When working as a property manager, it can be difficult to differentiate yourself from your competitors, particularly as technology evolves and expands and becomes integrated with each office in turn. There is a great deal of “value created by a highly qualified leasing consultant sitting face-to-face with your next potential resident” that can’t be overlooked. In order to stand out, time and effort must be given to the variable that factors most into your success: customers.
The problem with many begins in the way that clients are viewed or considered. Many property managers have come to see the potential renters or other customers more as dollar signs and potential gain rather than as people. The most successful within business think of clientele in a much more meaningful way and work with their wants and needs in mind rather than those of the company (or management). This allows for better communication, interactions, and success, as everyone will leave the exchange with a more positive outlook. When business leaders make their customers the priority, it benefits all involved.
While getting to know the resident or potential renter, you should try and discern what is important to them. With this in your pocket, you’ll be able to address their current or potential needs more thoroughly, keeping them loyal and happy while building yourself up as attentive and reliable. These customers will have what’s best for them in mind when making decisions, and if you’re on the same page the process will be much smoother. If their lifestyle or situation changes and requires some adaptability, you should strive to keep them on the property by addressing those needs. A small change or two in this case can result in a very happy renter who gains a real sense of how staying with you could work to their benefit long-term.
Be cordial, consideration… and constant. Keep on possible customers despite early fallbacks, but know when to accept that that particular deal may not work out. It’s more than likely that the failure was circumstantial rather than a personal attack and thus shouldn’t be taken that way. It’s easier to accept failure than to accept failure constructively; ask yourself what might have changed their mind, how you could do things differently in your next lease opportunity, or accept that this wasn’t meant to be and move on.
In those discussions, though, remember to allow silence and pauses. If you overload the customer with information, they will have an inadequate amount of time to process everything and may make a decision before thinking it all through. Filling silence with excessive talking can make you seem as if you don’t have time for them or are rushing them into a decision; allowing them to consider the details shows that you care about their input and opinions and that you can make adequate time to address their needs. Even better than simply allowing for lapses in conversation is making a point of asking “open-ended, engaging questions and listening intently.” This way, you’re able to get their opinions and thoughts by presenting an opportunity for their questions and concerns to be vocalized.
As for other suggestions, as a property manager, you need to make sure to keep in contact with the renter. Most people take care to do this before the sale is finalized, but drop all communication afterward. Customers will notice this shift and could feel abandoned, ignored, or as if they were only worth looking after when there was a profit to be made. This can really harm your relationship with clients and should be avoided by maintaining regular interaction, whether it’s a quick phone message or longer e-mail or somewhere in between. It seems a simple thing to extend courtesy, but it doesn’t occur to everyone after the initial financial arrangements are made. Tenants want (in most cases) to feel like they’re part of a community, or at least to feel valued. Make a point of doing small things to remind them of this in order to keep them happy on or in your property.
Little changes can make an enormous difference for you and for those who lease from you. The main takeaway should be to consider your customers in everything you do so that you can create a painless leasing process for them and for yourself. In order to do that, you can use SKYLINE property management software. This powerful system makes it easy for property managers to keep control of their property by simplifying the entire process. Tracking tenant activity and organizing all relevant information and documents is easy with smart database of SKYLINE at your fingertips. Your own spreadsheets and other files can be easily imported to make for a seamless transition from the very beginning. Leave it to this simple, yet secure software to keep you at your best so that you can more easily attend to the needs of your business and tenants.