What Time Is Your Office Open???

Apples and Oranges.

Apples TO Oranges.

Two completely different “same” things erroneously compared to one another. For once, I understand this concept. Recently on a Discussion thread posted on the Multifamily Insiders website (www.multifamilyinsiders.com) someone wrote that he is better off keeping current RESIDENTS happy than taking care of the MAYBE ones. It really struck a nerve with me.

Obviously, to me, Residents are different from Prospective Residents and each has different needs and reasons for coming to the Leasing Office. I think it is important to take care of both. One is not more important than the other; however, those who are already living in my community already understand what we are about and how we can help them. For example, they may place work orders on line; they may pay rent on line; they may call and leave a message or send an email for all their questions and they can reasonably expect a response within fifteen minutes. Prospects visiting the property for the first time are our guests and deserve our time and attention when they arrive.

At issue was handling those Residents who arrive at your Office as the Office is being closed. Do you stop everything and take care of their needs? The discussion evolved into closing the Office at the end of the day so you can handle Resident issues, return phone calls, and “catch-up.” This is simply the worst way of providing customer care that I can think of in our industry.

Quite frankly, every apartment community caters to a certain demographic. There are properties whose residents are on limited incomes so this Office may deal with Project Based Section 8 renters, or the income restrictions of Section 42, or they may accept vouchers issued by the Housing Choice Voucher Program. There are properties with age designations where residents must be aged 55+ or disabled. One property may be oriented to those who are students attending a nearby university or college. There are others whose residents are made up of all people who happen to meet all the selection criteria and are qualified to live there (which could be anyone!)

My point is, people are different, with varying needs and schedules, and they deserve to have business hours that meet those needs. For properties who have vacant units to rent, does it make any sense at all to turn someone away who happens to arrive at 5:45 PM on a sunny June evening just because you want to close at 6:00 PM? For properties who handle several Recerts each month and an Open Waiting List to keep filled, does it make any sense to close your office during the hours that the bus system runs? People who have transportation limitations should not be told that you cannot extend your hours because your office is always closed on Saturdays or Wednesday or every day from 8:00AM - 11:00 AM to new Applicants.

I don’t feel taking care of my Current Residents is more important that helping new Prospective Residents. Companies should staff their properties according to the needs of the community they are serving. It is not an either or proposition.

Resident or Prospect? I just can’t imagine closing the door in someone’s face because your “time is done for the day.” I also cannot understand someone who has a conventional 200-unit property with eleven vacant units to fill, closing the Office between 4-6 PM to “catch up on paperwork.” Too many times, this is when people get off work to come and look for a new home. If you close every day at 4:00 PM, how mnay leases are you missing? Whose needs are you serving? Yours or thos of your Residents and Propsects?