The Sentinel Solution: From First Report to Final Invoice
Most property and building managers run maintenance across several products. They log service requests in one, manage providers in a second, and handle invoices in a third. But with every one you add, your maintenance coordinators take on another login and another handoff to re-key, chase, or check.
We built Sentinel so you can track a maintenance request as one job, from when a tenant reports a problem to when you pay the service provider. Your team hands the routine steps to Sentinel and deals only with the exceptions. Your people still make the decisions that matter, and you keep running your buildings the way you do now. Below, we walk through each stage of that workflow: the problem property and building managers face today, and how you handle it with Sentinel.
AI request triage
The problem. When a tenant reports a service request with little detail – "sink not working" – your maintenance coordinator has to call back, guess the trade, guess the urgency, and often send a service provider just to diagnose it. You end up paying for callouts you never needed.
The solution. With Sentinel's AI maintenance triage, we check every request before your team dispatches a provider. We gather the right information up front, classify the type of work, and set the priority. Whether you use your own service providers, Sentinel's network, or both, your providers only receive requests we have already checked. You send providers on fewer unnecessary callouts and spend less.
Video diagnosis
The problem. When a service provider arrives on site, sees the problem for the first time, and realizes they need a different part or a different trade, they come back a second time, charge you a second trip fee, and the tenant waits longer.
The solution. With Sentinel, the tenant shows the problem on camera. They don't need an app or an account: they scan the code on the wall and point their phone at the issue. The service provider watches the video before accepting the job, along with the site details and contacts they need to price it properly. They arrive prepared and fix it.
Guided DIY fixes
The problem. When a tenant calls about a tripped breaker or a reset that takes thirty seconds, your coordinator sends out a provider, and you pay a full trip fee.
The solution. We troubleshoot common issues live with the tenant and walk them through the simple, safe fixes. We only raise a request when a provider needs to visit. Tenants fix small problems on the spot for faster results, and you pay no trip fee.
Intelligent emergency response
The problem. When a tenant reports an emergency at 2 AM, your on-call manager decides how to handle it, often based on the property and whether your team has kept the escalation list current.
The solution. We answer every call and inquiry, day or night, and apply the same rules every time. A tenant with an urgent request at one property at midnight gets the same handling as a tenant with an urgent request at another property at noon. Your managers see what happened and step in to make the decisions.
Sentinel Voice
The problem. Building teams spend much of the day on the phone: logging requests, giving status updates, confirming appointments, chasing information. Your building managers have to do that work, and while they do it, they can't do the work that needs their judgment.
The solution. We built Sentinel Voice, a conversational AI voice agent, to run the calls in your building's communication workflows. Your team hands inbound and outbound calls to Sentinel Voice. We capture each request's details and keep tenants and service providers informed. Your team works from a clean list instead of the phone.
Vetted provider network
The problem. To find a reliable service provider at a fair price, your team often chases several quotes or falls back on the provider who answered last time.
The solution. You can use your own service providers, Sentinel's vetted network, or both. Providers see a pre-checked, well-documented job before they accept it, so they can price it properly the first time. You pay fair prices without making providers bid against each other on every job.
Simple approvals and estimates
The problem. When your property manager leaves an estimate in their inbox or hasn't signed a Not to Exceed (NTE) request yet, the provider can't start the job.
The solution. You set the rules once. We automatically approve routine work under your threshold, for example, jobs under $500, and send anything above it to the manager you've named for confirmation. Managers only see the decisions they need to make. We run the rest on the rules you set.
Automated invoicing
The problem. When a provider finishes the job and emails an invoice, your accounts team matches it by hand, routes it for approval, and re-enters it into accounting. The provider waits weeks for payment and starts prioritizing other clients.
The solution. Service providers do the work and upload the proof, and we handle the invoice from there. Providers receive payment within 48 hours. Your accounts team stops re-keying, and the providers you rely on have a reason to put your buildings first.
Accountability
The problem. When a tenant disputes a repair, or an auditor asks what your team did and when, your property manager has to piece the answer together from emails, call notes, spreadsheets, and memory.
The solution. We keep a full record of every touchpoint: the original report, the video, the triage decision, the approval, the completion proof, and the invoice. Managers can see every request across every property, from first report to paid invoice. For contracted services, you build your compliance history as your providers close each job, and you only pay for the service you contracted.
The whole lifecycle, in one place
Here's how you can handle each stage of a request with Sentinel.
See Sentinel in action
Start with one flow, or connect your whole request-to-invoice workflow. You keep the systems and service providers you already have.
See Sentinel in action, and request a Sentinel Voice demo!
