There’s a good chance that when you read the title of this blog post, you rolled your eyes or maybe even LOL’d a bit, wondering how it’s even possible to make time in your already jam-packed days.
We’ll get to that in a moment, but first we want to emphasize the importance of customer experience in property management. We’ve mentioned this statistic before, but it’s worth repeating because of the significant impact it has on your bottom line…
It’s 6-7 times more costly to attract a new customer than it is to retain an existing customer.(Source: Bain & Company). And the powerful Millennial generation of customers actively seek out and expect great experiences, especially when it comes to customer service.
As developers of property management software, of course we are going to suggest that you use a SaaS platform designed specifically for this industry, to streamline processes and automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks, freeing up the time needed to place more focus on Customer Experience.
Here are just some of the ways that a mobile-ready property management platform like INFO-Tracker™ can help your property managers and frontline staff to free up some time in their busy days:
Instant access to accurate real-time data
Having instant access to all information in a centralized database means that when a customer makes an inquiry, you have the answer right at your fingertips. No time is wasted searching for the information, or interrupting a colleague in another department and then waiting for their response. Even if the inquiry is not related to your specific job function, you still have access to the information and can provide a helpful response on the spot. Not only does this save a lot of time on your end, but it provides the customer with a great experience.
Send important communications en masse
Effortlessly send out messages to your owner and tenant communities en masse, via email and text messaging. Messages can be sent to all, or selected properties and owners or tenants/residents. While this is a great time-saving feature, even more time and cost savings can be realized with INFO-Tracker’s Report Writer. Report Writer allows you to prepare and send notices and letters in bulk, with the system automatically populating the required fields with real-time data, and either mass emailing or printing the documents with the click of one button — no mail merge required. Imagine the countless hours that can be saved, when your staff does not have to compose and send letters and notices one by one.
No redundant data entry
Contact information for customers and all subsequent data pertaining to each customer is entered one time only. The end-to-end connectivity of the system means that required data flows seamlessly from one process to the next and even from one department or physical office to another.
Integrated management portals
The INFO-Tracker™ OneLink™ suite of integrated property management portals provides customers and business partners with convenient self service tools, freeing up your staff’s time for other tasks, while providing yet another quick and painless experience for your customers.
Now that we’ve touched on some of the most impactful time-saving features of property management software, here are some ideas for what you and your staff can do with that time saved, to deliver an optimal customer experience.
Analyze data and reports
At first glance, analyzing data doesn’t sound too exciting. But the fact that INFO-Tracker™ automatically records and can instantly report on all communications, financial transactions and maintenance work orders, provides the opportunity to identify patterns and potential trouble spots, so that they can be proactively addressed to prevent any major issues and to improve customer experience.
Related Post: 7 Ways to Create Exceptional Customer Experiences in Property Management
Walk the property
Having a bit of free time on your hands provides the perfect opportunity to walk around your properties and experience things from your resident’s point of view. Park where they park, visit the bike locker or the fitness facilities and ride the elevator. When you put yourself in their shoes, you’ll have a much better idea of what needs to be done to improve their experiences.
Talk to people — yes people!
In this digital age, human interactions are fewer and further between, so when they do happen, people tend to really appreciate and remember those occasions. If customers come to visit the office, or if you run into residents while touring the property, take the time to start up a conversation, and ask them about their experiences and what could be done better. Even the simple act of asking their opinion will go a long way to creating feelings of connection and loyalty — which of course leads to higher retention rates and higher profit margins for your company.
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