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Reading Room Articles
For Service Techs and Housekeepers Your goal here is to adapt, modify or change around my ideas to suit your community, budget and residents. These ideas will help you increase your resident retention. Let's start with your service staff. We all know that these are the folks who see your residents more than we do. So it's vital they are prepared to handle customer service situations. While they are in our residents' homes, it's also important for them to emphasize to residents the convenience of apartment living. As we increase the perception of service, we decrease customer defection. Ideas You Can Implement Immediately "Just popped in" popcorn. This idea has been around for years which should give you a giant hint (it works!). Most property management catalogs have a "We just popped in to fix the problem" sticker on a bag of microwave popcorn. This idea is cheap - service techs leave the popcorn on the counter after a request has been completed. A management company in North Carolina actually received thank you notes from residents after starting this program. Welcome Cards Welcome cards from the service staff welcoming new residents (leave this on the counter with take out menus from local restaurants, so new residents can eat their first night). Critical: Signatures from the service team at the bottom of the cards - this starts the service aspect of your promise on a personalized note. Photo ID's Photo ID's for your service team can be cheaply made at Kinko's. This adds a level of professionalism to your service program. Baudville catalog also sells them (1-800-728-0888). Business Cards ...with Team Photos on them are the newest rage across the country. Leave these on the counter for new residents and after service with service completion forms. These are also a smooth leasing tool for prospects (how many of your competitors give out the service team's business card? None.). Remember, people make the difference with good customer service. It's easier to get mad at an organization, harder to complain about someone you have a personal relationship with. Instead of popcorn service techs are giving: -OUCH! Gum: "Ouch! Sorry about the inconvenience!" (from Kmart or Target) -Carefree Gum "Enjoy a carefree lifestyle." -100 Grand bars "You're worth a hundred grand to us." -movie rental coupons Referral cards for maintenance staff They leave a card on the counter after a request has been completed with: "We hope we've taken care of you request, let your friends know where you live!" Hotel-like cards that welcome residents -Critical: Real signatures from the service team Personalize Name Tags Put hometowns on everyone's name tags like in casinos and hotels. This gives residents and prospects a starting point for conversation. Loaner Closets ...are also popular. Let your residents check out: -A card table -tool box -vacuum cleaner -jumper cables -Fix a Flat -hide away bed -porta-crib -Sharper Image (800-344-4444) cigarette lighter car battery charger. www.sharperimage.com. This cigarette lighter car battery charger is extremely helpful, especially if you are worried about the liability associated with jumpstarting cars. Just plug the charger into your cigarette lighter and it charges your car battery. -Hotel bellman cart -U-Haul dolly. Move In Appointments Set up move in appointments with service techs and new residents. Service techs are there to assist with "learning" the apartment as well as troubleshoot any problems. Items include: -"run through" of appliances -garbage disposal restart button -how to work the A/C properly. Your service techs may balk at doing this saying it will take up too much time. Just remind them how many garbage disposals they reset each month - and if they teach residents how to do this it will cut down on calls. Move In How To Notes If you don't have service techs to walk through the new home, print Post It Notes on your own printer. Put the yellow stickies near the appliance: How To Set The Microwave Clock How To Reset This Disposal What Should NOT Go In This Disposal Set Thermostat By... Post It Notes printed from your computer: 800-330-3966 Desk Top Labels: 1-800-241-9730, www.desktoplabels.com. A New Twist To What We Already Do Like Jiffy Lube, put stickers on Smoke detectors and Air filters showing the last date of service. How residents will notice? Probably not many. But the ones who do will be impressed! Scented air filters are "in!" Warm Welcomes has vanilla and chocolate chip cookie scent (great for models) Call them at 1-800-882-8022 for a catalog. Save water week is May 7-14. this is a great excuse for you to check for dripping faucets and install water-saving devices in homes. You can designate a week a quarter as Save Water Week at your community for preventative maintenance. Record Service Requests Follow up cards for service requests. Danna ordered giant plastic records from Stumps catalog (1-800-348-5084) and left notes for residents saying, "Let us service you in 'record' time!" Service Teams Are Part Of The Marketing Team Invite service department to marketing meetings since they see our residents more than we do. We bet they'll have great service and amenity ideas for you. Also have a meeting so service techs can train inside staff on "how to write up a work order." This saves the office staff time and the residents frustration if the correct service was not performed right the first time. Renewals The days of "Dear Resident" renewal letters are long over. So why are we still sending them out (I just got one!). Personalize the letter and remember that residents expect us to "resell" the apartment to them. Highlight all improvements, new amenities and services in the letter. Here are some fun ways to deliver a lease renewal. Balloons "time to renew" balloons. -Leave on apartment doors inflated with helium -weight down with a bag of candy -and an unsigned lease! Don't MOOOOVE! The Container Store glass milk bottles Place a sticker with your community information "Please don't moooooooove! We want you to stay another year!" "It seems like it was just yesterday..." Take a picture of the new residents at move-in, keep it in their file, and send it with a card when it's time to renew Inexpensive gifts Sally Distributors 1-800-472-5597 Oriental Trading 1-800-228-2269 M&N International 1-800-479-2043 Burpee Seed Corporation-1-800-999-8552 Example: Forget-me-nots! Some Interesting Renewal Giveaways: Airline Miles for Renewals A community near Indianapolis decided to give residents an incentive to stay instead of a gift after renewing. They chose to give away frequent flyer miles on American Airlines. For American Airlines you purchase a package of miles and can distribute them to residents in whatever denomination you choose (5,000 costs $100). Two communities in Florida are doing this with Delta as incentives to LEASE. Obviously, pick the major airline near your town, call their reservations number and ask for their Incentive Miles Program. (American: 800- Birthday Chocolates This company also has renewal and thank you chocolates. Just fax a list to them each month and Birthday Chocolates will mail your residents chocolates in "thank you" wrapping paper. Birthday Chocolates also help with recapture residents - By accident a community in Wichita, Kansas sent a Birthday Chocolate to a lady who had moved out. Since the chocolates are mailed first class, the present was forwarded. Imagine receiving chocolate from the apartment community where you had just moved from! This resident was so touched that she moved back as soon as her lease was up. Birthday Chocolates: 1-800-867-4438. This Gift Means A Lot, Costs Little Reserved Parking for long-term residents is IN. If parking is a problem at your community, reserve spots for residents who have lived there for an extended period of time (five, ten, whatever years) to show your appreciation. This is free! Go Outside The Box With These Gifts White Noise Makers Sound Machines make white noise when you sleep. Managers are giving these to residents, especially if there is construction or noisy neighbors nearby. You can buy sound machines at drug stores, Sharper Image, or Hammacher Schlemmer. Cost: $10-$70. Paint A Room Offer to paint a room a color or add crown molding (usually under $100). Improving the apartment packages are also popular (clean the carpet, add a ceiling fan, etc.). Monthly Bills Some communities in California bill their residents each month. -increase in timely rent payments -include your own message to residents $200 referral "Our apartments are the largest in the area" "Make FREE photocopies in our business center!" Sell coupons (Domino's, renter's insurance, dry cleaners) in the bills to supplement postage. Send Anniversary Gifts To Residents At Work and increase referrals too. Managers across the country have sent these gifts to residents at work: -flowers -t-shirts -lunch or dinner for two -cookies/fudge -lottery tickets -singing telegrams -an ice cream truck Referrals Here are two ways to use cardboard people for your referral program. (Advanced Graphics, 925.432.2262). Star Trek Theme Beam Them In Scotty promotion. Put boot leg signs out front with "Beam Yourself In." Clint Eastwood "Make Our Day." "Go ahead and make my day... send us your referrals today!" This is great for existing residents and locators. Midnight Madness pajama party At a Midnight Madness Referral promotion in Houston, staff members dressed in pajamas and curlers, invited residents to the party and leased 32 apartments that night! Advance promotion is key as it will get residents and their friends to the party as well as build excitement. Consider invite the police since you'll be in the office until late. Check with your attorney before doing this one! Post Cards With Pictures At Labelspro.com you can order Avery post cards for $12.30. To add personality, take a snapshot of the property or your staff and make color copies at Kinkos. Put the photo on one side leaving the adhesive on the back. Peel and stick your photo onto your new marketing piece. Post Card Floor Plans Do the same thing as above with the Avery post cards only put your floor plans in black and white on front. Remember to include your property's name and address at the bottom. These can be used as change of address cards for residents (hey - they are now "direct mailing" their friends) or as follow up thank you cards. Assign Areas Assign each leasing consultant or team member his/her own building. They are responsible for those referrals and renewals. Glowing Reviews Write out your referral flyer and attach it to a glow in the dark rings (like at fairs and circuses). Hang them on residents' door knobs. You can even print your message with glow in the dark ink. Your community will be lit up! Cards can say: "We've gotten "glowing" reviews, refer your friends here!" Once activated, these will glow for up to 6 hours. Buy glow in the dark rings from M&N or the US Toys catalogs (see Resources Section). Develop a "most wanted" list. List your most wonderful residents. Pick up the phone and let them know how much you appreciate them. Ask them where can you find more residents just like them. Using The Internet For Resident Retention Some of the big management companies are installing Kiosks in leasing centers where residents can email service requests 24 hours a day. Okay, so maybe we all can't afford to do this - so make sure residents can notify you of service concerns in at least three ways: Phone, fax, email, pagers, drop boxes are examples. Looking to the future: Interactive Service Problems: Type in your problem and the computer will tell you steps to take to fix it. We also will have an Intranet system where we can contact residents and prospects by sending Ecollateral Esurveys Erenewals Enewsletters Eupdates/announcements Ecards Promote Local Events & Activities Selling a sense of community is extremely important - you know that since you subscribe to Rent & Retain. Make sure your newsletter includes local events and happenings. If an outside company designs your newsletter, ask the designers to surf these sites for your neighborhood's events. -zip2.com -family.com -yahoo.com -citysearch.com. Party Sites: Stumpsparty.com-prom catalog Theme ideas/party supplies Shindigsz.com Theme ideas/party supplies Everythingelementary.com Theplunge.com- set up a web page invitation site to announce community functions. Evite.com Mambo.com Seeuthere.com Event411.com Icelebrate.com Iprint.com CelebrateExpress.com on-line party store 1-888-551-3995 www.iparty.com Housewarming Gifts Danna and I surveyed welcome gift companies and found out the following. In our industry, the average cost for welcome gifts is $4-$5. In this price range, the most popular gifts were: Welcome Mats Arrival Kits/First Day Necessities (basics soap, toilet paper, kitchen detergent) Memo boards/note pads Snacks/sodas. The most common gift: Toilet Paper (yuk!). In five of my last seven moves I received toilet paper as part of my move in gift. During my seminars I tell people what a tacky "gift" this is. At least one manager jumps up and says, "But people always forget toilet paper when they move!." I totally agree. But is TP a gift? I think it should already be in the apartment. Welcome gift basket companies are constantly upgrading and updating their products. Call the companies below and ask for a copy of their newest catalogs. Warm Welcomes (800-882-8022) Welcome Home America (800-937-9424) Leasing Impressions (972-723-6199) Granny's Goodies (800-888-1636) Sassy Gift Baskets (1-800-523-8060) Great American Business Products (800-231-0329(. Unique Housewarming Gifts We Have Seen Or Heard About -Stocked refrigerator on move in day --milk, orange juice, eggs, bread, ice cream. Consider Kosher food, too. (Orange County, CA) -E-gift cards for residents - $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble (Arlington, VA/Chicago, IL) -FREE Computers bought in bulk (Houston, TX). -FREE Moving Vans (Seattle, WA) -Hoover vacuums (Phoenix, AZ) 800-757-7712 ext. 2822 -Blockbuster Video Cards in $5-$50 denominations (Chicago, IL) 888-313-2234. -KMart "Dollars" in $5-$50 denominations (Orange County, CA) 800-345-2497. -Temporary business cards and letterhead (Dallas, TX) -Reserved parking on move in day. (Denver, CO) -Home Depot welcome mats. About $5 each -Video Naturals which are videos of aquariums, the ocean, and a fireplace. Cost: about $10 each. These are also great conversation starters for models. 800-950-5545. -Magazine subscriptions like: Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion, Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart's Living -Decorating for Good: A Step-by-Step Guide to Rearranging What You Already Own book (Clarkson Potter $14) -GOLDFISH! A community in Corpus Christie, TX gave away live goldfish to complement their beach theme. -E-gift cards for residents ($25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble) (Arlington, VA/Chicago, IL) -Cookie pop bouquets (stick a popsicle stick into the cookies before baking, wrap in brightly-colored cellophane, tie with ribbon) (Nashua, NH) -Reserved parking on move in day. Just block off a parking space or two in front of the new resident's home. This avoids the chance of existing residents' cars being scratched. Anniversary Gifts Average cost: $7.99 $2.99 in Texas $3-$4 range Door hangers -gingerbread snacks or candles -renewal notes -Renew A Zoo -Renew A Note Doorhanger/notepad $7-$8 range Pasta Baskets Potpourri & Smelly Candles Help Residents Grow Roots ..by offering furniture discounts, adding phone lines, upgrading the apartment, letting residents pick a paint color, helping them convert their 2nd bedroom into home office, cleaning the carpet, ceiling fans, closet organizers, giving them a choice of removable wallpaper from home stores like Home Depot. Thank You Certificate -G.Neil catalog 1-800-999-9111 or Baudville 1-800-728-0888 has cute thank you certificates you can send to residents. Do this once a quarter. Gift Certificates Stored Value Marketing (svm.com) or Giftcertificates.com offers certificates for many major retailers. Check out these sites. Free E-Cards Send them a card via email from www.bluemountainart.com. Their anniversary cards are adorable and this service is free. Pets According the American Kennel Club, the most popular breeds registered in the United States in 1999 were: Consider your community and consider accepting larger dogs. Most popular dogs in the U.S. 1. Labrador Retrievers 2. Golden Retrievers 3. German Shepherd 4. Dachshund 5. Beagles Note that 3 of the 5 dogs weigh over 20 pounds. So, if you have a weight limit on dogs you are eliminating the majority of pet owners. Many managers are worried about the bigger dog, bigger waste problem. But there are ways to combat that as detailed in Rob Foellinger's article in the book Profit Potentials for Property Managers (888-2RETAIN). Welcome Gift Examples Photo tags have pets picture on them 214-720-9191/www.fototags.com Dandy Doggie gourmet biscuits 888-236-4568 Give Pet Health Insurance ($100-$200) Fresh Air Candles 800-364-6637 removes smoke/pet smells Pet Pantry Food Delivery delivers pet food to your door. To see if the service is available near you, call 775-782-6512. Dial A Vet 800-719-8916 Home Pet Shop-1-800-346-074 Great American Business Products has a cute sign that shows your community is pet friendly. Call 1-800-231-0329 for a sample. Web sites for pet owners thepetchannel.com cyberpet.com allpets.com acmepet.com purina.com pet-adoptions.com pets.behappy.com catscans.com Petopia.com-pet supplies on line. Parties & Services Pinball machines in club rooms Libraries Info-Seminars are in - tax, bookeeping, computer To Celebrate Memorial Day -give towels, suntan lotion, and magazines for free -send out the rubber duckie key chains from Oriental Trading Company (800- ) with a note saying, "Pool opens Memorial Day. Remember to pick up your pool pass by _______." Duckies are 20¢ each. Do this at least two weeks before Memorial Day and we guarantee you'll avoid at least some of the last minute crunch. Neighbor Day is May 21 -have a good neighbor contest May Is Career Apparel Month - Have a fashion show On Site Video Rentals Video Rental Services 800-475-5184 35% of residents used the first month (Dallas, TX) 8 residents used the first afternoon -- 2 were delinquent and paid their rents (Hurst, TX) Average community size: 259 units, 57% of residents use the service Prices start at $2 per tape Exercise and Spanish tapes Looking ahead: CD and DVD Rentals. Make your own CD ................. Grocery Store Ideas Triple Ice Cream scoop day - May 24th Toothpaste tube invented in 1892 on May 22nd Looking ahead: Leasing Consultants will ask prospects how they like their coffee -- half caf, skim, grande latte with a shot of hazelnut syrup! Cappucino Vending Machines: 800-575-1445, surf www.vending-machines.com. Pie-"please don't dessert us...renew today!" Kids/Families Buddy system Mothers day Etiquette week May 7-13 Waiting list increased 200% Girl Scout Troop in Kalamazoo, MI Merit Badges / senior residents -activities included: story telling, Halloween party, cookie selling, cleaning up the property, special buddies, letter writing, wrapping presents for the seniors May 18th is Call your relatives day. Personal Phone Cards Southwestern Bell has phone cards activated with 3-5 question survey. 800-363-7852 ext. 204. AT&T pre-paid phone cards: 800-443-3933. Subscribe to Family Fun Magazine -www.FamilyFun.com 800-289-4849 Floor Plans Coloring Books ... from Solitaire Creative in Houston, 713-465-225......, keep prospects' children busy and serve as a marketing tool once they leave your office. Or, make your own coloring books by copying on white paper and stapling the floor plans together. Make sure the name of your community, your phone number, address and directions are on the floor plans. More Activities For Little Ones The Right Start catalog: 1-800-Little-1 or 800-548-8531 McGruff Safety Council catalog: 1-800-288-3344. Newsletter Tips Newsletters are on Rent & Retain's What's Not Hot list for 2000. Why? Because most newsletters we see are at least one of the following: -boring -the same as your competitors' -treat residents like they are third graders with word searches, puzzles and information that is not interesting. If you have a good newsletter - keep it! Because: Photos increase readership by 200% A newsletter has a 400% higher readership than a brochure. On site 14 of 20 managers said newsletter more effective than brochure. California State University at Fullerton did a study for News Graphics And Found: 83% of residents read it in part 66% look forward to it 34% made a recipe 19% saved a recipe. Be Different Don't use the same newsletter company! I shopped four communities in Northern Virginia and three of the four used the same company. If I was a prospect who went home and laid out all of the marketing materials, I would be drawn to the newsletter that was not like the others. -Sassy Designs 888-397-2779 -Mike Lifestyles 800-305-0546 -News Graphics 949-951-0883. Calendars May Events Calendar from Rent & Retain Magazine. 1-888-2RETAIN. Moving Month Better Hearing Month Bike Barbeque Egg Hamburger Career Apparel Photo Salsa. Books to add to leasing library: 101 Ways to Make Training Active - Mel Silberman 2340 Sales, Marketing & Retention Tips - Mindy Williams (888-2RETAIN) Aha! 10 Ways to Free Your Creative Spirit and Find Your Great Ideas! Jordan Ayan ISBN#0-517-88400-3 Profit Potentials - Mindy Williams (888-2RETAIN) Creating Customer Connections-Jack Burke-ISBN # 1-56343-149-1. Includes customer service tear out forms. Custom Cameras 800-878-3456 Print your logo/picture on the outside of disposable cameras. Caption Cameras 818-772-4538 Prints your own message at the bottom of the picture when film is developed. Wholesale Cameras 800-488-2339 Cheap disposable cameras for $6 each. Since it's five to seven times more expensive to find a new resident than it is to keep your current ones AND each turn costs you close to $2,000 with rent loss, your resident retention program is a serious INVESTMENT. Implementing just a few of these ideas will help you increase your profit potential and make your residents happier. That means we all win! To reach Danna, call 281-596-8851 or email halschick@aolcom. To reach Mindy, call 888-2RETAIN (273-8246) or email info@rentandretain.com. 
To read more articles from this author please visit www.smmonline.com. The Sales & Marketing Magic Companies, shares more than 20 years of experience in multifamily housing, encompassing leasing, marketing, management, training, authoring, consulting, developing, and Brainstorming! For more information on Sales & Marketing Magic for Apartment Managers; the latest Tools & Forms Catalogue; The Annual Multifamily Housing Brainstorming Sessions™; or to receive top ideas, FREE, via e-mail, please call 727-784-9469 or visit www.SMMOnline.com.> |
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