THE BIG PICTURE
REPORTING ISSUES
DEALING WITH DIGITAL ISSUE REPORTS O ne of the biggest benefits today’s property management software platforms offer is the ability for res- idents to log into the system and re- port an issue. Some platforms
allow residents to select from dropdown options that categorize mainte- nance requests, while others automate more
of the process and provide answers to simple questions about payments and other frequently-cited concerns. Be certain that you test where these reports are going and insure that they are arriving on time and to a receptive audience. Most platforms tag departments or flag priorities of reply after the report has been submitted. Test runs help guarantee that the right department is receiving notice of a report and responding appropriately. letters or postcards via mail. Remember, this is all to improve your communication with your residents, and it will pay off. You’ll see results much sooner (and avoid a lot of headaches) if you make your plans as clear and trans- parent as possible for residents, employ- ees, and anyone else involved in your property management process. • Linda Liberatore is the founder and CEO of Secure Pay One and a Think Realty Coach. She may be reached at lindal@securepay- one.com, and her coaching materials may be viewed online at https:/ thinkrealty.com/coaches.
Implement your offerings in a way that enables you to monitor how the communications work from your resi- dents’ perspective and your own. If your communications system is poorly man- aged, I can guarantee you no number of options will make your tenants happy. Important: Your tenants don’t need to love all their communication op- tions. Just one. IMPLEMENT RESPONSIBLY Now that you have decided to shake your communications tactics up, be responsible about this process! Resist the temptation to implement two dozen new strategies at once or investing in eight different types of software to text, tweet, email, and voicemail your residents all at the same time. Remember your employees and your residents will experience a learning curve with these new avenues of communication, and not everyone will love every single option.
You, however, need to make sure someone can respond effectively when a tenant uses their communication method of choice. Create an implementation plan, set up workflow, and look for gaps in your process. Test the technology on a small scale before you convert completely. Test everything internally with em- ployees and contractors. Give yourself permission to take some time. For example, changing software will require an extra financial reconciliation on your end prior to the switch. Many property managers and investors may run two systems simultaneously for a time to make sure things are fully functional. COMMUNICATION OPTIONS It sounds like overkill, but overcom- municating about your communication changes will pay off. Residents need to know what’s coming. If they don’t get all your messages in the present system (or ignore them), then you’re going to need to tell them more than once. Use every method you have: send text alerts, multiple emails, make phone calls, use automated voice calling, and even send OVERCOMMUNICATE ABOUT YOUR NEW
Communicating Effectively with Tenants BETTER REPORTING MEANS FEWER INCIDENTS AND ISSUES.
by Linda Liberatore
will benefit from making sure that your tenants are able to interact with you in the same context as they do the rest of the world. That means reaching you with an incident report needs to be fast, easy, often electronic, and elicit nearly imme- diate acknowledgement. Today’s property multifamily and sin- gle-family rental (SFR) managers must offer the most convenient options for residents. Remember: happy tenants are most likely to be long-term residents.
ur world today is a 24/7, in- stant-access world. We bank
START BY BREAKING DOWN YOUR
online, depositing checks using digital pictures. We reach out to family and friends, communicating instantaneously via email, social media, and text with- out regard to time of day or geographic location. This high-speed world includes everyone, including the residents of your multifamily and single-family properties. Whether you manage those properties directly or indirectly, your bottom line
COMMUNICATION PROCESS You have more communication meth- ods and tools at your disposal today than any investor has ever had before at any point in history. Take a deep breath and remind yourself: More is not always better, but more options, when well-managed, do in- crease your likelihood of achieving the best fit for each resident.
94 | think realty magazine :: march 2018
thinkrealty . com | 95
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