What Do You Want? An Expert.

My son Sam has gorgeous, flaming red hair.  It is also thick and unruly, which results in a variety of bed-head that would be award-winning if there was such a contest. He likes it longer, and so do I.  

A few years back, when his hair became overly shaggy and I was having a difficult time deciphering him and the dog, I took him in to my local chain haircutting salon to fix. 

The woman put him in the chair, threw a cape on him, looked at me, and said, 

“What do you want?” 

“A haircut,” I replied.  

“No, do you want a 2, a 3, what do you want?”

“I’m not sure what you are saying.  I want it a little longer, but it needs to be a bit shorter than it is right now.”

“Then you want a 3.” 

“I don’t know.  What’s a 3?”

“Number 3 clippers. Is that what you want?”  

“I don’t know if I want that.  I want it longer in the back. It seems to work better when it is a little longer.”

“Then you want a scissors cut?”  

“I guess.  I am not a hair stylist so I am not sure I am understanding you.  I don’t want it shaved, if that’s what you mean.” 

“So you want a scissors cut.”  

“OK.  That means you don’t use a clippers?”

“Yeah.  Is that what you want?”

“I think so.”  

Wha, wha what?!!

What did I want?  

I wanted her to tell me what to do.  

I wanted her, as the expert, to help me manage his unruly head of hair.  I wanted her to tell me the best cut for him, and make suggestions that would enhance his look. I wanted her to help me figure it out. 

I wanted my son to walk out of the salon with a great haircut that fit his unique personality. 

I wanted her to enjoy her job, and make the mundane sort of fun.

I wanted her to care, and take the burden off me.  I wanted her to own the challenge.

That’s not what I got.

I assume this person was trained to be a hair stylist.  She is supposed to be the expert.  Why didn’t she ask me questions, and based on my answers, make an expert suggestion?  All I got, was “What do you want?”  Was she simply being lazy, or did she really expect me to know what a number 3 is?

Here’s the thing, it is so easy to make assumptions about individuals and assume they know more than they do.  You know it, so they should to.  For example,

We assume people know how to be good residents, and chastise them when they aren’t, but we never teach them what it means to be a good neighbor, or provide them with tools that help them become good residents. 

We assume people enter our offices and have done research on floorplans and know exactly what they want, based on their limited understanding of the product.  Instead of helping them discover, based on expertise, floorplans that will fit their lifestyle, we leave it up to them.  

The next time you are tempted to throw a challenge back at a client, and make the assumption all your training and expertise doesn’t really matter, think about your true role and responsibility.  As an expert,

• Listen, ask questions about lifestyle and needs and then, based on what you learn,  make an expert suggestion that solves the client’s lifestyle problem. 
• Have some fun and be confident in your role as expert. 
• Be an expert.  Take the time to prepare and make sure you know more than your competitors do. 
• Remember, when a client walks through your door and presents a problem, whether that be a stopped-up sink or an apartment need, that’s all they should have to do.  You own it from there.  You are the expert.  You are competent and confident and you love helping people get what they need and want.  

Last, but certainly not least, deliver, and remember how much you add to overall value perception and satisfaction.

Say Whatt?!!

The other day, I overheard an apartment manager say, “Have you read your lease?” in answer to what, apparently, was a ridiculous request, and I thought, “This is not going to end well for the resident.  Manager wins.”

Then I thought of some of the other impulsive, condescending and “shut-em down” statements routinely used to keep residents in line and get them to go away.

“Your lease clearly states…”

“It’s not our policy.”

And my favorite…

“If I did it for you, I would have to do it for everyone, or I would be violating Fair Housing.” (Admit it, you joined me in reciting that one as you read it, didn’t you?)

What?  Violating Fair Housing?  Really?

I cannot think of one way any of these statements could leave a positive impact or increase resident value perception.  Please, if anyone does, do not hesitate to share. 

But wait, there’s more.

“I’m sorry but,”  (you know something bad is coming the minute they say, “but”).

“If it were up to me, I would do it, but I could lose my job.”

And a maintenance favorite…

“Yeah, they’re all like that, and I told them we needed to replace them but it wasn’t in the budget.”

When your words and tone can be translated to, “You should know better,” or “I’m really not sorry, I’m just saying that to soften what I am about to tell you” or “This place sucks and it isn’t run well because the company is too cheap to fix things”, or “I am afraid to make a decision, so I am going to hide behind the Fair Housing poster now”, understand it will likely not end positively. 

Why do we do say these things?  I have a couple of theories.

1.     It’s easy, and humans are inherently lazy.  It takes effort to really listen and try to understand another’s perspective. Easier to prove them wrong and send them away.

2.     We don’t know any better.  You heard your manager say it, so you say it too.

3.     We don’t know what else to say, because we believe the only way to end the discussion is to have won.

4.     Solving problems is hard and we are afraid we might indeed violate Fair Housing if we make an allowance.

5.     Jaded Pessimism.  Give ‘em an inch and they’ll take a mile.

6.     Black or white is the only way.  There is no gray, or meeting halfway.

At this point you may be thinking, “Lori, I get the answers aren’t the best, so give me a better line.”

Here’s the problem.  There is no “pat” answer, no wonderful line that will shut people down and leave them with a smile on their face.

But there are things you can do.

Let’s say you have a resident who thinks pet fees are unfair and he shouldn’t have to pay them.

1. See their perspective and agree, at least partially.

"I can see why this doesn't seem right to you.  You are a responsible dog owner."

2. Offer an alternative perspective. (This is where the homework comes in).

Ask yourself, why?  Why do you have pet fees in the first place?  Well, we know that pets leave waste, some damage apartments, they leave dander which could affect other potential residents and they cause additional challenges to residents in the form of barking, etc .  We also know some people simply don't like pets and don't want anything to do with them.

Remember, we do not place this answer to the resident in this context, nor do we give the standard spiel that doesn't really answer the objection.

3. Re-context.  Keep it truthful and sincere.  This is a dialogue and you are not in-it-to-win-it. This is about having a conversation with the individual.

So, it might go something like this:

"I can see why this doesn't seem right to you.  You are a responsible dog owner."

"Please understand, we choose to be pet friendly community even though many owners are not as responsible.  Pets do cause wear and tear in the form of waste, dander, damage and, sometimes, as a nuisance to other neighbors who don't have pets.  For this reason, we charge pet owners a pet fee, as it simply wouldn't be right or fair to pass on those costs to residents who choose not to have them."

Then they will likely say, "My pet never bothers anyone."

To which you might say, "Likely not, but have you thought about something as simple as your dog barking in the morning to wake you?  I'm not saying yours does, but lots of dogs do.  If the dog wakes you by barking, it might very well wake the guy above you every single day.  That's something they tolerate, and they may choose not to stay at the end of their lease term if it's bad enough. Of course, that is a hypothetical situation, but pets do impact the overall community, and while we are proud to say we are pet friendly, we have to ensure those that don't like pets never have to step in waste, or have allergies act up from an apartment that had pets in it.  All of that comes at a cost.   That's why we charge a pet fee."

To which he may say, "Well I still don't think it’s fair.  My pet never does anything wrong."

"Understandable. And you do have choices.  I will tell you that our pet fees are on the low end of the spectrum in comparison to our competitors, and we work hard to ensure we stay competitive in the market.  It's hard, because we love our pets, but they sure can be a bit costly.  I hope I have provided you a better understanding as to why we charge the fee.  If you would like, you are more than welcome to pay your pet fees for the year all at once, then you don't have to hassle with it for the rest of the year.  Is this something you would like to consider?"

Last, if you believe your pet fees are completely outrageous…find another way.  Perhaps you can raise rent or bundle it.  Maybe after a certain length of residency with no issues, the pet fee is reduced. Do a competitive analysis.  Don't just assume because it’s been the policy, it has to forever be the policy.  Find a way to change it up and make it more consumer-friendly.

Look to find solutions and know there is no standard answer  - it’s all about preparation, knowing your market, understanding why, and then delivering that message sincerely and truthfully.  Get with your team this week and practice this exercise with a request or objection you find yourself giving a “half baked” answer to.  Think about the words you say, and what they convey.  Look to find a better way. 

Every word counts.

Lori

Get Ready. Get Set.

I was asked to write a guest blog for The Apartment All Stars this week on the power of preparation. You can find it here.

Also, I am conducting a Webinar Wednesday, March 21st in conjunction with Multifamily Insiders and The Apartment All Stars.

Before you Say Hello, Get Prepared and Lease More Apartments is a must for any leasing professional that wants to take their game to the next level.

You can register here...

Hope to see you there!

The Power of a Simple Action

While waiting for my plane on Southwest the other day, a general ruckus caused me to look up from my work, and take note of a situation unfolding right in front of me. The ruckus was coming from a woman in a wheelchair who was clearly in distress. From her tone, it was obvious she was in one of those situations where you get so mad you cry. I can empathize with that, as I have been there.

Anyway, why she was mad, (something about the wheelchair attendant not letting her stop to eat something), was not the issue. She was just mad. A supervisor had approached and was talking to her, with little success - she just yelled louder about how upset she was between sobs, and what he did next reaffirmed everything I have been teaching about the power of body language in conveying meaning - he simply knelt down on one knee, looked her in the eye and lightly touched her arm. She immediately calmed down, stopped yelling and started listening. He promised he would take care of her, and the situation, and as she was wheeled away, she reached in his direction as if to touch him, and said, “Thank you.”

Just a friendly reminder...it’s not what you say, it’s what you convey. He cared, and she knew it. Empathy goes a long way toward making a wrong a right. Actions truly do speak louder than words. You choose.

Say It and Believe

It's no secret that internal dialogue often influences the way people motivate and shape their behavior. Years back, I was inspired by a motivational speaker that encouraged self-affirmations on a daily basis. “I like myself” he encouraged us to say in the mirror, “I’m a GREAT salesperson!” So I did. And every time I did, I found myself chuckling. It made me feel, well, sort of foolish, dopey and, yes I will say it, good all at the same time. As a young trainer, I encouraged my pupils to do the same. I received relentless flack, from video spoofs to teasing, to an endless variety of pranks targeting the “I like myself!” affirmation. For each I laughed and took it all in stride, because, frankly, it is sort of funny to self proclaim how great you are.

The thing is, it works. Now I’m not saying that if you say “I am going to have a million dollars” every day for a year you will. You might, but the real point of self-affirmations (from my very un-clinical perspective) is how they make you feel. Nobody doubts that if I internally declare myself a bad person on a daily basis, that sooner or later I will most likely start to believe it. So why not the other way?

My former colleague Stasia Vishnevsky sent me this video yesterday, and all I have to say is, this is the kind of person I want on my team. When you yell, “Can we do it?” you can bet she is going to yell back, “Yes we can!”

Enjoy. Then get in front of the mirror and say a little something nice to yourself. If nothing else, you’ll get a good chuckle.

Goals that Get Them There

We all know that goals should not be determined for salespeople, (trans: leasing professionals), rather, with them. If you set the goal, it is your goal, not theirs. The question is, how do you set a goal that isn't a no-brainer, yet not so aggressive it is nearly impossible to meet?

When establishing goals with your leasing professional, ask this first -

“What number do you know for sure you can hit?” Then wait. The leasing professional will respond with a number. Here is the key. They will most likely respond lower than what they know they can do. It’s human nature. They want to hit the goal.

In this case, let’s say they say “9 leases”. Since you know this is probably a little less than what you know can be accomplished, and dependent on community variables, you might add 2 and then throw on 2 more for a total of 13.

Then say, “Since we know you can hit 9, how does 13 sound for a goal? If you hit 13, your bonus will be xxx over what if would be at 9. Do you think you can do it?”

If they say “yes”, it is their goal and they own it. If they say “yes with conditions”, hear the conditions, and, if they are reasonable, summarize and take it home by saying something like, “If I am hearing your correctly, you are saying that as long as we have ready product to show, and something available to lease, you feel confident you can hit 13 this month. If I make sure that happens, can we agree to 13? Excellent.”

Remember, effective sales is not just about the salesperson's performance, external forces can impact success. Deliver on your end, and hold your salespeople accountable to deliver on theirs.

A Gift of Optimism

I grew up in a small town in Wisconsin full of hardy German citizens. The winters, particularly “back in the day” were long and unyielding, generally starting in mid-November and ending in April. (To provide some perspective to warm weather inhabitants, it was nothing for my Dad to warm up the car for 20 minutes before we ventured out.) That’s a lot of cooped-up in-house time for a kid...and a mother. The minute the thermometer hit 20, Mom mummified my sisters and I in wool scarves and snowsuits and sent us outside to play, deaf to our pleas to be let in because “we were so cooooldddd!”. We built snow forts, made snow angels, threw snowballs and...we survived to enjoy a hot bowl of chicken noodle soup for lunch. The people in my hometown would declare, after hearing this story, “That’s good for you. Toughens you up.” I would agree, and add that it also develops a sense of optimism.

A Wisconsin winter can include weeks of nothing but gray weather and dirty snow. Very depressing stuff, yet most of the people I know from the area possess an incredible sense of humor and a wonderfully optimistic attitude. They know how to persevere. I would imagine, though I have never lived it, the people in a state that survives hurricane after hurricane are much the same way. Perseverance breeds optimism.

Being optimistic, in the typical sense of the word, ultimately means one expects the best possible outcome from any given situation. Optimists generally emerge from difficult circumstances with less distress than do pessimists. They seem intent on solving challenges head on, taking active and constructive steps to solve their problems - as if they know, “this too shall pass.”

A client of mine, Jim Schloemer, CEO of Continental Properties, shares my hometown. During a recent session, he approached me and told me how his mother, every single morning, even on the grayest and coldest of Wisconsin days, would walk into his room throw open the drapes and say, “Good morning, Jim, it’s a beautiful morning and time for you to rise and shine and show the world all that you can be!“ While not as poetic, my mother would prance in, flip the shades and sing, “Rise and Shine!” in the most cheery of voices. My conclusion; a positive outlook was bred in us to the point we became inherently optimistic through repetition and practice. We laughed as we confessed to using the same tactics on our own children. And, much as I hated the sound of that shade rolling up then, I now remember it fondly.

A more simplistic time, perhaps, without the daily barrage of bad tidings so abundant and easily accessed today. Will things ever get better? Of course they will. Change is inevitable. The important thing is to stay cheerful and know that tomorrow is another day, and even if it’s gray, it’s a beautiful opportunity to show the world what you can do. Imagine, if just for a day, every person you knew, actually lived that. We’d be unstoppable.

Happy Christmas to all!

What Exactly Do You Do?

A colleague that I have known forever called me for lunch today, with the intent of helping me by “finding out exactly what I do, and the services I offer.” Then I read a post in ITTYbiz this morning that challenged me with the question, “How many of your readers don’t really understand your business?” Good question. I thought about it for a while and came to the conclusion that there may be quite a few. Maybe I oughta do a better job of letting people know.

So here it is - I provide consulting to companies that are in need of marketing help. Maybe they are in trouble, maybe they are repositioning, or maybe they are brand new. Doesn’t matter. I am creative, forward thinking and experienced and I help them fill apartments, keep residents and make money. My clients like me because I utilize a common-sense, practical approach customized to achieve portfolio objectives. Personally, I love marketing apartments and I’m wicked good at it.

Since all the marketing in the world won’t matter if the people are ill-equipped or don’t care, I proved training in sales, service, marketing and management issues. I adore teaching salespeople how to sell.

And since people seem to like my down-to-earth practical style, I am often asked to keynote events. Sometimes I orchestrate the entire event. I help bridge the gap between executive and front-line because I speak both their languages, and can effectively share insight on their perspectives. I help them think differently.

I also write copy. Lots of it. It’s another thing I seem to be good at.
So, that is what I do. My sense of purpose is clear.

Now it’s time for you to complete the exercise.
What exactly do you do? Why? Don't assume everybody knows.

Service Excellence - No Bobble-heads Allowed

Companies often ask me where to start in defining a true service culture, and the answer I give is simple, but not always well-received; train and trust.

If a company wants to be more than all talk and no action, its leaders (and anyone in a supervisory role) must be dedicated to training service delivery and then trusting that training will result in solid, “make it right” decisions that won’t break the bank. Sounds easy, but in fact, my experience dictates it is the hardest thing to do.

Before sessions, I routinely ask company leaders about their parameters; that is, how much money could a front-line employee spend utilizing their own judgement to make it right. Sometimes I get the $50 or $100 answer. Sometimes I am informed of programs that sound fabulous, but fall apart in actual delivery. Most often, I get a hedged answer that essentially means, “We don’t trust like that. Our frontline people could really mess that up, and I can’t put it out there that everyone has $75 to make a wrong a right because of the likelihood of abuse. Better to leave that scenario to managers of each individual community”. Hmmmm. Sounds like somebody doesn’t trust their people to make good decisions.

So, let’s say I am a leasing professional, and I have been told to make the customer happy. Be a problem solver. Deliver excellent customer service. Got it.

A resident comes in really angry. Someone has parked him in for the third time in three months and he will not be to work on time. I say, “I am so sorry. I will call maintenance and see if we can’t identify the owner, and if not, we will have the car towed.” The resident does not gleefully skip out of the office at this point, so I offer to pay for a cab to get him to work. (I do this with my own money, because the manager locks up the petty cash for the weekend and is the only one with a key. I have no idea if I will get the money back.) The resident grudgingly agrees, and I order the cab. I call my husband to bring over some money, as I don’t have $35 on me. Then I sit down and write a note to the resident, apologizing for his troubles and declare our intent to send out an all-resident bulletin on the consequences of parking someone else in. At this point, I think I am doing well. Will my manager?

That depends. That is the challenge with not setting parameters.

If the manager arrives Monday, hears the story and says, “Excellent work. I will get the $35 from petty cash right now and I am submitting your name for “Service Deed of the Month”, all is well.

If the manager says, “We don’t routinely give away money when people experience parking issues. Now everyone that ever gets double-parked will expect this kind of treatment and I have a tight budget. Are you willing to take the money out of your salary in the future?” all is not real well.
If the manager says, “You are not authorized to spend money without my approval. I am responsible for the budget and unless you would like to be, I suggest you contact me before making a decision like that again. I will think about whether you should be reimbursed. Resident X has done nothing but complain since he moved in, and I am sure there were other solutions we could have provided. I need to look into this,” all is terrible.

Whether or not we should fire the manager in scenario 3 is irrelevant, (and food for another blog post), the real truth lies in whether the leasing professional will ever demonstrate this kind of initiative again. The answer is, if it were me, probably not. Too much risk. Better to play it safe, keep my money in the bank and defer all challenges to the manager to decide. I essentially turn into a customer service bobble-head, smiling, nodding and saying, “I’m sorry”, but delivering little more than a pulse. I have no parameters and no training, and have been reprimanded for demonstrating initiative, therefore am rendered ineffective.

If a company is really committed to delivering excellence in service, the following is critical -

Throw away the rule book and commit to training.
Companies that routinely deliver excellence, routinely deliver far more training hours than average. They teach problem-solving techniques that inspire flexibility, promote initiative and encourage good judgement. How much service training do the front-line employees in your firm receive? Is initiative rewarded? Where are the priorities?

Determine reasonable parameters and then provide resources.
If an employee knows they have $75 to “make a wrong a right”, no questions asked, and most importantly, they have access to that gift card or cash, they know their parameters. If they have been trained well in situational scenarios, they understand what circumstance merits extra action and can deliver a recovery that will “wow” a resident.

Hold employees accountable to “seeing it through”.
If expectations clearly define that employees “own the problem” and hold them accountable to seeing it through, and that expectation is reinforced and rewarded, the focus becomes about problem solving and delivering to a higher standard, rather than about spending money.

Include all.
Anyone that has an impact on service excellence needs service expectation training. That includes corporate office personnel, managers, regionals, maintenance and of course, leasing professionals. All must believe to truly deliver and understand they have “permission” to do the right thing.

Hire well.
Great companies take hiring seriously as it pertains to the people working with it’s customers. How vigorously do you screen potential hires for their relating and problem-solving talents?

Nothing happens without training and trust.

Roll Out The Barrel

One can learn a lot by hanging out in a beer tent in Southeastern Wisconsin. Take for example, the gentleman pictured. Rumor has it he is 85 years old. Said man decided he wanted to dance, and on the table, no less. A collective gasp was heard throughout the tent as they turned their attention to the elderly gentleman polkaing on the picnic table. One lady turned toward me and said, "Gott in Himmel, ("God in Heaven", for those of you not up on your German) Who does he think he is? He should get down before he hurts himself." The rest of the tent seemed to be enjoying the display. It was obvious the elderly gentleman was having a blast. I wasn't too worried, as he had a number of spotters around him. Secretly, I was proud of him. He decided what he wanted and he went for it. I hope somebody has to pull me off the table when I am 85.

Think about it. What would you like to do that you are too afraid to attempt because you're worried about what people might say or you might fail at? What would you go for if you weren't afraid? Whatever it is, life is short. Make sure you have a few spotters nearby that won't let you fall too hard, and get on that picnic table and dance.

I do believe he is my new hero.

How's Your Posture?

My mother had a thing for posture. She deemed it her mission that her girls would never be slouchers, physically or emotionally. “Sit up straight. Head up, shoulders back,” she would chide after catching one of us slouching at the dinner table. “Strong posture dictates confidence and elegance.” We would sigh, roll our eyes and frustrate her further. One of us would usually make a stupid teenage comment like, “What do I need good posture for? Nobody cares.” Funny, as I write this commentary years later, I sit, head up, shoulders back, projecting the confidence through my words she deemed so important.

Physically, good posture exudes confidence, authority and a sense of being. I know this as I grew up in a short family – we were always trying to look taller. It is the same emotionally. Think of the last time an individual criticized or hurt your feelings. Your emotional posture probably matched your physical - defeated, exhausted and diminished. The natural tendency as you type at a keyboard is to slouch your shoulders and lean forward in a relaxed position. Great posture defies gravity and must be worked at to maintain.

The next time you are meeting a client or prospective resident, entering a conference or networking event, or even strolling down the concourse at an airport, stop first, make sure you are standing up straight, head up and shoulders back. Then say to yourself, “My emotional posture is strong and confident.” Watch what happens. Individuals will comment on your confidence. They will look to you for your opinion. They may even expect you to lead.

Mom was right. Posture is everything.

It's Your Choice

I had the pleasure of having lunch with a friend yesterday and being served by an individual that really knew her business. Through conversational banter, she determined what we had in common, (she grew up in Colorado and I live there), and intuitively knew that the lunch was not a hurried one, providing us “chat time”, while still checking back periodically. In short, her service was excellent and customized to our expectations. My friend and I commented our regard for her impressive service to her, and her response was, “Thank you. Unlike a lot of people that wait tables, this is something I choose to do. I really enjoy it.”

Is the job you have something you choose to do? If not, why not? Life is short. Do something you enjoy and are enthusiastic about. Success is driven through passion and commitment.

You choose.

A Supervisor’s Most Important Tool

During a recent sales program, I asked the group to identify a time when they were surprised and delighted with someone’s follow through. I assumed they would share customer service stories where they were made to feel special, or where a wrong had been made right. As usual with my audiences, they surprised me. The majority of people who shared, told stories in which their supervisors followed through with them, by either thanking them for service rendered, or publicly recognizing them throughout their region or company.

The power of a thank you is profound, valued and remembered, particularly when given by a senior team member. Commit this year to doubling your thank you efforts. The impact to your team will be significant.

Your mother was right...don't forget your thank you's.

LOL

This morning, after perusing my usual news sources including, but not limited to, The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today, and ingesting row after row of horrifying headlines, a sampling of which include, “New Home Sales Fall to Slowest Pace Since 1991”, “Fed Warns of NYC Subway Terror Plot” “, and “Melamine Traces Found in US Infant Formula”, I found myself with two options: I could run out my back door, sink to my knees and begin wailing and gnashing my teeth, or I could add a little humor to my daily news repertoire. I chose the latter, and chose to spend a few moments reading The Onion. www.theonion.com There’s nothing like a little satire and tongue in cheek humor to put things back into perspective. Recently headlines include “New Pain Inducing Advil Created For People Who Just Want to Feel Something, Anything”, and “Denny’s introduces ‘Just a Humongous Bucket of Eggs and Meat’”. I have added The Onion to my daily list of required reading and find my mood improving and my outlook sunny. Sometimes humor is the best medicine. Make sure you get your daily chuckle.

Keepin' on the Sunny Side

With all the glooming and dooming going on today, I think some optimism is in order. John Zogby, in "The Way We’ll Be – The Zogby Report on The Transformation of the American Dream" writes that Starbucks recently asked him to provide a quote for its “The Way I See It” series. He sent Starbucks the following quote:

"In three decades of polling, I‘ve found that while individuals make mistakes in judgment, America as a whole rarely does. A collective wisdom emerges from a poll or vote that is far greater than the sum of its parts."

Collectively, we will always do the right thing. I find that refreshing.