“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.”
Aristotle, philosopher
We live in a society based on immediate gratification and the multifamily industry is no different. This need is particularly stark when it comes to a team’s responsiveness to maintenance inquiries by our residents – a top complaint for many. The speed at which a team addresses a poor functioning air conditioner, leaky faucet, or the need for a pest control treatment can become significant quite quickly in the mind of a discerning resident deciding whether to renew a lease.
There must be an effective partnership between an onsite management team and its maintenance staff to ensure those inquiries are communicated and speedily resolved. Residents want someone to come to their apartment, evaluate the concern, and resolve it as quickly as possible. If maintenance must call in a vendor, residents expect a timeline of when it can be addressed. Many report wanting a follow-up call after the work is completed.
How can maintenance and onsite teams collaborate to provide exemplary service that a resident will consider a positive experience? It comes down to teamwork, streamlined processes, and putting your residents’ needs first. Here are a couple examples from actual reviews.
Tip 1: Follow up with your resident after the work order is resolved.
“The manager (name) is awesome! When maintenance completes a work order, I get a follow up text from (name) making sure it was completed to my liking and if anything else is needed to let them know.”
Apartment dwellers realize they are at the mercy of the onsite team when it comes to the condition of their homes. Yet they’re often paying thousands for this “privilege.” A follow-up text or email shows them that you don’t take them for granted.
Tip 2: Ensure the resident knows this is a priority for your team.
“The office staff are very generous and have acted with a sense of urgency whenever we need maintenance.”
When an individual owns a home and they call a vendor for a repair, if there is no response they’ll simply call another. This isn’t possible for the apartment resident, so providing them an idea of when a concern will be addressed is critical.
What are your experiences with maintenance and your residents? Feel free to comment and, as always, go out and serve your residents well today!
About The Extra Mile
The Extra Mile is an online column serving the multifamily industry that features tips and testimonials for providing exceptional service for your residents. Reputation management expert Priyanka Agarwal will share exemplary customer service examples from inside and outside the industry which can enhance a property’s reputation and, ultimately, encourage new leases, referrals, and renewals. For questions and/or comments, contact priyanka@jturnerresearch.com.