Word-of-mouth advertising and online reviews are crucial for getting new investors and their property portfolios onto your books, and top-quality tenants into the properties you manage.
It’s important that landlords and tenants feel they are getting an attentive customer service experience that’s worth talking about.
To help achieve that, consider these effective strategies:
1. Thorough tenant screening
Property managers, like matchmakers, play a key role in determining whether a tenant is a good fit for a property and its owner, and must do what they can to smooth relations and interactions between their clients.
It all starts with tenant screening. A rigorous tenant screening process reduces the likelihood of payment or behavioral issues down the line, which helps you earn the trust of your clients – and stops them from leaving damaging reviews.
A thorough vetting approach will combine rental reference letters, credit scoring, and proof of income to create a full picture of tenant risk.
2. Regular and open communication
The simplest way to improve customer service in property management is to be transparent, dependable, and consistent in all your interactions with landlords and tenants.
Provide routine updates on rental income, maintenance and repairs, tenant issues, and any other relevant information. Quick and detailed responses to inquiries make clients feel heard and valued. Some of this, like client invoices and statements, can be automated – saving you more time to work on the tough cases.
Give clients multiple ways to contact you, as some may prefer phone calls or in-person meetings while others may like email or text. People will respond positively to a more personalised approach.
3. Streamlined and timely rent collection
An owner’s top priority is fast, hassle-free and reliable rent payments.
Consistently collecting and paying out rent on time demonstrates your efficiency and reliability. By developing solid payment processes and promptly addressing late payments, landlords will appreciate your efforts to maintain a steady cash flow.
And with the aid of an automated property management platform like PayProp, you can pay them more accurately and in a fraction of the time it takes to do it manually or with legacy software providers.
4. Efficient maintenance and repairs
Slow or incomplete maintenance can ruin your relationship with a tenant and make retention an uphill battle, while also degrading the landlord’s investment.
Tenant maintenance requests should be dealt with in a timely manner, while landlords must be kept informed about actions taken and associated costs from start to finish.
That’s where a maintenance hub comes in handy – with PayProp, you can keep track of tickets, coordinate repairs, and communicate progress with clients from one convenient dashboard.
Additionally, show clients you’re proactive with routine inspections and preventative maintenance, which can help preserve the property’s value and minimise service calls.
Tenants won’t always report small issues, but may still move out because of them, so preventative work can help keep them in your properties for longer too.
5. Market analysis and recommendations
As an expert on the local market, you’re the best person to advise your clients on how to maximise their rental income and property value.
Give them a leg up on the competition with insights and recommendations based on current market conditions, such as rental rate adjustments, property upgrades, or marketing strategies to attract the highest quality tenants.
Investors are results-driven, so they will appreciate a property manager who helps them grow their bottom line.
6. Go the extra mile
For property managers to have the best relationship with landlords and tenants, look for ways to exceed their expectations.
This could mean working out a payment plan with a tenant who is having trouble making ends meet, or helping a property owner look over their insurance policy to make sure they have the right kind of cover at the best price.
There are also small gestures like sending birthday cards, or the occasional appreciation gift such as flowers or a bottle of wine. Plus, asking for and acting on feedback shows an admirable commitment to growth.
Kindness in customer service paves the way for loyal, happy, and enduring relationships.
Happy clients, happy life
It goes without saying that property management businesses thrive when landlords and tenants are content.
When you follow the guidelines above, you will be able to provide top-notch customer service. Your clients – and cash flow – will thank you!
