Ensuring high-quality properties for 7,000 students, 40% of whom are international, representing over 100 different nationalities, is a complex task requiring flexibility and deep expertise. For the Turku Student Village Foundation (TYS), this is part of everyday operations—with Alltime by their side enabling smooth living through integrated property maintenance and cleaning services across their property portfolio.
A multicultural environment requires specialised expertise in facility services
Student Village Foundation of Turku (TYS) manages approximately 200 buildings across 17 different sites in Turku, Finland. The largest and most unique of these is the Student Village, which, in addition to housing, includes a restaurant, gym, and a store serving 3,500 students. A particular challenge in service delivery is the multicultural resident base, requiring flexibility and special know-how from the service provider.
During the tenancy period, cleaning and property services are the most visible and impactful indicators of customer satisfaction—often even more so than TYS’s own services, which focus on the beginning and end of the tenancy.
“Alltime’s property maintenance professionals actively offer development ideas, suggestions, and solutions to challenges,” says Pirjo Lipponen-Vaitomaa, Director of Customer Relations and Communications at TYS.
Customer satisfaction as a shared goal
TYS and Alltime began their collaboration in March 2019, which has expanded over the years thanks to excellent results. Currently, Alltime is responsible for TYS’s property maintenance, cleaning of common areas, and apartment inspections during tenant changes. Recently, Alltime’s cleaning services have also been utilised for cleaning tasks related to tenant turnover.
Customer satisfaction is monitored systematically: after a service visit, residents can provide feedback via text message on Alltime’s services. Results are reviewed monthly. TYS also tracks the response times for maintenance requests.
According to Lipponen-Vaitomaa, student housing is her personal passion.
“Our property maintenance satisfaction scores have been trending upward. Last year, the score reached 8.82 out of 10, which clearly exceeds our target. This is especially important, as for many young people this is their first home, and property maintenance has a significant impact on resident experience,” she explains.
Cleaning quality is monitored through regular quality rounds and customer satisfaction surveys, with the results reviewed in joint quality meetings. “Our monthly quality meetings with representatives from property maintenance and cleaning take place in a very positive spirit. We’ve been especially pleased with Alltime’s proactive attitude,” Lipponen-Vaitomaa adds.
Facing Future Challenges Together
As a public procurement entity, TYS places high importance on quality criteria and staff expertise when selecting partners.
“We want to offer our residents better opportunities for sustainable living. Alltime’s professionalism in property maintenance and cleaning, along with their progressive attitude, has greatly supported this,” says Lipponen-Vaitomaa.
Currently, TYS and Alltime are working together to improve waste sorting in shared kitchens, enhance feedback systems through QR codes, and explore the use of cleaning robotics. Control rooms, system confirmations, and other digital cleaning solutions are also areas TYS wants to further develop with its property services partner.
“In the future, digitalisation will certainly play an even bigger role in meeting our service needs and development goals,” Lipponen-Vaitomaa concludes.
