inhouse #1 Dec-Feb 2017

In the Spotlight
10 Promises Every Property Manager
Should Make
Every property management team should have a list of best practice promises to
motivate high standards of customer experience says Amy Sanderson, Head of
Property Investment Management at LJ Hooker. These standards should be set
with a minimum delivery level that you as a customer would expect. Put yourself
in your customers’ shoes!.
Best Practice Considerations
When workshopping
your promises, consider
these areas:
Communication
This should be your number one
priority above all other things. Aim to
respond to all customers within a 24-
hour period. If we look at the cause
of complaints that agents receive, it
nearly always comes down to poor
communication.
24/7 Online Access
Property information, including
statements, ideally will be accessible
online. This offers customers
transparency, even if simply viewing
their transactions, it creates an
ongoing working relationship and in
the long-run less running about on
your end.
Inspections
Within the tenancy agreement,
we promise that we will conduct a
certain number of inspections within
a specifi ed period. When we do not
uphold our agency agreement, we
open the door to serious liability.
There have been cases where
compensation claims have been
upheld due to improper or infrequent
inspections in addition to back-pay of
agent fees.
Renewals
This is incredibly important in
particular to investor customers. Many
insurance policies are considered
void if the lease is not current, or on
a month-to-month basis. Renewals
must be forwarded to the owner in
good time and let them know about
possible insurance invalidation should
they not make a timely decision.
References
Aim to turnaround all tenant
references within one working day
of receipt. If you cannot get hold of
references and have left messages,
let your potential tenant know so that
they can also follow up on their end.
Leg work can be done by both parties
to ensure a house isn’t left empty and
costing the investor money.
What happens if you
don’t follow through?
Internally, there are many things you
can do to ensure that promises are
fulfi lled and appropriate action, if not.
Some agents may be able to offer
lower management fees, but instead,
you can offer them a guarantee. If
you do not return a customer’s phone
call within a 24-hour period, you can
manage their property for the next
three months free of charge. In order
to do this, you can pay your teams
incentives based on the activities that
they do well and debit them when
they do not.
Make these
promises to yourself!
Your offices’ best practice promises
should be made to investors and
tenants, but also to your team,
below are some promises to get
you started and remember you can
adapt to suit your marketplace
1 Treat clients, customers
and colleagues with
unconditional respect
2 Remain positive and
enthusiastic in everything
you undertake
3 Take personal pride in
everything that you do
4 Do what is best for your
clients and customers, not
what is best for you
5 Network with everyone you
meet; let people know what
we do
6 Share your knowledge and
success; we all grow and
learn from each other
7 Never compromise on ethics
or integrity
8 Never take family or friends for
granted for the sake of business
9 Enjoy life, family, friends, work
and make time to have fun
Remember: “Never make a promise you cannot keep”
10 Make dreams happen
Amy Sanderson has created an exhaustive list on how to go above and beyond as a property manager.
For more information, please visit hub.ljhooker.com/PIM/BusinessDevelopment/Pages/CX-Promises
24 inhouse. // issue #1