This week’s tip comes from our Property Management Course: Induction Impact. This is where we explore fundamental customer service levels for Property Managers.
Your job as a Property Management Professional is to continually minimise the gap between your client’s expectation and experience. One way of doing this is to ensure you align with the Owners expectations from the get go. Communication is the key to your professional success.
Just remember that when a property is vacant… YOUR OWNER IS AT THEIR MOST VULNERABLE AND STRESSED!!
(watch the video below)
PLAY THE VIDEO ABOVE
Let’s take a look now at the key touch points in the Advertising stage….. This should give you a little bit of an idea how many times you should as a minimum keep in touch with your Owner.
1. Call the Owner as soon as you become aware that the current Tenant is going to be vacating.
- Match Owners Expectations with yours – Your focus should be on setting the Owners expectations around the current rental market and whether it is busy or slow time.
- Agree on a Rental Price – You should also be prepared to advise them on the current rental to be achieved. This can be verbal but can also be emailed to them formally as a CMA (Current Market Assessment).
- Seek Permission – Don’t just assume that they will want to continue renting out their property. It’s important to always ask them what they want to do i.e. what is their ideal length of lease do they want 6 months or is 12 a better option for that owner? Treat everyone as an individual and never try to generalise an Owners expectation. After all it is their property and we are simply there to provide a service based on their instructions.
- Special Requirements – Does the Owner have any special requirements in regarding to leasing their property i.e. gardening is included in the rent, professional photos need to be taken or perhaps the tenant must pay for the pool chemicals etc.
2. Confirm all of the above in writing to the Owner either in a letter or email
3. Send the Owner a congratulations email with a link to view when the property advertisement goes up on the internet.
4. Contact the Owner once every week if the property is advertised but not yet vacant. Discuss how many enquiries you’ve had, how many people have viewed the property and provide them with some feedback. This is your chance to manage the expectation and continue to adjust it accordingly.
5. Contact the Owner every 3 days if the property is vacant and not earning any income at all. The constant communication between you will allow the Owner to know you are taking care of them and doing you best at all times.
Please email us if you’d like to know more about our Property Management Courses or need any further assistance.