The Top Secret Apartment Marketing Weapon: Your Maintenance Team
Hidden on each of your apartment properties is a secret marketing weapon that can help in your never ending battle to improve resident retention: your maintenance staff.
I’m sure you’re thinking, “Well, duh Michael. Quality and timeliness of maintenance service is a key factor in resident renewals. Don’t you keep up with SatisFacts Research’s data?”
Based on a national study entitled, “Getting Inside the Head of the Online Resident,” conducted by SatisFacts Research in 2011, a “sense of community” and “resident events and activities” rated as having low importance when it came to their decision to renew their lease. Basic service expectations, such as quality of maintenance service and quality of customer service had the highest importance.
But I’m not talking about maintenance. I’m talking about marketing.
In addition to your leasing office staff, your maintenance team are also marketing your property.
Let me share with you a recent experience from a stay at Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Shady Grove that illustrates my point.
On the morning of my checkout, I’m dragging my suitcase behind me down a hallway when a housekeeper came out of a room. She gave me a big smile.
Housekeeper: Good morning sir, how are you today.
Me: I’m well. How are you?
Housekeeper: I’m fine. Are you leaving us today, sir?
Me: I’m checking out today, yes.
Housekeeper: Oh, did you have a nice stay with us, sir?
Me: Yes I did, thank you.
Housekeeper: I’m so glad. Please come back and see us again.
I looked around expecting to see a manager near by, but we were alone. The employee seemed to genuinely care about my customer experience at the hotel.
Kudos to Hampton Inn management. This is clearly great training on their part, whether it was originated by the local general manager or at the national level. The best conversation with a housekeeper usually involves a robotic hello, how are you. This particular housekeeper’s genuine interest in my experience is an example of how your maintenance staff can market your apartment property.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Does your maintenance staff greet your residents? If so, is it in a warm and friendly manner?
- Does the maintenance staff take the time to learn names of residents, family, and pets?
- Does your maintenance staff ask residents if they are experiencing any problems?
- Is your maintenance staff empowered to create a service request or, better yet, fix the problem on the spot if time allows?
For my money, I will return to that Hampton Inn if I happen to go back to Memphis. It won’t be because of the eggs served at breakfast (driest eggs outside of powdered) and the balky WiFi service. That two-minute conversation with the housekeeper made a greater and lasting impression on me.
Do you think maintenance staff can be an important part of marketing an apartment property? If so, how have you trained your staff to accomplish this? Please share your thoughts and tips in the comments.
19 Comments
Michael Cunningham (@RealPageMichael) (@RealPageMichael) (@RealPageMichael)
New Post: The Top Secret Apartment Marketing Weapon: Your Maintenance Team http://t.co/vop0SEdb #multifamily #propertymanagement
Property Management (@propmgmtinsider) (@propmgmtinsider) (@propmgmtinsider)
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Realty Mgmt Assoc. (@RealtyMgmtAssoc)
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Kayelyn Scofield
I absolutely agree with this! I know here at Artessa our maintenance team is one of our best marketing tools. They are very aware of who our residents are, know them by name, their dogs and family. Here is an example of how our team goes above and beyond:
“Today I had a dead battery in my car and Gabriel and Juan came immediately to help me out. They tried to charge it cables to Gabriel’s truck but to no avail. Gabriel is going after work to get me a new battery and install it for me.
Those two gentlemen are the finest I have ever seen. They always smile, they always help, and they are courteous beyond belief. If I didn’t already love everyone at the Artessa I would certainly stay because of Gabriel and Juan! They are simply the best.”
Anne Glenn
Michael Cunningham
Kayelyn,
Thanks for sharing. Gabriel and Juan sound outstanding. That kind of service leaves a lasting impression not only the resident they helped, but probably friends of that resident.
Kudos. Just curious, how large is your property?
Kathy Vance (@KathyEQRNW)
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HomeLovers (@azhomelovers) (@azhomelovers) (@azhomelovers)
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Tons of Rentals (@TonsofRental) (@TonsofRental) (@TonsofRental) (@TonsofRental) (@TonsofRental)
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1/6 Weekly News Roundup | Property Management Executive
[...] Hidden on each of your apartment properties is a secret marketing weapon that can help in your never ending battle to improve resident retention: your maintenance staff. I’m sure you’re thinking, “Well, duh Michael. Quality and timeliness of maintenance service is a key factor in resident renewals. Don’t you keep up with SatisFacts Research’s data?” …Read More [...]
Laura Bruyere (@Laura_Bruyere)
The Top Secret Apartment Marketing Weapon: Your Maintenance Team http://t.co/CLdKGp0p via @AddThis
DE Apartment Assoc (@DEApartmentAsso)
The Top Secret Apartment Marketing Weapon: Your Maintenance Team http://t.co/2X7Vy52d
ApartmentAdvice (@ApartmentAdvice)
Your service team can make or break an asset. Do you include them in all of your efforts? http://t.co/4LfPxjF0
Paint SCENTsations (@PaintScents)
And great-smelling apartments @Laura_Bruyere @AddThis “The Top Secret Apartment Marketing Weapon:Your Maintenance Team http://t.co/xts6ZAU6“
Rentals (@rentalmkting) (@rentalmkting)
The Top Secret Apartment Marketing Weapon: Your Maintenance Team http://t.co/2uohEIww
WestCorp Mngmt Group (@WestCorpMG)
Do you have a superior Secret Marketing Weapon? http://t.co/9fdDnvIv #maintenance #resident #retention #marketing #investments
Chìa Khóa Vàng (@quanlynha) (@quanlynha) (@quanlynha)
The Top Secret Apartment Marketing Weapon: Your Maintenance Team http://t.co/F3tbHFxc via @AddThis
Your Maintenance Team is a Valuable Marketing Tool | Apartment Brokers Network Blog
[...] month in the article “The Top Secret Apartment Marketing Weapon: Your Maintenance Team,” Michael Cunningham shared his positive experience with a hotel housekeeper and how it made him [...]
Laura White
My Top Secret Marketing, Renewal and Sales Tools have always been, in my opinion the service teams.
I have been a long time promoter and supporter of service teams and the significant influence, and in some cases, the exclusive influrence they have when it comes to a resident renewing their lease, referring a resident or new resident leasing an apartment.
4 New Year’s Resolutions for the Property Management Professional | Property Management Insider
[...] that service matters when it comes to resident retention. And you can’t overlook the potential effect your on-site maintenance staff has on marketing your apartment community. Yes, social engagement on your online community is important, but don’t [...]