CAMS is thrilled to be celebrating its 25th year of operation, a decided rarity in the community association management business. These days, most community association management companies have a lifespan of about 10 years, mainly due to buyouts and mergers. At CAMS, we have more than doubled this.
One key to the successful past quarter century of our AAMC-accredited business is our focus on personal service to each client. This service has made us stand out, allowing us to grow and innovate. Today, although CAMS remains headquartered in Wilmington, N.C., over the years we’ve expanded to the Charlotte, Morehead City, Brunswick County and, most recently, North Myrtle Beach markets.
One of the biggest industry innovations employed by CAMS was the implementation of a community specialist department (a call center). Managing and responding to property owners’ phone calls in a timely manner was perhaps the largest problem facing us when we began but we were determined to find a solution. Our research showed that 87 percent of phone calls coming in to an association manager’s office are handled much faster and more efficiently by someone else. Our call center not only drove faster response times and alleviated the problem of untimely responses, but it also freed up the managers to deal with the boards of directors and the upper-level issues facing their associations.
The introduction of this call center has been vital in facilitating CAMS’ growth over the past two plus decades. Starting with the management of just 10 associations (around 100 units) in 1991, CAMS has steadily grown over the years. Today, our current client count is 364 associations, with more than 41,000 units.
During its early expansion period, CAMS was put to the test when it successfully managed more than $100 million in damages from four major hurricanes that ravaged eastern North Carolina from 1996 to 2000.
At CAMS, we keep improving and developing. In fact, 18 associations have parted ways with the company only to return. We have successful, amiable business relationships with all 18 to this day.
In the end, CAMS’ role as an industry leader over the past 25 years is the result of its people. Several of our employees have been with the company most of its lifetime, and through people like them CAMS has a wealth of experience to offer its clients. We also have employees who specialize in a range of areas, from condo and community management to accounting. Our specialists guarantee clients that there will always be someone within reach who can answer a question or solve a problem. Further, of our 31 community managers, 19 are CMCA certified, 12 are AMS certified and seven hold the PCAM certification. CAMS is proud to have maintained a strong local presence while simultaneously expanding to a size where we currently employee more than 120 people.
Reading about CAMS’ wealth of experience may make you question how much experience your association management company has. The good news is that CAMS is still taking new clients and welcomes associations of any size. With personalized service from dedicated and experienced managers, each community gets the care and consideration it deserves.
Your association should expect dependable, experienced management. So take a fresh look at CAMS and give this long-trusted, reliable association management company the opportunity to help your association for the next 25 years (at least)!
Mike Stonestreet is a 26-year veteran of the professional HOA management industry who has achieved one of the highest education-based designations in the field, that of Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM). Community Association Management Services (CAMS) has been a leading association management company since its inception in 1991. CAMS is a trusted provider of management services for more than 265 associations throughout North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. To find out how CAMS can benefit your community, call (910) 256-2021, email [email protected], or visit www.CAMSmgt.com.
