subject: Resident Reward-five Free Ways To Boost Resident Retention And Satisfaction Rates [print this page] You dont have to spend a lot to make a big impression with your new residents. In fact, here are five simple but effective ways to start building lasting tenant retention relationships that wont cost you a dime:
Ease the Pain of the Moving Process
Show your new residents you genuinely care about them. Start by offering them a moving checklist that can help them stay organized through this stressful event. Be sure
to include important information, such as your rental office, maintenance, and after-hours emergency numbers. Before moving day, take one final walk through the apartment to
ensure all appliances work properly, and that the property looks clean and inviting. Moving day sets the tone for the other 364 days leading up to a potential lease renewal, so
start on the right foot by making sure the apartment is in the condition you would want to see if it was your new home.
Call or stop by the day after the move to see how it went, and ask if the resident needs anything from you. While these gestures may seem small to you, theyll mean a lot to your
new tenants, and will help foster a positive, caring image for your property the type that makes residents more apt to stay longer.
Keep the Apartment Community Neat and Tidy
Resident want to be proud of where they live. They dont want to see trash when they return home after a long day at work, or be embarrassed when they have company. Simply
put, a clean property thats free of debris makes a difference in how residents feel about their complex. And, dont forget to post friendly reminders to residents who are not keeping
their balconies neat. After all, its hard for your residents to enjoy their morning coffee on their balcony while having to look at their neighbors junk.
Return Calls and E-mails the Same Day
Did you know that a lack of responsiveness is a big reason residents choose not to renew? Waiting endlessly to hear back from the apartment manager is a sticking point with
many residents; prompt and effective communications can be the deciding factor between staying put and leaving a complex. Fortunately, you can easily handle this problem by
routing voicemails and emails to a designated folder in your inbox, and setting a time each day to return the messages. If youre waiting to hear from a staff member to see when they can address a specific problem, thats fine. But, just call your residents and let them know youre working on
resolving their issues. By taking such action, your residents understand theyre not being ignored which can help stem any frustration they may be feeling.
Be Courteous to Guests
Residents that love where they live have friends. That means potential new residents are stopping by your property every day, so its important to capitalize on this opportunity. Dont
force guests to park blocks away or prevent them from parking overnight, which creates an unfavorable impression of your complex. Instead, provide a couple of daily guest passes for your residents to use when they have friends over. Just have your tenants send you a request email a day or two ahead of time. Use a template email so you can quickly type the necessary information and promptly email the permit to your resident. Its an easy and effective way for your
complex to be seen as tenant-friendly, and it also supplies you with qualified leads by capturing the guests information for follow-up calls and lease incentives.
Call to Check-in
Keep the lines of communication open. Residents often report the only times they hear
from the leasing agent is when they sign the lease and when renewal is fast approaching. This
leaves a large block of time where there is a void of communication. Periodically touching base with your residents during this time develops goodwill, and provides an opportunity to address any small problems now that could fester into bigger ones months down the road.
By employing these five simple tips, you can increase resident retention and satisfaction rates,
and watch your costs drop while your profits grow.
