Leigh Knight was the one who shared the “lagniappe” word with me. Part of the definition states that someone can receive an unexpected or indirect benefit. It’s kind of like the expression “a baker’s dozen”. So what is the application for us? Do our residents or customers receive something “unexpected” from us? When we go that extra mile for them, they will not forget it!

Hillary Sheldon gave me a great phone tip. She told me that it is important to be super patient with people on the phone especially when they are upset and frustrated. Think of the reason why they are upset. Maybe they are just confused and need your help so be there for them.

Mark Howell had a nice follow through tip. Finish what you started! Don’t leave someone waiting for answer. In other words if you ended a call or a conversation with an action item you promised, make sure you do not get distracted by something else. Finish the promised task.

Stephen Flowers said that it is important to always communicate by viewing a situation through the residents or customers eyes and not your own. Even if they’re not always right you’ll gain their respect by acting like they are.

Amber Sisson shared this: While we hope to have sold to their needs initially, if we didn’t then we need to determine their current need. Empathize and accommodate if at all possible. Remind them as often as possible about as many things that are Awesome about the community Upgrades, Location, etc. I think residents will handle issues like leaky faucets and noisy neighbors, etc. if there is a good relationship in place. Throw some positive energy their way, even when dealing with the tougher situations. It is certainly more cost effective to keep them than lose them, have a vacancy and turn the unit. Sometimes we forget that.

So some great tips from team members of The Training Factor! If you have any tips of your own feel free to share them in the comments section below.

Written by Jonathan Saar

This class is geared towards property management folks who are mainly in the rental market.  Please fill out the form in its entirety since there will be a brief verification process on our end.  Using an email address provided by your company will help speed this process up.  As we have done in the past with Aspire Scholarship Program, our goal is to make training available that just makes our industry a better place.  Many property management companies do not have the resources to offer training for their people.  If you fall within that criteria then you qualify for a complimentary Fair Housing class.  With proper training you will perform well and you will be compliant with Fair Housing laws.

This offer ends April 30th 2013 so please help spread the word by sharing this blog post with your network.  At this time we are making it available for the first 100 people who fill out the form.   If you have any questions about this special opportunity, please feel free to post them in the comments section below or email me at Jonathan@thetrainingfactor.com and I will be happy to help.

**The Training Factor reserves the right to enroll or not enroll anyone who fills out this form based on the results of the verification process**

Written by Jonathan Saar

Even if we unintentionally violate the Fair Housing Act it is still illegal. Mistakes happen but the law does not allow for them. This is why education and training is absolutely critical! If you have a regular Fair Housing training program be grateful! The video below highlights the need for regular Fair Housing training.

Written by Jonathan Saar

At times we can get let ourselves get a bit carried away with social media and what it can do. It has its place but it certainly is not a super hero. You can be the superhero and the more we realize that the more effective we can become at using social media tools.

Social media is simply a way to communicate. Communication tools have always been around. Technology and innovation has only served to enhance the way we communicate. Much has changed since the day of the smoke signal but one thing is for certain whatever communication tool we use, it is not the reason for success. It has been the way we use it. When the phone, fax machine, computer, and smartphone became part of mainstream business, did any of us say to ourselves or to those devices: You are the savior of my marketing, branding, and customer service needs? Of course we did not. They were and still are simple mediums and tools in order for us to broadcast who we are and what we have to offer.

Now of course they were abused. The telephone led to telemarketers. The fax machine led to call lists that led to a huge waste of paper and toner. The computer led to email spam. Was it the tools fault or the people that were using them? Rhetorical question I know but a necessary one. When the tools were used correctly they became a useful asset to any business because they were used by humans in a human way.

There is no difference when it comes to social media. Yes there is an air of excitement when it comes to their usage. Yes there is still a lot of chatter out there with statistics, best practices and case studies. However when you strip off the glitz and glamor one clear fact remains. Social media is currently an excellent way to communicate with our clients and future clients. What are extremely important are the people who use them. Are they consistent? Do they proactively respond? Can they represent your brand in a professional way no matter what the channel or circumstance? Have they been given the necessary training to fulfill all of the above?

Those questions really balance out the difference between what is really a WOW factor or just reality of doing business. The object is to make superheroes out of our people. Give them what they need to do their job. Don’t let technology dehumanize your brand in any way.

Any feedback or thoughts on this topic would be awesome! Please feel free to share your expressions in the comment section below.

8 quick tips for “Dealing with Frustrated Callers”:

1- It’s not your fault. Know that the caller is mad about a situation Not you.
2- Listen until the caller stops speaking. Don’t interrupt. Make sure you are the right person to talk to. Always try to handle the problem. It’s ok stop them to ensure that you get them to the right person if it’s not you.
3- Apologize for any inconvenience to the resident. Take responsibility for the problem. “Let’s find a solution together.”
4- Take notes during the call. Do not ask them to repeat themselves because you were not listening. Repeat important facts back to them so they know you are truly aware.
5- Ask how the resident would like the problem to be resolved. What is it they are expecting from you. This way you know what “they” want you to do.
6- Use positive words of encouragement. “Right” I understand. We are here for you.
7- Calmly let the resident know the sequence of action steps you will be taking next.
8- ALWAYS… Follow up with that resident before the end of the day to let them know where you are in the process. Stopping by to check in on them once the problem is resolved wouldn’t hurt.

What tips can you share?

Written by Mark Howell

Hopefully it’s the latter. It may not be an easy thing to do all the time either whether you are a seasoned pro or new to the industry. The most important factor is to remember you are dealing with a living breathing human being. Another item to keep in mind is that no two calls will be alike. Every person is different. Some things are more important to one individual as opposed to another. Kitchen area, closet space, community amenities, neighborhood places of business, closeness to work and many other items are unique needs of every prospective apartment leasing call.

Never fall into the habit of assumptive listening. In any job situation we can quickly get into a rut. We answer the phone numerous times in a day and that guest card can trick us into just becoming a script reader first instead of an active listener first. Active listening is the polar opposite of assumptive listening. Active listening involves absorbing very crucial details so that you can respond in an appropriate way and the prospective resident feels that you actually care. Assumptive listening is assuming the needs of a prospect just because they, like the ten others previously, are just calling about renting an apartment.

So here is a little exercise for you. Besides what you may be required to fill out on the guest card, have yourself another pad of paper so that you can jot down other details that are personal and would automatically initiate a different response. Do that for the next ten apartment leasing calls you take. Now compare your notes for those calls. What do you think you will see? Give me your thoughts in the comment section below. I would love your feedback on this topic.

Written by Jonathan Saar

For all of us one of the main reasons why are phone etiquette dwindles is because of the sheer amount of calls we have to take. There are some days when we say to ourselves: “Will that phone ever stop ringing?” As a result of an embedded negative emotion it can easily translate into our phone call with a prospect looking to lease an apartment. I call it the phone funnel effect. Look at how the funnel effect can have on our calls.

Good morning. Thank you for calling Park Plaza Apartments. My name is Jonathan. How can I help you?

Good morning. Thank you for calling Park Plaza Apartments. How can I help you?

Thank you for calling Park Plaza Apartments. How can I help you?

This is Park Plaza Apartments

Hello can you please hold?

You: Hello…..

Prospect:”Ummmm is this Park Plaza Apartments?”

Do you see the funnel effect? This is what happens when we let the crazy moments of the day get the better of us. This can even be a pattern that could start over a period of time due to perhaps a heavy work load, complacency or redundancy. Many of us are involved in fitness in one way or another. Pinterest has many great images with motivational quotes to inspire to perform above what we think we can do in order to maximize our results. We need that same focus for leasing apartments!

Look for ways to add flavor to your calls. Wish our apartment leasing prospects a Happy Monday! or look for ways to commend or compliment them in a professional manner. We need to add the WOW effect to our calls. Go the extra mile. Add the extra reps. Push it Push it Push it!!! YOU CAN DO IT!! (How was that for a pep talk?) Be aware and be proactive against the telephone funnel effect. Look for ways to WOW your apartment prospects!

Written by Jonathan Saar

So what if you are on the receiving end and are confronted by an unhappy resident? How would putting yourself in the mindset of a parent help you?

The temper tantrum

Screaming and crying, throwing himself down on the floor, pounding with fists and feet in a complete fury. The nightmare of every parent when dealing with this behavior in a public place. The reason a child does this is basically to get his own way. He is trying to express his displeasure over the situation and to get you to give him what he wants, whether it’s physically possible or not. Experts will tell you that the best way of dealing with this is to ignore the child and walk away to let him know that this behavior will not work.

Well, you can’t exactly ignore and walk away from a resident who comes at you with eyes blazing, ready to rip you a new one. But you can ignore him in the sense that you ignore HOW he expresses his displeasure. The reason he is upset may or may not be legitimate to you, but to him it’s real and it needs fixing. So by staying calm and ignoring the manner in which you were treated (ultimately, this ISN’T about you), you can better assess what the problem is and address the resident’s needs. If the problem cannot be fixed, then at least by staying calm, listening and acknowledging the distress he may be feeling, you’re telling him that he matters. After all, he was just trying to get your attention in the first place.

I hate you! I’m going to run away!

When a child does this, it’s usually out of frustration and really because they feel powerless. By leaving, they are taking control of SOMETHING and in the process, hurting you (the parent) by showing you they can be fine without you. When I did this, my mom stayed so calm. She helped me pack my bags, the whole time telling me how much she loved me and how sad she would be when I left. She told me that she hoped I would be happy with whatever mother I found. Well, I got as far as the end of the driveway before I broke down and ran back crying.

When a resident threatens to leave, it is usually because they feel frustrated and powerless to do anything about the situation. So, they do the only thing they can to take control of the situation…leave. The last thing you want is to lose a good resident, but even worse than that, you never want to lose an unhappy good resident. If they do leave, make sure that you have reassured them that they are of value to you, that you want the opportunity to fix the problem they are having. At the very least, you need to give them the power back. Make them feel that what they are going through matters to you, even if you cannot fix it. You may still lose them as a resident, but at least they will not leave angry and they may actually recommend you to others. And you never know, they may get to the end of the driveway and run back crying.

The silent treatment

Unless you are Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt wrestling with raising a dozen kids, you’re going to notice if your child is giving you the silent treatment. Personally, I like to lay down next to my daughter after she has gone to bed and just talk to her. Eventually, she opens up in the safety of the darkness where she doesn’t have to look at me eye-to-eye and will tell me what is bothering her.

When you’re dealing with several dozen or even hundreds of residents, how are you going to know if you’re getting the silent treatment? Many residents will never tell you that they are unhappy. They will just leave and will not keep silent for long, telling everyone who will listen of their unpleasant experience. So the only way to deal with the silent treatment is to give them a safe way to open up to you. This could be in the way of a survey, a suggestion box or another method where they can tell you of their customer service experience without having to confront you face-to-face. Another method is to catch them when they are comfortable. I’m not suggesting you crawl into bed with them, but perhaps you see them sitting by the pool enjoying the weather and watching their children play. Sit next to them, ask them how they are doing. Ask them if they are happy with their resident experience and if there’s anything you can do to make life better for them. This may be the time when they will open up to you and when you will have the opportunity to give them a stellar customer service experience.

I realize that there are some residents that will never be happy no matter what you do. But they are truly the exception to the rule. Like children, most people just want to be noticed, feel important and be heard when they need to talk. So be smarter than a 1st grader and see past their childish behavior, and they may grow up to be residents you can be proud of!

Written by Renee Saar

At the same time I had an analogy that really speaks to some of us experienced apartment marketers and to many of our up and coming marketing nerds who are jumping in and making a great impact for their apartment communities. I call it the “Unmoth Approach” to apartment marketing. Yes I am in an insect mood today. (Insert smile)

We are pretty familiar with the habits of a moth when it comes to its attraction to light. Whatever light appears on a dark night the moth will fly towards and keep banging into the source. When that light goes out then it moves on to the next source of light and bangs into that. In many ways we can easily be caught up in that exact same scenario. We keep flying to the next potential apartment marketing shiny tool whether it is social media tools, software or perhaps even just plain old fashioned advice.

Now none of those items are inherently “wrong” to look into for our apartment marketing needs. They may all have value in some way or another. The problem is with us. Are we bouncing around so to speak from one shiny object to another in hopes that the ray of light that surrounds the object will magically solve all of our marketing woes and miraculously raise our occupancy percentages? (That was a long question!) Now before we start beating ourselves or get offended at the question there is one important item to remember….we are human and we are curious by nature. Curiosity and imagination are the ingredients to great inspiration. Without them we would still be stuck in the rut of year 2000 form of marketing and that is quite boring.

In order to successfully implement the “Unmoth Approach” it takes a strategic balance. Do we need to pay attention to new technology and tools that come on the market…Yes! Do we need to view them as next savior for our marketing plan…Absolutely not! Though it is critical to self-educate on what is here now and what is on the horizon this should not distract us from what is truly the goal of any marketing plan. The goal is to reach people.

That always has been and always will be the critical defining decision to maker for any marketing program. Will it reach people? Will it connect with people? Will it move people to action? Apartment marketing will always have its ups and downs. It has peaks, valleys and even plateaus. That’s the juice that keeps us thirsting for more. Think impossible but apply what speaks to the people.

I am a huge fan of feedback so please feel free to share this post and make any expressions in the comment section below.

Written by Jonathan Saar