The mass exodus of college students living in
apartment communities across the country has begun. And of course, for
maintenance teams, this will become the busiest time of year for them as they
ready hundreds of “beds” for incoming new residents (and some returning from
summer break) in the fall. But for the Leasing Teams out there, it is a hectic,
stressful time.
In an effort to organize the move out process (to
which many student-residents call “checking out”) some Leasing Specialists try
many tactics to help alleviate the confusion. They send out mass emails to the
residents with detailed instructions on what is expected and
How-To-Turn-In-Your-Keys. They organize the files in order of unit for quick
retrieval so paperwork can be signed (that is IF the Move In Inspection report
was even completed and returned in the first place.) They create flyers and
post on doors the instructions for move out. They set up tables and clearly
outline those instructions yet a third time at those tables as to what the
student-resident should do.
And guess what? 98% of those student-residents will
completely ignore those emails, flyers and still fail to read the signs posted
at the move out tables. It’s human nature! Everyone who walks into a Leasing
Office EXPECTS human contact. I explained this recently to one person who was
lamenting the fact that everyone was coming to her and asking her what they
should do with their keys. She was exasperated.
I listened intently and watched as student-resident
after student-resident arrived at the Leasing Office. Because so many had
signed their leases electronically, paid their rent online and submitted
service requests online, they had no idea what the Leasing Office even looked
like. Until then. They had no idea what to do and looked like lost puppies with
a deer-in-headlights facial expressions.
One suggestion – do all that: send the detailed
email, post the flyers, set the tables up with clear instructions – and then GO
OUT AND ASK THEM IF THEY NEED ANY HELP. Of course they do! It doesn’t matter
how academically bright these Ivy Leaguers are, they still crave the human
interaction when it comes to The Process. Too many of them had received the
streamlined, ultra easy online application and lease signing at move in, and
now, at the move out, with no experience interacting with real people in the
Office, what an opportunity we have to gain their stamp of approval, the holy
grail of leasing – get a referral – when we simply get up and ask how we can
assist. Yes, though you may have given instructions, but isn’t it so much more
fun to TALK to the resident (and oftentimes, his or her parents) when they are
standing right there?
It sure beats getting a phone call, or hundreds of
phone calls, a day or so later from the resident or parent asking about the
return of the security deposit. Which is a whole other topic of conversation!
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