How McGrath Townsville Slashed Maintenance Times and Turned Tenants Into Advocates with Tapi

About McGrath Townsville

Location: Townsville, North Queensland

Portfolio: ~500 properties

Customer since: 2024

Biggest wins: 16-minute job approvals, zero complaints, happier tenants and trades

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A Legacy Agency with a Fresh Approach

In North Queensland, McGrath Townsville is a name synonymous with trust and experience.

With nearly 500 properties under management, a thriving sales division, and over 35 years in the industry, the team has seen it all - from manual maintenance logs to clunky digital systems that promised efficiency but delivered frustration.

When they partnered with Tapi, it wasn’t their first technology transition - but it was the first that truly worked.

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“We’ve seen all the major systems over the years,” says Nicole, Property Manager at McGrath Townsville.

“We’d only been on our previous system for 12 months, and it was really glitchy. So when we made the move to Tapi, we were nervous - but we realised pretty quickly we’d made the right decision.”

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The Turning Point: Confidence from Day One

Before diving in, the McGrath team reached out to other agencies already using Tapi.

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“I called two or three different principals and general managers, and not a single one of them could tell me anything bad. I was asking probing questions - like, what didn’t go well, any glitches? - and literally, everyone said it just worked.”

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That reassurance, coupled with a hands-on demo session with the Tapi team, sealed the deal.
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“It didn’t take long for our team to start playing with it and realise how simple it was. We had no complaints - not from property managers, not from trades, not from tenants, not even from landlords.”

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Four months later, that smooth start hasn’t changed.

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“We still haven’t had a single complaint. It’s just been so smooth.”

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A Seamless Onboarding (and Zero Drama)

One of the biggest challenges McGrath Townsville faced was the fatigue of yet another system change - especially after recently onboarding both their team and tenants to a previous platform.

“It can be awkward telling tenants you’re changing systems after only 12 months,” Nicole admits. “We expected groans and complaints… but we didn’t get any. Everyone just picked it up really quickly.”

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That smooth transition wasn’t luck - it was Tapi’s onboarding and support model in action.

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“Taylor came up to visit us and walk the team through it, which was fantastic. Everything was so well-paced and easy to follow. And once we were live, the support didn’t drop off - they were there the whole way.”

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When issues did pop up, the team noticed the difference immediately.

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“Support replies within minutes. Even when it’s just a trade who needs clarification, Tapi’s team troubleshoot and solve it within one or two emails. It’s been perfect.”

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The Results: From 20 Days to 16 Minutes

Tapi’s Tenant Concierge feature quickly became McGrath Townsville’s secret weapon.

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“It’s the most powerful tool for us. The troubleshooting and data collection that happens before a job even hits our inbox is incredible,” says Nicole.

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Before Tapi, owner approvals could take weeks. Now, they’re nearly instant.

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“We went from an average of 20 days for an owner to approve a job to 16 minutes. One of our property managers had 15 jobs in her inbox - she flicked them all to the owners, refreshed, and they were all approved. It’s insane.”

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This efficiency ripple effect doesn’t just save time - it changes the whole atmosphere of the team.

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“Previously, you’d have a tenant say, ‘My tap doesn’t work,’ and you’d spend days going back and forth trying to get photos or videos. Now, all that info comes through up front. You just send it off, and it gets done.”

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By the Numbers

• Nearly 500 properties managed
• 74% of tenant requests now come through Tapi’s Tenant Concierge
• Average approval time reduced from 20 days to 16 minutes
• Job completion times dropped from over a month to just 1–2 days

A Team That’s Calm, Confident, and Connected

For McGrath Townsville, Tapi didn’t just introduce automation - it restored confidence in their process.

“Everything just works. No stress, no chasing, no confusion. It’s smooth from start to finish,” says Nicole.

“After 35 years in the industry, that’s saying something.”

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