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.

The Ultimate Goal in Service

Just got my “fresh off the presses” copy of Richard Branson’s new book, Like a Virgin, and found myself yelling, “I concur!” so often, I just had to share.

Here’s a little segment from the chapter titled, “The Customer is Always Right...except when he’s wrong” -  

The key to providing great customer service is for your management team to recognize the true worth of your front-line staff, the most talented of whom are expert negotiators with deep understanding of interpersonal relationships. Make sure that they have the tools they need to exercise those skills-that they have the information they need and they can work with real autonomy to find fair resolution to the issues that come up. (No scripts!)  

Sir Richard then goes on to say,  

If your business proposition is innovative, your ultimate goal has to be, ‘The customer always thinks that we are right.’

Wow. Read that last line again.

Translated, hire smart people that have a talent for communication and negotiation, and then give them the tools and autonomy to do the job they know they can do.

Teach communication skills, but don’t give them verbatim what to say.

Finally, and most profound, listen very carefully to what the consumer says they want, then take it up a notch and give them something just a little different and better. That’s how to deliver true anticipatory service.

What do you think?

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

Beat the Clock

I read with interest an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning concerning people’s perceived wait times in the retail environment. It seems guru Paco Underhill timed shoppers in line with a stopwatch to determine how real wait times compared with how long shoppers felt they had waited.

Up to about two to three minutes, the perception of the wait was pretty accurate, but after three minutes, the perceived wait time multiplied with each passing minute. In other words, if a person actually waited 5 minutes, their perception was they had waited 10. Interesting.

Though we technically don’t make people wait in line, many times, they do have to wait. Based on this research, the longer they wait, the even greater time they will have perceived they waited. Heck, I have witnessed clients not even be greeted in 3 minutes.

What’s a savvy leasing professional to do?

First, understand that while lease paperwork needs to be finished, every second you spend focusing on that, rather than the customer waiting in the lobby, negatively impacts perception.

The paperwork will wait. You are paid to converse with people and lease apartments. Get to it.

Second, reality dictates no matter how good you are, sometimes people will have to wait. Provide something for them to do. Show a movie in your clubhouse, have current newspapers and periodicals available, (make sure there is something for every interest), and give your clients an indication of exactly how long the wait will be. Make it their choice by making them feel comfortable, but also offering an alternative appointment time. They will let you know which they prefer. Offer a beverage, or better yet, provide a Starbucks card and send them off for coffee, assuring you will be ready for them when they get back.

Most important, (this one is for managers and bookkeepers and individuals that do not perceive themselves as leasing professionals), never ever ever pass off a client with the, “The leasing professional is out right now, have a seat and she will be with you in a moment” line. When is the last time you were OK with being “passed off”. The people in front of you are most important and there isn’t a faster way to turn somebody off than to throw that line at them and return to your desk to do the really important work.

Three minutes. After that, the perceived wait doubles with every minute. Don’t make them wait.

Back Up the Train

I'm back. No excuses, just an explanation. Basically, I had nothing to say that I felt mattered. And my cardinal rule is...no crap. So, I didn't write for almost 2 months. Nothing at all. I found it refreshing. Then, today, I found something that needed to be said.

As is my routine, I was reading my Brains on Fire blog, (best blog ever), and came across Eric Dodd's post that essentially took all the concepts going on in my head and summarized them in less than 55 words -

It was a good reminder that there are an increasing number of amazing tools at our disposal, and an increased responsibility for us to learn to use them, but that tools will never fully replace sitting down with a customer and asking them how your company can make a positive difference in their life.

Exactly. It's time to back up the train, people. Have we become so enamored with the tools and the toys, (and the process, rather than the outcome), that we've forgotten the impact of simply talking to a resident, face-to-face?

Let me tell you, our people working on site with the residents haven't. But they feel obligated to the process, and that is impacting the outcome.

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.

Can You Dig It?

Since three in four Americans show an interest in gardening today, it seems fitting to build a community garden for resident's personal and gastric enjoyment. Before you say, "Lori, we love this idea, but simply don't have the space to create a garden area - guess we'll have to pass.," consider these really cool and innovative products that will allow your residents to garden to their heart's content…in any kind of environment.

If you don't have the space, but the residents have patios, or you have common areas that could use a little flower power, Urban Garden offers a pocket garden system made from recycled bottles for $29.99! It makes a perfect move in gift for the gardener, and imagine how these could beautify common area spaces! If your budget is tight, there's a 2-pocket flower box for $15.99. Both are lightweight and fold for easy storage.

For that ugly old wall you just don't know what to do with, Plants On Walls living wall kit will allow you to create gardens where you never thought possible. A 32' by 51' wall kit starts at $528, and can be rearranged as the mood fits.

If character is your calling, Springwise reported this week on a spiral tube shaped device called the Whirligro. So chic, and so unique! The Whirligro can be used in gardens, on balconies, decking, flatroofs or anywhere. The plants grow in compost/soil in durable growing tubes. Love it!



So, there you go - get your gardening gloves on and get busy.
Anybody doing interesting things with you community gardening efforts? Don't hesitate to share.

Give an Old Sales Question a New Twist

Sometimes it’s good to shake up old norms and try something new.

“Where else have you looked?” or “Where are you planning on looking?” are questions commonly utilized as a means of determining which communities a client may be comparing ours to. They're good questions that will provide important insight...if apartments are all the client is considering. A better one might be, “What other options are you considering?”

Iconoculture reports on a post in Economist’s Outlook this week the share of adults under 35 living at home with Mom and Dad, especially among those age 25-34, is at the highest level since 1981, (a very long time ago - I know), at over 30%. The historical average is under 28%.

Since there are over 70 million young adults age 18 to 34 living in the US, that means somewhere around 21 million young people are living at home. Who knows how many more are considering the option, as it becomes more and more socially acceptable to do so, even into one’s 30‘s.

Think about it - options might include Mom and Dad’s basement, moving in with a girlfriend, or staying put. If you are competing with Mom and Dad’s basement, low rent and home cooking, you’ll want to build value in your community by highlighting the freedom and independence your client will enjoy.

For those that are already there, it seems likely that Junior may be getting tired of living in the basement, and even likelier that Mom and Dad may be getting tired of Junior. Maybe not, but the lifestyle benefits renting offers to both Junior, (and Mom and Dad), might be just the ticket.

On the flip-side, if your demographic is primarily 18 to 34, understand that this option is one your residents may be considering rather than renewing their lease. As it becomes increasingly socially acceptable to return to the nest for an extended period of time, and generally cost effective to do so, you may essentially find yourself competing with Mom and Dad’s basement for the renewal. Increased focus on freedom and the lifestyle opportunities renting offers will be critical to keeping this demographic.

Before selling (or reselling) anything, find out who you are really competing with - what other options are being considered?

Easy Adaptions to Aging-in-Place

I just finished reading an article in USA Today on aging-in-place remodels for boomers that are getting to be “the age” where a few modifications can be a big assistance to staying put in the golden years, and have to say, when I saw the list of most popular aging-in-pace updates, compiled by our friends at NAHB, I thought, “Some of these are an absolute no-brainer, they’re so easy to implement.”

A percentage of projects remodelers have done in the last year to be able to age-in-place: (For a complete aging-in-place checklist, click here.)

Grab bars 78%
Higher toilets 71%
Wider doorways 57%
Added lighting/task lighting 45%
Non-slip flooring 20%
Easy to read thermostats 13%

They’ve got the numbers, stability and spending power...make a few easy adaptions to meet their needs and you’ll uncovered a unique marketing niche, or you may discover you keep a resident you otherwise might have lost.

Involving Residents In Your Worth Cause

Many companies contribute to charitable causes and the greater good, and some (wisely) share their philanthropic endeavors with their clients. But why stop there?

In The Buying Brain, Secrets for Selling to the Subconscious Mind, (yes I did like this book as this is my second post referencing it ), Dr. A.K. Pradeep notes that coupons that include an act of charity can produce a significant rise in Purchase Intent and self worth. In one study, consumers were asked to choose one of four deserving causes to receive a percentage of what they spent. This simple gesture resulted in a huge increase in emotional engagement and higher Deep Subconscious response scores for words relating to the “pleasure” or “satisfaction” associated with the shopping experience.

Contributing to charitable causes in a way that includes residents is an easily adaptable concept at the on-site level. For example, perhaps a community selects three charities, (since the business is multifamily, possibilities might include Habitat for Humanity, a local homeless or transitional shelter and other causes that relate to housing or “get back on your feet” support - make sure to run your selections by HR), and determines a percentage of the first month of resident’s rent that will be donated to the selected charity. When the resident renews their lease, (or signs the initial lease), they are asked to select which organization they would like the money to go to - they get to control it. If they say, “None - can you just reduce my rent?” (which they most likely won’t if presented effectively), you can politely decline and re-emphasize that the rent is the rent, however XYZ Apartments is committed to donating a percentage of that rent to a charitable organization that helps those less fortunate and we let our residents choose which of the three charities they would like it contributed to.

A program like this is broad enough to encompass point of initial sale and resale (renewal) strategies. Community charitable donations might be tracked on the website, Facebook page, clubhouse visuals, etc. Even better, expand the program and provide opportunities for residents to volunteer at these causes. The possibilities are endless...and all good.

What does your company or community do for the greater good? Do you let your residents know? Do you involve them in the process?

Run, Run Retention!

Need an easy resident retention idea? Create a Saturday morning runner’s club for the kids. The school in our neighborhood hosts a before school runner’s club three days a week in preparation for a local Fitness Festival, which the kids may or may not participate in. Mostly, the idea is to encourage fitness by running a quarter mile track and receiving medallions for every lap they cover. They proudly wear the medallions and compare who’s got more, etc. The runner’s club is hugely popular and has been featured on local news channels. I would venture to say that over 125 people participated this morning alone. What a great opportunity to develop and encourage community.

Here’s how to do it at your community;

First, tell the kids it’s coming. Build it up. Create a special newsletter insert about healthy choices just for them. Do a countdown sign at the school bus stop. Make sure they see it and can get excited about it.

Get a goal. Let the kids know they are training for something bigger, perhaps a 5K or local fitness event. Or, you might elect to throw a party at the end for those who participate.

Display progress. Cheap trinkets that the kids can wear (in our case rubber feet charms on a 24 inch chain - go to Oriental Trading Company for ideas ) will create a sense of belonging and competitiveness. If you have enough money, give each participant plastic or aluminum water bottles featuring your community logo.

Research mileage trackers like Map My Run and mark off 1/4 mile markers at your community. This can be in an open area, or you can measure by distance around and through your property. Just make sure you define a full lap so the kids know how far they have gone. Make sure somebody is at the mile marker to physically track progress.

Get some parents involved. You will need the help. A good avenue would be to approach parents that regularly utilize your fitness facility, since they understand the importance of lifelong fitness.

Tell the kids to invite their friends to join them (and get some outreach marketing done in the process).

Create a large visual for your office or clubhouse to show the community’s progress.

Make sure to do “Don’t forget - Runner’s Club starts this Saturday” door hangers or reminders and let the parents know they don’t have to just stand on the sidelines - they can participate too. After the first, keep sending out reminders about the Saturday Runner’s Club. Let the kids know they are welcome at any time. Let the parents know they can run (or walk) too.

If your program generates a large crowd, let the press know and encourage them to do a story.

If the program is very successful, consider adding a mid-week late afternoon option.

Run the training program for approximately 2 months. If you are electing to do a 5K at the end, don’t forget the marketing! T shirts displaying your logo and a catchy tag line will get noticed (and help you keep track of everyone).

There are a myriad of different avenues a program like this can head. The most important thing is to get up, get going and get busy!

Are You The Real Deal?

While vacationing recently in Wisconsin's Northwoods, we headed out on our annual trek to dine in one of the area's infamous "supper clubs". For those unfamiliar to just what exactly a "supper club" is, let me clarify. A supper club serves supper. And cocktails. And usually sports a sign at the entrance reminiscent of an early 60's motif, that many times features a martini. On Fridays, a fish fry is served. I couldn't wait.

We decided on a place called "The Red Man". Not much to look at, but the parking lot was full. Always a good sign on a Friday night. The inside wasn't real chic either, but it was full of people. Tables were free of cloth, and of the kind you drag out when you have extended family arrive for Thanksgiving. Each place setting featured a paper place mat and a large plastic bowl. The hostess took our names, and said, "OK. It's going to be about 30 minutes. I want you to get a drink and go out on the back patio and I will come get you when your table is ready." So. we did what she said.

After 25 minutes, the hostess stuck her head out the door and said, "Come on, your table is ready!" and we were seated. The bread came with the customary breadsticks and horseradish cheese. Delicious. Then came the salad. We could barely lift it. Bounty at its best.



A definite Red Man signature. The whole meal was fabulous. Our waitress Terri, was attentive, in charge, and kept the food coming.

My husband looked at me and said, "The place isn't much to look at, but it sure is the real deal." And it was.

So other than fond vacation memories, what's the point?
Here's the thing - The Red Man didn't have an outstanding entrance, lovely interior appointments or even cloth linens. Yet, the place was packed and our impression was positive. The Red Man visually under-promised and then over-delivered. It's like that one community in your neighborhood that you can't quite figure out. Not real glamourous, no over the top amenities, but everything is clean, friendly, and they're always full and raising rents. Simplistic, honest and committed to delivering the way the residents like it. The real deal.

If your community is an under-performer in the looks department, find a way to wow (What's your signature salad?) and focus on delivering consistently and excellently.

That's More Like It!

I received another survey this morning, from Trendwatching, that is far more my style than the one I blogged about last week. (see below)

This survey was simple, easy and allowed me to provide some honest feedback, all with a simple email response.

Dear Lori,

We hope you enjoyed our latest briefing on MASS MINGLING. As we’re gearing up to bring you even more content and services this September, this is an excellent time to let us know what else you’d want from us.

To keep things simple, just reply to this email, answering the following:

1. What do you like about our monthly Trend Briefings? And what could we do better? [your answer]


2. What (if anything) would make you want to try our Premium Service? 
[your answer]


3. What other content / services would you be interested in? Trend Seminars? Company presentations? Consulting? Networking? Anything goes!
[your answer]

Thank you so much, we’ll do our utmost best to incorporate your suggestions,

Warmest,

Tim Pitts
Subscriber & Client Services
 trendwatching.com

You want my feedback? Just ask for it. What’s at the top of my mind regarding your service or product is most likely what is important for you to hear.

Quit Trying to Exceed and Just Make It Easy.

I read an illuminating piece in the Harvard Business Review today that promotes a new perspective in approaching customer service. The article, Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers, written by Matthew Dixon, Nicholas Freeman and Karen Toman, examines the impact on organizations and their customers when the emphasis is placed on over-the-top service. What they found is surprising.

The research, (conducted on more than 75,000 people), found that telling employees to provide over-the-top service generally produces little more than a state of confusion, and it doesn’t build customer loyalty. In addition, there is little correlation between satisfaction and loyalty. We tend to buy from a company because it delivers quality products, great value or a compelling brand. We leave, more often than not, because it fails to deliver on customer service. So, while customer service can do little to increase loyalty, it can do a great deal to undermine it. Customers are four times more likely to leave a service interaction disloyal than loyal.

When it comes to service, companies create loyal customers primarily by helping them solve their problems quickly and easily.
For example,

Don’t just resolve the issue, head off the next. For example, simply providing an in-person apartment “tutorial” (i.e. how to shut off the water, reset the garbage disposal, etc) can head off future calls.
Arm your people to address the emotional side of customer interactions. Are your front line people trained in interpersonal communication skills? (This includes maintenance - they get more “face time” than anybody else.) Are they aware of words that can trigger negative reactions, (can’t, won’t, policy), and how to turn negative statements into positive? For example, instead of, “I can’t fix your garbage disposal - I need to order a part.”, say, “This challenge is repairable, and we will be able to get the part needed by Thursday and repair it that same day.” Remember, it’s not so much what is said, as how it is said.
Use feedback from unhappy residents to reduce customer effort. In addition to working with the resident to solve the challenge, collect feedback that informs service improvements. Use the feedback to streamline and create ease of use.
In a self-serve world, is your website cutting it? Spend as much time making your website intuitive and functional as you do pretty. How easy is it to use your website and get what you need from a resident’s perspective? If they get stuck, is it easy to get help?
Empower your team to deliver a low-effort experience. Innovative companies have stopped measuring outdated metrics based on productivity and evaluate on the basis of short, direct customer interviews with customers, essentially asking them if the service they received met their needs. Others are evaluating, not based on call time, but on how many repeat calls are received.

Finally, the research revealed although most companies believe that customers overwhelmingly prefer live phone service to self-service, that customers are, in fact, indifferent. (This could be a result of frustration with past interactions, in my opinion). This is an important paradigm shift and innovative companies will build their organizations around self-service, with reducing customer effort at its core.

My opinion? While I love over-the-top service interactions, this concept is a far more concrete, tangible, consistent and teachable approach to delivering service excellence and provides a very easy barometer by which to gauge policy and effectiveness. It’s the little things that matter. How easy are you to do business with? How easy is it for a resident to get a request or complaint handled ? Teach your people to make it easy, base policy on ease of use, and loyalty will result.

Keep It Short

I received a request to complete a survey today regarding my experience for a one night hotel visit earlier this month. It was the second request I received, and I figured since they asked twice, I would go ahead and complete it. When I clicked the link, I was informed the survey would take me from 7 to 10 minutes to complete. I clicked back off.

If you want feedback, keep it short, and in context with the experience. I don’t have time to spend a quarter of an hour, or a coffee break, or the time it takes me to write this blog, to complete a survey regarding a one night visit. Now, if the survey took 3, or even 5 minutes or less to complete, or I was offered something in return for my time, I would have happily complied.

Keep it simple. Ask relevant questions that provide insight, and most of all, respect your customer's time by keeping it short.

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.

Sales Guy Extraordinaire Strikes Again

For the masses that regularly read my posts, you’ll remember that I have dubbed my dad Sales Guy Extraordinaire, and once again, he has lived up to the expectation.

During a recent visit, Dad took a phone call from a woman he later explained was a former customer who had purchased carpet some years back, when he worked for a company that was no longer in business. Seems the woman had a problem with her carpet, didn’t know who to talk to about it, so tracked Dad down and called him. He told her he would stop by and take a look.

Wha-wha-what? Really? Dad didn’t own the former company, and he most likely couldn’t provide much more than a little guidance and direction. Likely, the carpet would not need to be replaced. so his visit wouldn’t generate a sale. He could easily have referred her to another specialist, or explained that he couldn’t really help her. But that’s not what a sales guy extraordinaire would do, and that’s not what Dad did. When I asked him why, he looked a little sheepish and tried to play it down, saying, “She’s an older woman, and it will only take a few minutes to take a look. If I can help her out, that will be enough.”

When is the last time you simply helped somebody out, no strings attached? If you have a client and have nothing to lease, do you simply wave them off with a, “You might want to try down the street”, or do you make the call yourself, and get involved in the solution, rather than dismissing the problem? You know what Sales Guy Extraordinaire would do. He would get busy and actively find an answer.

The best salespeople are in it, not just for the money, but for the people they can help. By assisting in finding the solution, they build trust and referrals, and go home every day confident they have made a difference. Zig Ziglar used to say, “Help enough people get what they want, and you’ll get everything you want.”

That’s being extraordinary.

The Last Impression is Lasting...Part 2

In a recent blog post, The Last Impression is Lasting, I wrote about paying closer attention to the last impressions we make with our residents and clients. The post generated some great discussion, and numerous individuals asked me to provide some suggestions to enhance the all-important last impression.

The key is to think of everything we do to create a first impression, give it a spin, and make it the last.

For example, to create a great last and lasting impression for the resident that moves out:

In the business world, when long term employees leave, the team sometimes throws a party and gets the employee a small remembrance gift. Think along these lines for your departing residents. Try doing something special during their last week of residency. Have a pizza or cupcakes delivered to their apartment with a “We’re going to miss you!” message.

Offer 30 minutes of maintenance time for move out week, rather than move in.

Make sure the last impression they have of your community is not a bill. If the resident is sent a bill, make sure to follow up with a personal note after it is sent. It should never be a surprise when people owe money, so do everything in your power to be proactive in this regard.

Three months after the resident moves on, drop them a line to let them know you miss them and would love to have them back. This is about the time people have decided they are going to move, or they are OK with their new community. If they decide to move...well...they loved you once, why not again? You’ll never know unless you ask.

Try sending a sincere letter from the CEO, thanking them for the time they spent at XYZ community, and mentioning the company portfolio and the commitment to excellence the company employs. Just remember, a letter from the CEO cannot be a form letter, or appear to be trying to sell something. To be successful, make it about them, not about you.

Creating a positive last and lasting impression generates referrals and the kind of goodwill that is not easy to come by. Who knows - you might just get a few of those residents back!

Feel free to share your favorite last impression techniques here.

Do the Customer Math

Jeanne Bliss, author of I Love You More Than My Dog, (one of my new favorites), blogged this week about getting the CEO’s attention by working with your CFO and the customer database keeper to create a simple way to look at the flow of customers in and out of your company. She calls it the customer math:

Net Customers = Incoming Customers - Outgoing Customers

Jeanne recommends having every big meeting start with doing the math and discussing the reasons for why your customer asset is growing or shrinking as a way to start managing the asset that is the business of the business.

In other words, if you’re like me - a touchy feely, highly creative type, start presenting what you know to company leaders in their language to help demonstrate the significance of service to success, as well as create an easy formula to inspire relevant conversation and maintain focus among team members.

I like it because anybody can remember it. I would love to hear other formulas if you have them. Share here.

Are You Invisible?

The time and effort individuals are spending on sites like Apartmentratings.com detailing their experience, (most of which involves trashing the community and management staff in explicit detail) is appalling, and threatens the integrity of the site.

Yet, on almost every on every page I review, the only people talking are the disgruntled residents, (or family members of disgruntled residents), and occasionally a prospective resident whose observation of the horrific commentary has spurred them to speak on the lack of useable information provided, and proclaim the residents a bunch of whiny babies. The result is a whole lot of screaming and trash-talking and very little relevant information. The resident spends an hour creating an in-depth dissertation on why they hate the community they live at, then proclaims it to the world, and the management company says nothing. They are completely invisible and therefore not part of any conversation. Why not? Why are we ignoring these sites? They’re not going away, and they certainly aren’t doing the consumer any good given their current scope. In fact, they are turning the consumer off all together by making our industry appear pretty pathetic.

What’s a savvy property manager to do?

Reality Bites.
Perception is 99% reality, and the disgruntled resident has an outlet to proclaim their reality. Instead of being defensive, try to look at it from the resident’s perspective. Why are they so mad? Why are they willing to spend extensive time and energy proclaiming how incompetent you are?
It’s simple - some don’t feel heard, and some don’t like what they heard. If they don’t feel heard, why not? Is communication breakdown at your community commonplace? Do residents ever feel like they have been left “hanging” ? If they received an answer they did not want to hear, how was it delivered? Are residents expecting a level of service that is impossible to deliver, given variables at the community? Why do so many refer to the office staff as “rude and uncaring?” Take a hard look at your operation and the way you deliver. Where is the missing link causing the negative perception? Even if most of it is slander, try to find the real issue that is sometimes lurking below the surface. Stay away from being defensive, and acknowledge that they have a right to their feelings, exaggerated as you might believe them to be.

Say It To My Face
Gossip, rumors, did you ever notice the most outlandish claims against someone usually develop when they are not there to defend themselves? It’s easy to talk about somebody behind their back. But say it to their face...now that is another story. If residents that vent on these sites know you are there and present are they as likely to be as vicious? Probably not, and they may think twice before making broad, exaggerated statements. You are not there to call them out, but you are there, and they know it because you regularly respond, acknowledge their feelings and work to find solutions.

Who’s the Bigger Person?
When an individual trashes you and your integrity, your first reaction might be to get the boxing gloves on, yell “Oh no you did not!” and run at them swinging. Not a good idea as you have just stooped to their level. It will make you feel better for a moment until they punch back and suddenly all you have accomplished is your own version of a VH1 reality show. Lots of clawing, screaming and finger pointing and in the end, you lose. A better move would be to acknowledge the commentary, i.e.
“I am sorry you have had parking issues and can understand your frustration at not being able to find a parking space. As you have posted anonymously, I don’t know where your apartment is, and in order to best help you, may I contact you off line at your convenience? Or, if you prefer, we are open every day from 9 until 6 pm and our phone number is .......... . We will do whatever we can to help you.”
Stay calm, cool and collected and be the bigger person.

No Sniping When There is Nowhere to Hide
One of the attractions to individuals hell-bent on destroying you is that the review sites offer the cover of anonymity. They can say whatever they want, because nobody knows who they are. Until the FTC develops rules on testimonials and disclosure to force individuals to clarify who’s behind the recommendation or conversation sans ambiguity, your goal will be to draw the Sniper out of cover.
“I understand your frustration over the water leak that forced us to strip your floor bare of carpet and leave you like that for 8 days, and have reviewed all of my service requests in an attempt to determine who you are and why we would have erred this enormously, but I have not found any record of such action. We definitely want to speak to you about this and get it solved. Please contact us at your earliest convenience at.............”
Your writing should contain a neutral tone and an innocent look. Your goal is simply to understand and help.

At this point, you may receive additional sniper fire. Again, simply seek to understand, and suggest a civil future.
“Again, I understand your frustration and promise to hear you out one-on-one. Please contact us at your earliest convenience.”

What this says to others viewing the site, is “Maybe this person is a lunatic. The management company seems to be trying to work with them. Hmmm.”

Educate and Communicate
Many of the “complainers” at these sites seem to have an unrealistic expectation regarding apartment life. Complaints regarding noise, crime and the behavior of others can stem from a misunderstanding regarding expectations. If you have, for example, a parking issue at your community, teach the leasing team to define the expectation without damaging the benefit. Try something like this -
“How is the parking?”
“For this building, parking during the day will most likely not ever be a challenge. One of the wonderful things about this apartment is that it has a fabulous golf course view. That means there is only parking on one side of the building, limiting close-in access. You may find in the evening hours you may need to park in the lot one building over. I know a view is important to you - are you willing to make the accommodation for the peace, quiet and environment or should we consider other options where more parking is available?”

Teach your people to share the benefit in not having parking close-by. There are many scenarios that might be played out on this topic alone, dependent on community, amenities, etc.. Find what is good and build on that, rather than skirting the issue or making broad statements that don’t answer the question like this:
“There is one space designated for every apartment and you probably won’t have any issues, but it is first-come, first-serve. There is additional parking in front of the clubhouse if you should ever need it.”

Sharing in this regard requires a high degree of emotional intelligence and extensive training, but the time investment will be worth the reward.

Make sure your leasing professionals clearly understand and can explain the lease and the expectation regarding it. There is nothing wrong with stating, “Since this is a legal document between you and XYZ Apartments, we both have obligations to fulfilling it. Let’s review them. “

Explain the consequences for lease break, etc. I used to give my clients a brief quiz at the end, by saying, “OK, time for a lease quiz. If you decide to give notice at the end of your lease, what do you need to do? Why is it important to have renter’s insurance?” etc. Every good teacher knows to reinforce learning. Don’t assume they understand. Make sure they do.

Don’t spend all your time at these sites, but stop being invisible. Focus most of your attention on defining the expectation and treating your residents really, really well. Remember that the complainers, justified or not, are the minority. Let the happy people know they can go there and comment when they have a positive experience. Get a stamp that says, “Pleased with the service, pleased with us? Let the world know at apartmentratings.com.” Focus on service, consistency in delivery and communication training. Understand that while you want everything to be perfect, sometimes it just isn’t. We will not be able to live up to every expectation. Don’t beat yourself up, but be accountable for service delivery. Watch your scores rise.