Streamlining Compliance and Admin Tasks with
AI (e.g. COI Tracking)

Aside from maintenance and tenants, there’s another category of work that often gets overlooked but can be a huge headache: administrative compliance tasks. A prime example in commercial property management is tracking Certificates of Insurance (COIs) for your tenants and vendors.

Office and industrial property managers know this drill well – every tenant is supposed to carry certain insurance coverage and provide a COI, and every contractor that works on-site needs to have their liability insurance on file. Keeping track of those documents, their expiration dates, and whether they meet the requirements can turn into a part-time job in itself. If something slips through the cracks, the consequences can be serious. An expired or missing COI could leave you exposed to liability and legal penalties, potentially harming your company’s finances and reputation.

So how can AI help here? The good news is that document management and compliance checking are exactly the kind of tedious, detail-oriented tasks that AI excels at. Here are a few ways AI-driven solutions can take the pain out of COI tracking and similar admin challenges:

1. Automated Document Collection and Verification: Instead of you sending reminder emails to tenants like, “Hey, your insurance certificate is about to expire, please send a new one,” an AI-powered system can handle that automatically. Modern COI tracking platforms use AI to not only send those reminder notices, but even to read the incoming certificates. Using optical character recognition (OCR) and machine learning, the AI can scan a PDF of an insurance certificate and extract all the key info – policy dates, coverage limits, insurer name, etc. This means it can instantly tell if a certificate meets your requirements or if something is missing. For example, if your policy is that every vendor must have at least $2 million in general liability coverage, the AI will flag any certificate that shows less than that amount. State-of-the-art COI tracking systems leverage AI in exactly this way: to automate the entire compliance process, from collecting the documents to verifying them against your criteria.
   
   For you, this removes a huge clerical burden. No more squinting at insurance forms and manually updating spreadsheets of expiration dates. The AI will update a dashboard that you can check at a glance, showing which tenants or vendors are all set and which ones you need to chase (and it will probably chase them for you with automated emails). 

2. Real-Time Compliance Monitoring and Alerts: One of the toughest parts of compliance is staying on top of changes. Let’s face it, even if you start the month with 100% of your tenants in compliance, that can change tomorrow when someone’s insurance coverage quietly expires mid-lease. AI tools can continuously monitor compliance status and alert you the moment something goes out of compliance. For instance, if a tenant’s COI expired today and a renewal was not logged, you (and the tenant) could get an automatic alert first thing tomorrow. 
   
   This helps you react immediately – perhaps giving that tenant a courtesy call – rather than discovering the lapse months later during an audit. It’s like having a diligent assistant who never forgets a date or detail. Maintaining a high compliance rate is not just bureaucracy; it directly impacts risk management. Remember, if an incident occurs and a tenant or contractor wasn’t properly insured, the property owner could end up holding the bag.
   
   That’s why proactive monitoring is key. By using AI to keep compliance high (ideally, above 90-95% at all times), you significantly reduce the odds of liability surprises. And as a bonus, some AI compliance tools also maintain an audit trail – every reminder sent, every document received, every approval – which can be a lifesaver if you ever need to demonstrate your diligence to an insurer or legal authority.
   
   In all these cases, the return on investment comes from reducing manual labor and avoiding mistakes. Think about how much time you (or your staff) spend on compliance and admin every week, chasing people for paperwork, updating spreadsheets, cross-checking details. Now imagine most of that handled by an AI-driven system that never gets tired or forgetful. Not only would you save time, but you’d sleep better knowing you’re less likely to get caught off-guard by an overlooked expiry or a missed clause.
   
   One word of advice: even with AI, you’ll want to maintain a human oversight role. For example, if the AI flags a tenant as non-compliant, you or someone on your team should double-check and then personally reach out to that tenant as needed. AI doesn’t replace the relationship aspect – it just ensures that the routine parts are done right so that when you do reach out, it’s with accurate information and a clear purpose.

Choosing the Right AI Solutions: Advice
for Property Managers

By now, we’ve looked at several ways AI can genuinely improve workflows in commercial property management: preventative maintenance, faster work order resolution, enhanced tenant communication, and streamlined compliance tracking. But how do you go from understanding these possibilities to actually implementing something at your properties? 

1. Identify Your Pain Points First: Start with a quick assessment of where your team spends the most time or where mistakes happen. Do you constantly get complaints about slow maintenance fixes? Are you inundated with tenant emails about basic info? Is annual COI collection a nightmare? List out these pain points. The idea is to let your needs drive the search for a solution, rather than the other way around. By focusing on your biggest headaches, you ensure that any AI tool you consider has a clear job to do – whether it’s cutting down your work orders backlog or eliminating paperwork piles. This approach keeps you oriented on practical outcomes (e.g. “reduce maintenance response times” or “achieve 100% COI compliance”) rather than getting distracted by a cool-sounding feature that might not address a pressing issue.
   
   
2. Demand Clear Use Cases and Results from Vendors: When you explore AI solutions (be it an add-on to your current property management system or a standalone tool), ask the vendor to show, not just tell. Request demos that walk through real-world scenarios relevant to you. For example: “Show me how your AI handles a tenant maintenance request from start to finish,” or “Can you demonstrate how the system flags an expiring insurance document and what it does next?”
   
   Don’t be shy about asking for data or case studies too. A credible solution should have some metrics or testimonials: maybe another property owner who saw a 30% reduction in tenant complaints after using the AI, or statistics like “our users save 10 hours a week on average”. Concrete results give you confidence that the tool isn't just hype. Remember, ROI is key. You want to invest in AI that will save or make money (through efficiency, higher tenant retention, risk reduction, etc.). If a vendor can’t articulate how their AI feature leads to time savings, cost savings, or other tangible benefits, that’s a red flag.

3. Ensure Integration with Your Workflow: The best AI solution is one that slips into your existing operations with minimal friction. If you have to drastically change your process or use a completely separate system that doesn’t talk to your current software, the AI, no matter how powerful, might become more trouble than it’s worth. Look for tools that integrate with the software you already use, whether it’s your property management platform, accounting system, or communication tools.
   
   AI is most effective when it’s not tacked onto a single feature, but instead built into the connected system you already rely on to run your properties. Rather than living in a separate app or tool, AI should enhance the workflows you use every day—work orders, tenant communications, compliance, and beyond—inside the same interface. That way, when an AI module generates or updates a work order, you see it right where you always do, and your maintenance techs receive it through their normal channel without extra steps.
   
   The same goes for tenant-facing features. If an AI chatbot can answer questions, draft announcements, or trigger notifications, it should live inside your tenant portal, website, or building app—not in a standalone platform that tenants won’t adopt. When all your operational elements are connected and AI enhancements are applied consistently across them, you avoid silos and confusion. Instead, you get a system where every improvement is woven into the flow of your daily work, making it easier for you and your team to use AI naturally and productively.

4. Prioritize Domain-Specific AI and Data Security: As noted earlier, an AI needs to understand the context of property management to be truly effective (and safe). Always ask about how the AI was trained or designed for this industry. For example, an AI tool that handles maintenance should be trained on maintenance scenarios – it should “know” appropriate troubleshooting steps and safety guidelines. Likewise, an AI handling leases or legal documents should be familiar with common real estate terms. If a vendor built their AI specifically for commercial real estate, that’s a big plus. On the flip side, ensure that the AI solution follows strong data security and privacy practices.
   
   You’ll potentially be feeding it sensitive information (tenant contacts, lease terms, etc.), so it must comply with privacy laws and have good cybersecurity measures. A responsible AI vendor should be able to explain how they protect your data and whether they anonymize or encrypt any information, especially if using a cloud service. And if the AI involves cameras or biometric data (like facial recognition for building access), double-check the legal compliance of using such technology in your region and have a clear policy to communicate to tenants.
   
   
5. Invest in a Platform with Strong Customer Success Support: One of the biggest differences between AI tools that thrive in your organization and those that fizzle out comes down to the support you receive after the sale. The technology itself matters, but if you’re left on your own to figure it out, adoption will stall and value will fade. That’s why it’s critical to invest in a platform backed by a well-regarded customer success team that is committed to your long-term results.
   
   A strong partner won’t just hand you the software and disappear. They’ll keep you updated as new AI innovations roll out, show you how to apply those enhancements to your workflows, and make sure you don’t fall behind. The best teams also host regular training sessions, share best practices, and check in with you to understand where you’re seeing success—and where you might need extra support. This kind of ongoing guidance ensures your staff stays confident, your tenants see consistent improvements, and your investment continues to pay off year after year.
   
   When evaluating platforms, look closely at the support model: Is there a dedicated customer success manager who understands your properties? Are there scheduled trainings when new AI features launch? Will you have access to a resource library or community of other property managers sharing what works? These are the signs of a true partner. With that kind of support behind you, AI becomes less of a risky investment and more of a reliable ally that evolves alongside your operations.

6. Start Small, Then Scale Up: You don’t have to (and probably shouldn’t) implement AI in every aspect of your operation all at once. A smarter approach is to pick one or two high-impact areas and pilot an AI solution there. Once you’ve proven the concept and got results (say, a measurable drop in after-hours calls or a faster turnaround on work orders), it becomes easier to justify expanding that AI solution to other properties or adding another function. Each success will also build your team’s comfort with AI, making subsequent rollouts smoother. Essentially, treat AI implementation as an iterative process: implement, evaluate, adjust, and then expand. This way, you manage risks and investments wisely while moving forward on the innovation curve.

By following these steps, you put yourself in the driver’s seat when it comes to AI adoption. Instead of feeling like AI is something being pushed onto you, you’ll be proactively pulling in the solutions that make sense for your business. You transform into a savvy tech-enabled property manager who uses AI in practical ways to boost efficiency, cut costs, and keep tenants happy. And importantly, you’ll avoid wasting resources on fads that don’t pay off.

Leading with a Practical AI Strategy

The world of commercial real estate is undoubtedly evolving with AI, but you don’t have to get lost in the noise. By focusing on tangible workflow improvements, like faster more accurate work order resolution, smarter tenant communications, and error-free compliance management, you ensure that any technology you adopt serves a clear purpose. Think of AI as a means to amplify your effectiveness, not an end in itself. When you select tools that align with your daily challenges, you’re not just adopting technology for bragging rights; you’re solving problems in a modern way.

Remember, you’re in charge of the process. Approach AI with a thoughtful, critical mindset: stay curious about new capabilities but also demand proof of value. As you implement these solutions, maintain that confident yet friendly touch with your team and tenants. Let them know that these innovations are there to make everyone’s life easier – to handle the grunt work, so humans can focus on what they do best. You’re creating an environment where complex tasks become simpler, and where people (both staff and tenants) feel supported by the technology, not intimidated by it.

Commercial property management has always been about juggling a hundred things at once. With the right AI tools by your side, imagine being able to set some of those balls down and direct your energy to higher-level priorities, like strategizing property improvements, building client relationships, or expanding your portfolio. You might find that AI gives you the breathing room to be not just a property manager, but a forward-thinking leader in your organization.

In a fast-advancing landscape, staying informed and choosing wisely will keep you ahead of the curve. Whether you’re managing offices, retail centers, industrial parks, or life science buildings, all share the goal of running properties efficiently and keeping occupants satisfied. By leveraging AI in the ways we’ve discussed, you’re well on your way to achieving that goal with greater ease. So go ahead, embrace the future of AI in property management with confidence. With a practical approach, you can turn cutting-edge technology into everyday wins for your properties and your team.

Want to stay up-to-date on all things AI in commercial property management software? Sign up for the Cove newsletter today.