6 Tips to Improve Customer Service at Your Properties

As a landlord or property manager in Winter Park, every word you speak or action you take when you meet a potential tenant counts toward whether that person will rent your property or not. And if they do rent the house, apartment, or condo, how long they stay in the property and how they behave depends, to a large extent, on how you relate to them.

Even though customer service is rarely discussed, customer service is one of the most important parts of owning or operating a rental property. Often, landlords and managers themselves as customer service reps or do not see their tenants as customers. But like any business where goods or services of a highly personal nature are traded, real estate is a customer-centric business.

The place where people live is significant to them. Regardless of whether they are renting or own the home, people are emotionally tied to their homes. They expect other people to show the same level of respect to that space as they do. And they expect this most from the owner or manager of the property.

Here’s the point: Tenants expect good customer service in a rental property.

But good customer service should not simply be a matter of meeting tenants’ demands. Landlords and property managers must see it as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep a stable and profitable property business. Making excellent customer service an integral part of how they relate to tenants, owners, and managers make it harder for tenants to leave, making the property more profitable.

Use these tips to get started on incorporating great customer service into your rental business.

1. Explain and Educate

The number one source of acrimony between rental operators and renters is miscommunication. The issue is often rooted in a misinterpretation of the lease agreement. At the onset, both parties assume they understand each other’s responsibilities, and it often takes a problem to show the differences in their reading of the document. Bridge the communication gap and build trust by educating tenants on the meaning of the terms in the lease agreement.

2. Orient your Tenants

You should not assume that tenants know how to look after the property. Even if they do, they may not know how to clean or maintain the home to the landlord or manager’s requirements.

Tenants value it when a property owner or manager takes the time to help them settle in by taking them on a tour of the home and explaining or demonstrating how everything works. Small actions like these at the start of the relationship help set the tone for future communication.

3. Do Not Disappear

Make yourself available to your tenants after they have moved in. Some landlords and property managers disappear and only reappear when it is time to collect the rent. This will cause tenants to resent you because they start to feel that the only thing you care about is the money.

When tenants first move into a home, they need help with many things and usually want the owner or manager to be available. This is especially true for tenants who are new to town.

4. Respond to Maintenance Requests Promptly

Nothing shows a landlord’s consideration for tenants’ wellbeing like a speedy response to maintenance requests and the thoroughness with which problems are dealt with.

However, it is not always possible for owners and managers to respond as quickly as tenants want. A good way to prevent problems is to have established procedures for registering requests and having a handyman on call. This strategy lets you have free time without neglecting your tenant’s needs.

5. Encourage Mutual Respect

Tenants value landlords who respect the tenant’s boundaries and are polite in how they relate to tenants. A landlord or property manager can enforce the terms of a lease without allowing situations to deteriorate into ugly verbal exchanges.

If you did your job by properly screening the tenant, you should not need to resort to high-handed methods to get them to play their part. Treat tenants like valuable partners; without them, you would not have a business.

6. Pay Attention to Online Reviews

Tenant’s online comments and reviews can do serious damage to the reputation of your business. Make a habit of reading every review and comment that mentions your business. Reach out to everyone who says something about your property, whether it is positive or negative.

People who leave negative comments may do so in the heat of their anger or because they misunderstood something. Calmly engaging them on the issues can often get them to go back and change or delete their comments. If you made a mistake, apologize and explain what you are doing to correct the problem and compensate the person.

Finally, go beyond the call of duty. Show interest in your tenants. Know the names of their children, remember their birthdays, and send them a good wish on Christmas or other holidays.

There you have it, six tips to improve your customer service at your Winter Park properties. If you’re looking for ways to improve and streamline how you manage your rental properties, Real Property Management Vanguard can help. Contact us online or give us a call at 407-681-7802.