emails, the follow up and follow through was really good and they made sure to be understanding that not everyone on the meeting was technically savvy and worked with that. It made our meetings flow very well with limited issues.” Said Dawn Ker, Senior Condominium Property Manager at KDM Management Inc.
Looking ahead, Dawn anticipates that several of her colleagues at KDM Management Inc. will utilize GetQuorum's services throughout their properties for the foreseeable future.
If you'd like to learn more about our Hosted Virtual Meeting solution or other services for your upcoming meeting, click here.