Customer Service Personalization is needed for Prospects and Residents

Over the years technology has become a must have not only in every aspect of the onsite teams daily job but the prospects and residents living experience. More demands coming at all angles, which leads to the question, how can onsite teams and management companies still continue to focus on personalizing customer service? What should management companies focus on to help create experience differentiators and why is it important?

Why the customer service experience must be a blend of tech and in person.

Today nearly all communities will send some form of survey after the fact — when a prospect or resident’s experiences and journey already ended. Communities must change their approach as solely relying on this approach prevents management companies from identifying and correcting issues as they are happening. For example, current surveys have always been reviewed after the prospect has toured the community, however using strategies like frequent engagement through observed behavior, listening strategies and direct feedback on social channels is something companies must start to incorporate. Another great example would be mid tour surveys during a prospects tour are critical avenues for engaging customers and ensuring near-flawless experiences that elevate satisfaction and loyalty. The journey to finding a new home is a combination of in-person and digital experience and multifamily industry must find a balanced blend.

The rising expectation of successful customer experience includes two things: convenience and personalization.

If a company is ignoring signals or failing to capture certain signals, they may be leaving critical insights and opportunities on the table. Collecting resident feedback across every channel and every touchpoint where appropriate is key. Communities must think about the entire experience a resident is receiving and not just a single moment in time. For example: Just taking the feedback from a service request is just feedback from one moment in time, not the entire residents experience which may also lie in social channels, portals reviews etc. “Uncover the right data and you’ll build a robust, segmented customer profiles that allow your brand to create unique, welcoming, and effortless experiences not only for current residents, but future residents.” (1)

Multifamily Industry in one aspect has not changed over the years, being service-oriented. If anything over the years this multifamily industry has increased in being service-oriented, which places a lot of pressure on onsite employees.

In a crowded industry, how does a management company enhance the residents experience while creating less pressure for onsite employees? We already know the old age 1 to 100 model is out dated and in addition to scrapping this model, management teams, must re-evaluate the work load per employee as it directly affects the service the residents are receiving. Listening to employees concerns, and engaging them on frontline decisions gives employees a stake in their own work. Remembering onsite team members have the most authentic and first hand feedback regarding processes and changes, some that may have worked and some that may have not. These insights are ones that need to be taken into consideration along with the software reporting metrics as reports will not gather everything that is needed to make the best decision.

How does Multifamily Industry move the dial and improve customer service with personalization?

In a most recent article by Medallia, they point out “most companies, regardless of the industry — from retail to life sciences — can become obsessed with direct competition, comparing strategies and operations in order to gain an edge.” This couldn’t be more true in multifamily. It has been seen over the years when one management company chooses to add an amenity, then most competitions will do the same. It seems the age old competitor weekly survey is still around as properties are very tunnel vision, focused on what everyone within our industry is doing. The unique approach with stepping outside our industry and looking at brands in other industries can and will give management companies a fresh lense on how they can improve their customer service with personalization. Hospitality is one industry that closely aligns and one that Multifamily should look to in order to dial in and improve not only customer service, but with personalization

(1) Source.

Social Media and Review Responses: Do you know your audience?

During your day to day tasks do you treat social media posts and responding to reviews the same? Both are equally important in a community’s marketing strategy, however each have a different target audience. Imagine you are checking out a new restaurant for dinner, if you have never been there before, reviews will be the most important aspect of looking for a quality restaurant.  Once you have dined at the restaurant, you can now contribute to the restaurant’s online story through social media by posting videos or photos of your food and experience. Reviews are most valuable before you’re a part of the experience, social media is most important once you’ve become part of the experience.

Renters view their experience through the same lens, turning to ApartmentRatings among other review sites to thoroughly understand the resident experience as well as other aspects of life at the community. Once a renter chooses to lease, they can now contribute to the community’s online story via social media. 

A renter’s journey is extremely important no matter if it is before or after a lease is signed.   Our 2018 Social Media Study shows only 14% of renters consider a community’s social media presence, ranking it at 46 of 48 when it comes to the impact of the prospects leasing decision. What does this mean in regards to a community’s social media efforts? “Do social the resident’s way” Social media has become an avenue for residents to connect and engage with the community team. Residents can sense the authenticity of a community through social media as well as the community’s personality. With more eyes on the community’s social media page, what type of posts are most important? The list below showcases the top 5 types of posts renters want to see; community improvement announcements coming in at number one. This type of post shows the renter where their money is being spent within the community, and can help to elevate a renter’s perception of value. 

How Important Are These Types of Posts to You?

1 -Community Improvement Posts

2 - Resident Referrals

3 - Community Events

4 - Local Business’s Promotions

5 - Local Events

Once someone has moved in and is paying rent, they want to feel a sense of community through social media. A current resident is not looking to see posts such as “rent is due”, community “rental specials”, or even pictures of a model home.  When rents are increasing, the last thing a resident wants to see is a “move-in special” posted on the community’s social media page. "Renter engagement drives social engagement.” Keep it real, post frequently and get creative.. Stay focused on doing “Social the resident’s way”; get closer to fans and be a storyteller

Our 2019 Online Renter Study shows an outstanding 62% of renters would not consider leasing if Community Managers do not respond to reviews. Only 16.8% of renters don’t read the resident reviews.  And more than ever, renters are looking beyond a community’s score, carefully reading and evaluating the content within reviews, including manager responses.

They not only want to hear what current and past residents are saying about their next potential home, but also, that management is attentive, caring, and dedicated to making their experience a good one. In the same study, we asked “how does it make you feel when an apartment community staff member responds to an online review by a resident?” The most selected option was “the management team has great customer service” and second most was “the management team really cares about their residents”. 

Two important reminders when responding to reviews is to acknowledge the reviewer and market to the reader. Here’s our recommended 5-step plan: 1) Assess the situation, 2) Appreciate the reviewer, 3) Acknowledge the positive, 4) Address the issue, and 5) Avoid the fluff. Most importantly renters are not looking for perfection in a response, but are looking for a review response to be authentic. 

Responding to reviews and creating a sense of community through social media are equally important in a community’s marketing strategy, however each has a different target audience, which means social media posts and responding to reviews should be handled differently. Remember reviews are for the renter that is still looking for a new home, while social media is about the experience that renter will encounter should they decide to become a resident.  

-Featured on MultifamilyInsiders

How and Why You Should Respond to Negative and Positive Online Reviews

Because teams tend to focus on damage control when it comes to negative reviews, responding to positive reviews are often sidelined.  After all, responding to positive feedback is often sidelined as many times the focus is on damage control for negative reviews. How many times has an ecstatic review gone viral?

Whether renters are reading a positive or a negative review, responses surely have an impact. 52.3% of prospects feel communities have great customer service and 50.6% of prospects feel communities really care about their residents, according to our 2017 Online Renter Study.

Although the reviewer may not return back to read a community’s response, the benefits to responding to reviews is twofold. A thoughtful, engaged and authentic response will attract new renters as well as boost retention rates which can have a profound effect on the community’s bottom line.

Follow these 4 simple steps to craft a well-rounded response

STEP 1 – Examine

·        Read the review in its entirety and alert team members of any possible areas of improvement or areas of success.

STEP 2 – Acknowledge

·        Pinpoint areas in the review to acknowledge. Address the issues specifically and avoid any canned responses.

STEP 3 – Market

·        Look for marketing opportunities to reiterate in the review response. Remember people will be reading your responses for year years to come – don’t miss out on a chance to promote your community.

STEP 4 – Respond

·        Respond to the review authentically and honestly. Leaving your name and contact information in the response.  Not just “Community Manager”. Follow the guidelines for a positive and negative review below.

o   Positive Review: 30% acknowledge / 70% market

o   Negative Review: 70% acknowledge / 30% market

Responding to reviews in a timely manner is important. It directly reflects a community’s customer service.  A response to a residents review demonstrates you value their time and appreciate feedback.  Establishing an expectation of response between your team can help create trust with your residents. For example: “All positive reviews must be responded to within 1 day and negative reviews within 2 hours.”

Think about how you would respond in person to a compliment or a complaint. Acting as graciously on review sites as you would face to face builds trust and real relationships no matter if the review is positive or negative.

-Featured on MultiFamilyInsiders.com