Multifamily Management: If I Knew Then What I Know Now, Part Eight

March 8th, 2010

We asked the attendees of the Multifamily Brainstorming Sessions(tm) to complete the sentence “If only I knew then what I know now…,” and the wisdom and insight that they had to offer was simply amazing. Here is some of what they had to share!

I wish I’d known to educate myself better with multifamily courses (RAM, etc.).

I wish I’d known not to take the derogative statements made by residents to heart. On quite a few occasions in my first years in property management, I allowed this to set me back and to affect my feelings towards management.

I wish I’d known that employees who work for me usually know the answer to their problems and only need a little nudge to get them going. Asking what is the problem and what are our options is usually enough. Also confront your difficult situations no matter how hard. Don’t wait - be proactive.

Before you set out to tell people what you have, wait until you find out what they need.
I wish I’d understood the importance, value, and ease of PR. Public relations allow a company to inform a market about new offerings, special promotions, strategic alliances, etc. at no cost. Other benefits come from networking with publications and learning what’s hot now. With those relationships, you and gain even more momentum behind your PR message (good placement, positive slant, interviews, etc.) PR is a great way to communicate to a market for almost no cost and to strongly position your company within an industry.

Remember when everyone said “Don’t feel like any question is stupid - just ask it!” Well, it’s true! If you feel uncomfortable, then ask someone afterward… but I have learned more from asking questions and probing people than any other way. Knowledge is power - the more you know, the more powerful you’ll become.

I wish I’d known the importance of responding to people and problems in a timely manner. Never put these tow things on hold; but rather address them immediately. Doing otherwise will cause you to irritate residents, lose Residents, disenchant associates, and inadvertently allow problems to spiral out of control. It is human nature to procrastinate or put off unpleasant situations and to avoid hard-to-deal-with people. DON’T! Bite the bullet and respond ASAP. Make this a habit and you’ll be miles ahead of those who take forever to return calls, shy away from fires that need to be put out, and skirt nasty issues that, unfortunately, need to be resolved.

I wish I’d known that there was a group like this one with professionals like myself, doing my job, experiencing the same challenges that are willing and anxious to network and share ideas!!! I wish I’d known not to be afraid to ask my peers for help, ideas, and learn from their experiences. We really don’t ever create anything new - we borrow, embellish, implement and track.

I wish I’d known to learn your unique skills and attributes… then use them. Gain experience that makes you more valuable. And finally, enjoy the journey.

I wish I’d known not to be afraid to be aggressive in raising rents. As long as the market calls for increases, you are confident of your product and it’s easy to raise rents. Sometimes you have to be the first to raise rents - take the lead and your competitors will follow.

I wish I’d known the importance of including staff in solving problems and giving each one pride of responsibility and coming up with better ways to do things. One thing my assistant shared with me is she appreciates having the opportunity to think of a way to do something. When she asks me what to do on an issue, I respond “how would you do it?” and make her solve it herself - with my backup - whereas in my younger years, I would have handled it myself. It was harder to let go of responsibility with my Maintenance Supervisor, but he feels important when I let him watch his own budget for maintenance supplies and tell me how he wants to spend the money. Make your staff feel important and don’t take all the glory!
I wish I’d known that it is very important to be a coach with every staff member. Never assume that they were taught the correct way. Remember to be patient.

I wish I’d known that there is always room to learn. Absorb information from the different people you meet, places you go, and the variety of experience you will compile through the daily life of property management.

I wish I’d known some key words to use to better resolve conflicts rather than draw a line and stand firm on policy or law - words like “reasonable” and “maybe we can…” and “possibly”. Look to resolve issues quickly and fairly without prejudice.

I wish I’d known how important and crucial walking the property weekly and networking with other area managers was. So many times you tend to get too involved in the office and never get out. It can literally be months before you get out - and you really miss out on what’s happening. My advice - get out of the office!

I wish I’d known that the true professional will always be poised, even in the most turbulent situations. Never lose your cool or let your personal feelings enter into a career.

(Editor’s Note: The entries below were transcribed directly from contributors’ handwritten notes. In the interest of best preserving the spirit and full intent of each message, only the most necessary changes have been made to the original content. Grammar and sentence construction have not been corrected. Please bear in mind that in this instance substance is far more important than form, and that nobody’s perfect!)

Tags: Apartment Employee Performance, Apartment Management, Apartment Marketing, Multifamily Management
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Fast Track Your Multifamily Management Career

March 2nd, 2010

By Cynthiann King, C. King Unlimited Education Services

The best way to get onto the fast track in our industry is to MANAGE YOUR OWN CAREER. No one can take as good care of your career as you can. No one has the same interest in your success as you do! Try these proven techniques to managing your career effectively:

(1) Know Your Position Description.
Read or create a written description of your position and its responsibilities. Understand the expectations through discussion with your supervisor and team members. Note what you do well and areas needing improvement or education. Determine which areas will boost your career. Create, write and discuss your new professional goals with people who can get and keep you accountable to these.

(2) Secure Mentors or Coaches.
Most fulltime professionals are too busy today to commit to coaching you weekly. If you approach several potential mentors and secure each person for one hour a week, you will benefit from a variety of talented individuals with a consistent flow of ideas, resources and recommendations. Know and nurture these supporters.

(3) Keep a Record of your Successes.
Designate and use a journal to regularly document your small and significant successes. Use this journal to accentuate your positive outcomes. Review your accomplishments and write new goals to challenge yourself. Use your journal when communicating with mentors and supervisors to acquire suitable recognition and secure additional direction.

(4) Develop the Look of Success. Image matters. Review your wardrobe, tools, posture, demeanor, communication skills, and overall image. Upgrade yourself to the next level. Attend a Toast Masters meeting to enhance your speaking skills. Paste a sincere look of interest and a smile on your face – even if you have to fake it to (eventually) make it.

(5) Develop a Professional Network. Take advantage of the network opportunities that exist in our industry: Attend an association meeting, serve on a committee, present a report, participate on a panel, secure and/or introduce a speaker, invite others to attend an event, attend an education conference, volunteer at a charity event, interact on a live CallSource webinar or teleclass, join a live chat on Gracehill.com, pose a question to experts at www.smmonline.com, submit an idea for an issue of Rent and Retain, and organize and meet with a sharing group of professionals.

(6) Become an Expert. Are you a Winner or a Whiner? What do you do when faced with a challenge? Detail its parameters and concerns. Visualize the challenge as resolved. Consider potential resources. Become an expert on the subject so you can pose plausible solutions. Present your solutions verbally and or in writing so others can benefit from your new expertise. Get recognized as a responsible, conscientious, creative team player. Be someone on whom others can really count!

By implementing these strategies you will garner favorable attention, earn deserved respect – and probably a promotion!

About the author: Cynthiann King is President of C. King Unlimited, national Speaker and degreed educator. She provides an array of innovative training seminars and services for multifamily firms and associations. Available for seminars, conferences, curriculum development and policies’ manuals, contact her at (847) 487-8791 or e-mail: cynthiann@ameritech.net.

Tags: Apartment Employee Performance, Apartment Mentors, Apartment Training, Multifamily Management
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Multifamily: If I Knew Then What I Know Now, Part Seven

February 26th, 2010

I wish I’d known the level of strategic planning it takes to market and monitor a Resident.
I wish I’d known that I would be in this business when I great up, so that I would have paid more attention to my grandparents when they managed apartments. I guess it’s in my blood.

I wish I’d known to never be afraid to state your ideas in a group of people - it could turn out to be a winner.

I wish I’d known the importance of networking with others in the industry sooner. Sharing ideas, thoughts, and problems with your peers results in better performance.

I wish I’d known how to follow-up on my assignments to others. I found out that we often have others control whether we succeed or not. If we think that others will complete this assignment in a timely basis.

I wish I’d known ways to be more comfortable in presenting myself and my property to as many different prospect personality types as I have subsequently worked with.

I wish I’d known to try to have fun along the way.

I wish I’d known the opportunities available in our industry. The growth and things you learn being in this business. It is truly incredible how big the property management industry is and the people you meet.
I wish I’d known that short 5-10 minute staff chats each morning stating weekly and daily goals would keep enthusiasm and motivation sparked in all staff members.

I wish I’d known the stress level of prospective residents when they walk in the door. As a Leasing Professional, stay aware of this and be considerate, polite, and sensitive while you go through your sales tour.

I wish I’d known how to deal with all the different behavior styles - by knowing you get a better understanding of how to treat others.

I wish I’d known that establishing yourself as a well respected and trustworthy professional should be viewed as your long time goals to achieve success. Maintaining a high level of integrity in this industry is an ongoing process. You should always base the decisions you make on how it will affect long term success.

I wish I’d known how exciting this business is because this would have been my first career choice.

I wish I’d known how difficult it was to get accepted as a marketing director by supervisors or property managers.

I wish I’d known that everything that happens in the course of a day does not require your immediate attention. Not everything is a crisis. Pace yourself and the amount of energy you spend on any given situation.

I wish I’d known to understand what the owner’s needs are and what goals are important to that owner. Property management requires operating the property in a consistent manner to which the ownership goals are.

I wish I’d known that every single day is full of “choices”. The most important choices that you have to make, or will make each day, revolve around being a positive person by making the choice at the start of every day to keep a smile on your face. You will generate that positive attitude from your fellow CO-workers and employees.

I wish I’d known that everything is negotiable! An asking price or list price is not necessarily the price to pay! Understand the product or service completely and have a grasp of the “market” value. Always do your homework prior to discussing the product or service and know how much demand it’s in. With your “homework” done, you’re sure to have the edge. Additionally, know how to read people to get the most out of what you’re trying to achieve.

Know what your product is inside and out. If you don’t feel comfortable with questions that might be asked, it gives you an overwhelming feeling and bad habits emerge to overcome your sense of being uncomfortable. Know all objections and learn to overcome them professionally!

I wish I’d known it’s okay to be different. New ideas are the lifeblood of our business. Your own unique personality is an asset to your company. Always shine! You never know whose attention you may gain. It can move you up the ladder of success. I know - it happened to me!

Tags: Apartment Employee Performance, Apartment Management, Apartment Training
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12 Biggest Mistakes Salespeople Make

February 16th, 2010

12 Biggest Mistakes Salespeople Make in Their Presentations

By Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE

Salespeople are incredible. Like Hollywood actors, whenever they open their mouths, they are putting themselves and their company on the line, taking a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome. Just like actors, even the best, most experienced salesperson can use some coaching and polishing now and then.

Here are the 12 most common mistakes salespeople make and how to avoid them.

1. UNCLEAR THINKING. If you can’t describe the objective of your interaction in one sentence, you may be guilty of fuzzy focus, trying to say too much at once. You’ll confuse your listener, and that doesn’t make the sale. Decide exactly what you want and need to accomplish in this contact.
What would be a positive outcome? For example, imagine that a busy executive says, “You have exactly ten minutes of my time to tell me what you want me to know about your company. In one sentence, tell me how I should describe your benefits when I talk to my managers tomorrow.” At any stage of the sales process, you should know in advance why you are interacting, what benefits you are offering your prospect or client, and what you’d like the next step to be.

2. NO CLEAR STRUCTURE. Make it easy for your prospect to follow what you are saying, whether in a casual conversation or a formal presentation of information and ideas. They’ll remember it better–and you will too.
Otherwise, you may forget to make a key point. If you waffle or ramble, you lose your listeners. Even for a conversation, mentally outline your objectives. What key “Points of Wisdom” do you want the prospect to remember? How will you illustrate each point? What phrases or slogans do you want to guarantee they will repeat afterwards? You speak to be remembered and repeated.

3. TALKING TOO MUCH. Salespeople often talk too much about themselves and their service or product. They make a speech rather than having an exchange or interaction, otherwise known as conversation. The key to connecting with a client is conversation; the secret of client conversation is to ask questions; the quality of client information received depends on the quality of the questions–and waiting for, and listening to, the answers! In fact, a successful encounter early in the sales process should probably be mostly open-ended questions, the kind that require essay answers rather than just “yes” and “no.” And don’t rush on with preprogrammed questions that pay no attention to the answer you’ve just received. Learn to listen, even pausing to wait for further comments. Silence draws people out.

4. NO MEMORABLE STORIES. People rarely remember your exact words. Instead, they remember the mental images your words inspire. Support your key points with vivid, relevant stories. Help them “make the movie” in their minds by using memorable characters, exciting situations, intriguing dialogue, suspense, and humor. Telling stories of satisfied clients and painting a picture of how this client’s condition will be improved with your product or service are appropriate.

5. NO THIRD-PERSON ENDORSEMENTS. There’s a limit to how many bold claims you can make about your company and product results, but there is no limit to the words of praise you can put in the mouths of your delighted clients.
Use case histories of your clients’ success stories about the benefits they received from your service or product. When you are using their actual dialogue, you can say much more glowing things about yourself and your company than you could if the words were your own. Your endorsement stories should use the same ingredients as a good Hollywood movie: create memorable characters, use vivid dialogue, and provide a dramatic lesson learned.

6. NO EMOTIONAL CONNECTION. The most powerful communication combines both intellectual and emotional connections. Intellectual means appealing to educated self-interest with data and reasoned arguments. Emotion comes from engaging the listeners’ imaginations, involving them in your illustrative stories by frequent use of the word “you” and from answering their unspoken question, “What’s in this for me?” Obviously, a customer is going to justify doing business with you for specific analytical reasons. What gives you the edge is creating an emotional connection too. Build this emotional connection by using stories with characters that they can relate to and by providing a high You/I ratio, using the word “you” as often as possible and talking from their point of view.

7. WRONG LEVEL OF ABSTRACTION. Are you providing the big picture and generalities when your listeners are hungry for details, facts, and specific how-to’s? Or are you drowning them in data when they need to position themselves with an overview and find out why they should care? Get on the same wavelength with your prospects. For first contacts with executives, describe what your company can do for them in broad generalities. With middle managers, discuss exactly how you can work together, a medium level of abstraction. If you are dealing with IT professionals, use the lowest level of abstraction, lots of facts and figures.

8. NO PAUSES. Few sales presentations have enough pauses. Good music and good communication both contain changes of pace, pauses, and full rests.
This is when listeners think about important points you’ve just made. If you rush on at full speed to crowd in as much information as possible, chances are you’ve left your prospects back at the station. Give them enough time to ask a question or even time to think over what has been said. Pauses allow pondering and understanding.

9. IRRITATING NON-WORDS. Hmm–ah–er–you know what I mean–. One presenter I heard began each new thought with “Now!” as he scanned his notes to figure out what came next. This might be okay occasionally, but not every 30 seconds. Practice in front of your sales manager or colleagues and give them permission to call out whenever you hem or ah. Or video or audio record yourself, and note any digressions.

10. STEPPING ON THE PUNCH-WORD. The most important word in a sentence is the punch-word. Usually, this is the final word: “Take my wife–PLEASE.” But if you drop your voice or add, “Right?” or “See?” or “You know?” or “Okay?,”
you’ve killed the impact of your message. Another popular punch-line killer is the word “today.” Avoid saying, “Let’s look at the recommendations we have for you today.” Obviously, you’re talking “today.” The punch word in this sentence should be “recommendations.”

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld says, “I’ll spend an hour reducing an eight-word sentence to five words because the joke will be funnier.” Salespeople can do the same thing with their key phrases because their presentations will be more powerful.

11. NOT HAVING A STRONG OPENING AND CLOSING. Engage your audience immediately with a powerful, relevant opening that includes them. For example, “You have an awesome responsibility.” Then fill in what it is:
increasing sales, reducing errors, cutting overhead, whatever your product can help your prospect do. Another excellent strategy is to do some research. Then you can say, “Congratulations on your company’s recent success,” and describe it. Or “I love your new commercials.” Most salespeople start by talking about their company. Talk about your prospect instead.

12. MISUSING TECHNOLOGY. Too many salespeople rely heavily on their PowerPoint and flip charts and do not ever make an emotional connection.
Technology is usually much more exciting to the person who created it than the person who is watching or listening to it. PowerPoint presentations tend to be wholly informational and don’t connect emotionally to the audience. Make technology a support, not a crutch.

When you learn to avoid these 12 common traps, you’re on your way to being a “star” of the sales world, ready to accept an award for your dazzling performance.

About the Author
Patricia Fripp is an executive speech coach, sales presentation trainer, and keynote speaker on change, customer service, promoting business, and communication skills. She works with companies large and small, and individuals from the C-Suite to the work floor. She builds leaders, transforms sales teams and delights audiences. She is the author of Get What You Want!, Make It, So You Don’t Have to Fake It!, and Past-President of the National Speakers Association. To learn more about having Patricia do her magic for you, contact her at www.Fripp.com, (415) 753-6556, or PFripp@ix.netcom.com.

Tags: sales mistakes
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No Plan is a Plan to Fail!

February 4th, 2010

Not having a game plan is the first step to not making your business a success in 2010.
In the beginning of the year gyms are busy with all the new members with the same “old” resolutions to get into shape this year. If a business leader wants to have a successful 2010 then they can’t treat their business plan like a New Year’s resolution- that is the same old broken promise a person makes year after year; instead they must treat the business plan like a championship coach treats his game plan. A business leader must be more committed than those people that go to the gym every day starting January 3rd but by February 1st need a GPS system to find it. All great sports coaches have a game plan prior to starting a game. Business is the same way; think of the New Year’s ball dropping in New York as the whistle that lets us know the game has started. Don’t wait for the government to tell you if 2010 will be a good or bad year. Create a game plan that will make sure 2010 is a great year for you and your team.

Creating Your Game Plan
In 2010, don’t write a business plan; rather create a “game plan”. To really make it work a leader must do more than change the name but should understand the difference. A business plan is something that a company would give the bank to get a loan, or what a company may use to determine the financials. A game plan is something that tells a leader or a person the what, the how, the when and the why of achieving particular goals. A game plan is all about taking control of the business and how to ensure that others will not affect the business negatively.
Step 1. Write it Down. The first step in creating the game plan is simple, and yet it is what most people reading this will never get to-write it down. If your game plan is in your head that is not a plan rather that is a thought. Thoughts have no business value until you write them down. Writing a game plan does three things for us; creates thought process, creates confidence and creates action-results.
Step 2. Stop and Think. When a professional creates a game plan they are forced to look at their desired results and stop to really focus on what activities are required to achieve their set goals. Just the focus and thought it takes to create a real game plan is beneficial and helpful. It creates an environment to review what has worked, what hasn’t, what is working for others, and so forth. In addition when a person creates a game plan they become more confident in themselves and therefore become more motivated to take action. A real workable game plan is more than a nice three ring binder that a person looks at once a year and puts on the book shelf for the next 11 months to collect dust.
Step 3. Be Logical. When a leader creates their game plan, the plan should not be a dream that a person or team cannot achieve, however, it should be a stretch from the ‘norm’. Many business consultants and leaders will say to make a plan realistic and that is a sure fire way to limit one’s success. Realistic is not a good metric to measure by because it is limited by the past and provides excuses. For example a sales manager will say, “The sales people are only making 10 calls a day and it is unrealistic for them to increase it to 50 times per day immediately”. Or maybe since John the sales person has never exceeded x amount of sales then it is not realistic for him to do so. The activity and goals need to be logical not realistic. Logical takes out lack of human discipline and desire. A game plan should force a person or team to always believe they can be number 1. Logical says, “Someone has to be number 1, why not me?” Stop being realistic-start be logical and don’t let your past limit your future; let your present create a momentous future!

Implementing Your Game Plan
Although creating the plan is imperative to getting started, it is the just the beginning, a hint for success: you also have to implement what you write down.
Step 1: Define Expectations. Have every supervisor give all direct reports their expectations starting with what time to be at work, ready to start, to what they will do to coach and develop their team. Even the top leaders that have a proven success record need to do this. The higher the pay grade the more important the expectations. Show your commitment as a leader by providing the template for defining expectations to your team. The game plan is what a person creates that will become their playbook on how they will exceed their leader’s expectations. A good plan will show a person where they are now, where they want to be in the next 3 to 12 months and most importantly how will get there.
Step2: Work the plan. All leaders must inspect what they expect. I believe it was the great Ronald Reagan that said, “trust but verify”. A great way to keep business plans front of mind for everyone is to make each person present their game every quarter in front of their peers and superiors. This will allow for the entire team to hold each other accountable and not just the direct leader. A true game plan is worked and adjusted regularly. Having a game plan takes a team beyond a person telling their boss or leader what they want to hear; rather it takes them to making the plan their own.
Step 3: Stay Committed. So many companies have the best ideas and intentions, but often fall short of keeping a successful coaching program running. Watch out for the “Power of New” profit taker. ‘The Power of New’ can be described as an organization or team that is excited about new programs, changes, or a new game plan, but after a few months, this “new” stuff starts to look suspiciously like work and the “fun-ness” wears off. A great leader knows that working on the business is the only way to motivate everybody to keep working in the business.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nathan Jamail, president of the Jamail Development Group and author of “The Sales Leaders Playbook,” is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur and corporate coach. As a former Executive Director for Sprint, and business owner of several small businesses, Nathan travels the country helping individuals and organizations achieve maximum success. His clients include US Army Reserves, Nationwide Insurance, Metro PCS, State Farm Insurance, Century 21, Jackson National Insurance Company and ThyssenKrupp Elevators. To book Nathan, visit www.NathanJamail.com or contact 972-377-0030

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12 Ways To Increase Performance During Soft Markets & Shrinking Budgets

February 2nd, 2010

With soft markets and shrinking budgets, the focus on retaining Residents and saving money is at an all-time high. Since our Service Team members are the key to achieving this goal, here’s 12 ways to make it happen!

1. Why most people don’t perform as expected: My basic premise is that 98% of all Employees REALLY WANT to do a good job (when you find you have hired one of the other 2%, arrange a transfer for them to the unemployment department). The people who want to do a good job thrive on training, knowing what is expected of them, receiving positive feedback, getting effective leadership, and being compensated appropriately. So, when someone isn’t performing, here’s where to look:

A. They don’t know what you want them to do: We must make certain that we are CLEARLY communicating what we want done; we also have to communicate our performance expectations so our Employees know what is expected of them.

B. They know what you want them to do, and they don’t know how to do it. Training is the answer here - just because someone has experience doesn’t mean they are TRAINED. It is our responsibility to make certain we train our staff in how we do things HERE.

C. They know what to do, they know how to do it and they think you don’t care whether or not they do it! Make certain that you acknowledge ALL performance, good and not so good. For the good stuff, thank them SPECIFICALLY, and in front of as many of their team members as possible. For the not so good stuff, you should be even more specific, and do it in private, behind closed doors.

EXAMPLE: Just saying, “Thanks – you’re doing a great job” doesn’t really say anything, does it? What behavior are you trying to reinforce? Be SPECIFIC – saying, “Hey Doug, thanks for handling that broken disposal in Mrs. Smiths’ apartment today. I’m sure she was very pleased that you got there so quickly!” tells Doug that you appreciate promptness – so, if Doug is one of the 98% that want to do a good job, he will now know that promptness is something you value!

2. Keeping the faith: Yes, times are tough, some policies are dumb and some supervisors probably should be prohibited by law from ever interacting with another human being for the rest of their lives – AND, none of that gives us permission to join the whiners. A good leader keeps the faith, no matter what the circumstances, and is a source of inspiration to their team. If things are SO BAD where you work that you can’t keep the faith, then you can’t keep the job – move on!

3. T/T/T (Train/Transfer/Terminate): As I said above, most people don’t perform because they lack training – so, TRAIN THEM! If they are still not performing up to expectations once you’re certain that they’re fully trained, then maybe a transfer to another job or another property is necessary. I’ve had incredibly talented people who were ineffective Managers and became brilliant Assistant Managers. And, since every property has its own personality, we need to match our Employees to our property profile. Finally, if someone is trained and is in the right job/at the right property and STILL isn’t performing, FIRE THEM!! Sure, I know how hard it is to find competent people and I’ve made more than my share of “Well, someone is better then being short-staffed” mistakes, and, every time I’ve done that I’ve been bitten right in the butt! The non-performers will drive away the performers, since the performers will get angry and resentful that the non-performer is able to do less and still get paid.

4. They don’t know what you want them to do, Part 2: Who is taking service requests in your office? Probably the Leasing Professionals, right? Great, so what training have they gotten in writing a clear, concise and complete service request? Have you sent them out with the Service Team for a day, observing and getting some hands-on maintenance experience? One of the MOST frustrating things for a Service Tech is to get a service request that doesn’t clearly identify the problem, so the Service Tech can bring the right tools and parts with them and handle the problem on the first visit. How motivating do you think it is for the Service Tech to have to go back to the shop for tools and parts 10 times a day, and then get questioned by the Manager about why they ONLY completed 10 service requests that day?

5. They don’t know what you want them to do, Part 3: OK, pop quiz time – Who has the MOST CONTACT with our Residents? The Service Team, right? So, how much CUSTOMER SERVICE training do your Service Techs receive? Our Service Techs spend most of their day in Resident apartments, so what are we doing to improve their communication skills? We train them to handle a broken compressor; do we train them to handle angry Residents? Enough said on this one!

6. Give the gift of time, Part 1: Want to get all of your service requests completed on the same day you receive them? Well, either hire more people or receive less service requests! Since most of us can’t afford to hire more Service Techs, let’s reduce the number of service requests! How? By thoroughly training our Residents, AT MOVE-IN, about how to work everything in the apartment. “Disposal jammed? No problem, here’s how to fix it.” “It’s 120 degrees outside and your HVAC will only cool your apartment to 82 degrees? No sweat (well . . .), let me explain the laws of physics to you.” Walk the Residents through their new apartment home and show them where everything is and how everything works – it will definitely cut down on your Service requests.

7. Give the gift of time, Part 2: Anyone who has ever been “on-call” for the weekend knows it’s no fun! Your pager might as well be plugged into the wall, because you can’t go far, right? Well, why not schedule a Service Tech to work Tuesday – Saturday or Wednesday – Sunday? How about having someone work 12:00 noon – 8:00 PM two days a week? After all, our Residents seem to be home when we are closed, so why not be open and turn overtime into regular time?

8. YOU CAN’T MANAGE WHAT YOU DON’T MEASURE: What’s the deal with annual reviews? I can’t even remember what I had for lunch last Tuesday, yet I’m supposed to sit down with you and review 365 days of your performance? GET REAL! At a minimum, review each of your Service Team members monthly: schedule a 15 – 30 minute meeting, and review where they are, where they need to be, and what they can do to improve. Sure, we need to have an annual review for salary; however annual reviews will not help improve performance tomorrow (unless the review was yesterday!)

9. YOU CAN’T MOTIVATE ANYONE BUT YOU: Look at the “typical” motivation programs in place today – bonuses, contests, ETC – are these REALLY motivation or are we just creating a new generation of Pavlov’s dogs? TRUE motivation comes from WITHIN – we want to do a great job for US, not YOU! The only way to TRULY motivate someone is to create an environment where people feel appreciated, valuable, informed and an integral part of the overall success of the property and company. How do we create that environment? By HONESTLY and OPENLY sharing our vision, showing how everyone is vital to achieving the overall goals, and communicating frequently about where we are, where we need to be, and what we need to do to get there. Your Service Team’s performance will dramatically increase when they EXPERIENCE how important they are in making the goals real.

10. Give the gift of time, Part 3 – PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE: Here’s another way to reduce the number of service requests you receive – maintain the physical plant so stuff doesn’t break. According to Mel Schneider, CAMT, an effective preventive maintenance program can reduce service requests by as much as 80%! As the old saying goes, “You can pay me now or pay me later – you’ll have to pay at some point”. If you’ve cut back on preventive maintenance because of staffing or budget, you’re just kidding yourself. You’ll spend more time and money (and create more frustration for your Service Team, who know that the extra time and money could have been avoided) fixing it WHEN it breaks, than taking care of it BEFORE it breaks.

11. ELIMINATE THE “LITTLE” FRUSTRATIONS: Frustration negatively impacts performance, so let’s look for stuff that creates frustration and eliminate it. How about not having an adequate inventory, so you have to stop in the middle of a service request and drive to Home Depot or Ace Hardware - 3 or 4 times a day? Or as I mentioned earlier, getting to an apartment and discovering that the service request is incomplete or incorrect, so that you have to go back to the shop to get the right tools or parts? Or not having a two-way radio, so that the people in the office page you when you are wedged underneath the kitchen sink and you have to wiggle out and call them back because your pager went off? How about meeting up with a Resident who was promised something by someone in the office – and that someone in the office never told YOU what they promised the Resident? C’mon, let’s deal with this stuff so our Service Team can SHINE!

12. PEOPLE DON’T LEAVE THEIR COMPANY; THEY LEAVE THEIR BOSS: Read almost any survey about turnover, and you will learn that the number one reason that people leave is THEIR IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR! How can we even think about improving the performance of our Service Team when we’re spending time replacing Team members? Here’s the bottom line: Would YOU enjoy working for YOU? Yes, enjoy – we spend the better part of our waking hours at work, and if we don’t enjoy what we’re doing and who we’re doing it with, eventually we’ll make a move.

Doug Chasick, CPM®, CAPS, CAS, Adv. RAM, CLP, SLE, CDEI
Certified Synchronous Learning Expert
Certified Distance Education Instructor
Licensed Real Estate Broker: Florida & Georgia
Licensed Fair Housing Expert Instructor: Virginia

Senior VP, Multifamily Professional Services CallSource
(888) 222-1214 Toll-free
dchasick@callsource.com
www.Twitter.com/Aptdoctor
www.LinkedIn.com/in/DougChasick

Tags: Add new tag, Apartment Employee Performance, Apartment Management, Apartment Operations, Apartment Training
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Multifamily If I Knew Then What I Know Now, Part Six

January 30th, 2010

Part Six: We asked the attendees of the Multifamily Brainstorming Sessions(tm) to complete the sentence “If only I knew then what I know now…,” and the wisdom and insight that they had to offer was simply amazing. Here is some of what they had to share!

I wish I’d known that an angry Resident is not upset at me personally. Most dissatisfied Residents tend to direct their displeasure at the person who happens to listen to their problem. Do not let their frustration and anger become yours.

I wish I’d known that no matter what your product, service, or occupation is in the multifamily industry, it is and will always be about people.

I wish I’d known to pay more attention to the needs of our Residents. It doesn’t really matter what you want - what matters is your Resident.
I wish I’d known that in the course of planning a new development that it is very important to bring in a highly skilled professional to help coordinate the entire process.

I wish I’d known not to be afraid of trying new “out there” ideas because of fear of embarrassment or being told no.

I wish I’d known having a positive attitude wears off on all employees for better performance and service throughout your communities.

I wish I’d known that everyone does things differently — you can’t control it.

I wish I’d known the value of a mentor and the attitude that everything will work out so just enjoy it and stop stressing.

I wish I’d known the endless struggle associated with quality employees in such a large industry. Training and marketing areas of this business are an absolute must. Sending unqualified team members who are not coached and trained properly will cost you money!

I wish I’d known that my ideas are as valuable as anyone’s.

I wish I’d known to surround yourself with people (CO-workers, boss, staff who work for you) whom you can learn something from. When hiring, it is especially important to hire those who have talents that do exceed or potentially will exceed your own. Always strive to place yourself in the company of talent and true visionaries. Ego and need for control and power will only limit, if not extinguish your career.

I wish I’d known about the 1-800 number for leasing. All leasing advertisers should have a 1-800 number. People love to make a FREE call, especially from outside your area. You would be surprised how far out newspapers reach, along with rental publications, and your 1-800 phone bill will track where the phone calls come from. If your property has a 1-800 number and others don’t, who do you think prospects will call first?

I wish I’d known the importance of getting support and input form all levels of the organization prior to implementing major projects. Just because the president buys off and gives the go ahead doesn’t mean everyone else buys off. Gather input and suggestions from middle management, on-site employees, etc. and follow up and continue to communicate progress with results.

I wish I’d known that people are often not as well intentioned as I am. When delegating, never assume that because someone agrees to do an assignment, it will get done. Positive, encouraging and non-confrontational follow-up along the way is crucial to seeing a project through to completion.
I wish I’d known that the resident isn’t always right. Although most of their concerns are valid and need to be addressed, they are not always right. Listen, listen, listen and then show the appropriate concern, sometimes they just want you to listen.

I wish I’d known how exciting and progressively moving a career in property management is. I would have started my career earlier. Learn as much as you come up with; the wildest, most creative innovations and ides and don’t be afraid to use them. This industry is continually growing and changing and can offer a host of challenges that innovative thinking can overcome.

I wish I’d known the value of employees. Starting out in this industry, I thought everyone that worked for me automatically had the same values, work ethic, and drive to work that I did. I quickly realized the importance of hiring the right people, and training, training, training. Rewarding employees with education, praise and growth has proven a very successful management style.

I wish I’d known that in everything you do, being humble and treating people right is the ONLY way to go. Also, don’t get to close (party) with your staff!

I wish I’d known the importance of being “workable”. Just think of he time we’ve all wasted dwelling on dead end situations instead of shifting our thinking pattern directly to solutions.

Tags: Apartment Employee Performance, Apartment Management, Apartment Operations, Apartment Training, Multifamily Management, Multifamilypro, On-site Management
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The Root Causes of Low Employee Morale

January 27th, 2010

The Root Causes of Low Employee Morale - Focusing on communication can fix them By John Schaefer

In the movie Multiplicity with Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell, the character of Doug Kinney (Keaton) clones himself so he can get more work done while having more time for his family and to enjoy himself. As you can imagine, everything goes wrong and at the end there are four Dougs and craziness ensues! Things are pretty stressed at his job as a foreman for Del King Construction. One of the best lines is when his counterpart Ken comes up with an idea to get things moving (and to brown-nose the boss a little). Ken states proudly, “At my old job they used to say, ‘if you don’t show up for work on Saturday, don’t even bother coming in on Sunday!’” It was hysterical in the context of the movie (actually Doug wasn’t laughing), but it does lead to one of the root causes of low employee morale.

In these hectic, overworked, understaffed times, it’s easier than ever for managers (who are usually even more overworked than their subordinates) to come across something like the Quintus Arrius line to Roman slaves from Ben Hur, ” . . . we keep you alive to serve this ship, so row well and live!”
It demonstrates how easy it is to come across as a leader who believes that everybody is lucky to have a job, so you better suck it up, keep your nose to the grindstone and don’t complain.

Sadly, this view, while effective during this struggling economy, is killing your productivity today, and will lead to significant retention, recruiting and training costs down the road. The moment your employees begin to feel that you don’t appreciate them and that they’re only on board to row, you have amplified the root cause of low employee morale and it’s going to cost you big time.

Here are five suggestions that will help you to avoid destroying morale and experiencing both the hard and soft costs of poorly engaged employees:

Suggestion #1 - Form Relationships Built on Trust
Strong, effective relationships are built on trust. If you don’t have strong, trust-based relationships with your people, everything you do to recognize them will be seen as manipulation. When employees feel that you are using recognition to “get more out of them” rather than to show that you value them personally, they begin to emotionally disengage and morale suffers. It’s not hard to develop trusting relationships with your people, but it does take time, consistency and integrity.

Suggestion #2 - Show them Respect
The book The One Minute Manager introduces a theory of personal responsibility that allows managers to get maximum results with a minimum of time invested with each staff member. The secret is in showing them respect, defining their expectations and avoiding micro managing. Most employees respond well to being given enough rope to hang themselves, as long as their job is well defined and they are allowed to fail periodically without fear of unrealistic retribution. Respected employees are more alert, creative, and productive. When they do make a mistake, they’ll fix it, move on confidently and don’t make that mistake again.

Suggestion #3 - Nurture Creativity
Once you’ve built trusting relationships and developed a foundation of respect, employees with automatically respond with more creativity. The best way to nurture and benefit from their new-found creativity is to go by the philosophy that there are no bad ideas, only undeveloped ones. Trusted and respected employees with managers who reinforce the fact that they have some flexibility to try new things will surprise you with the creative ingenuity that they bring to their work. The best part is that you get this for the same price you’re paying unhappy employees who are doing just enough to get by.

Suggestion #4 - Build Effective Teams
Team building is a more complex challenge than fostering high morale in individual employees. Here are five problems that many teams develop that keep them from being as effective as they want to be in accomplishing company goals:
·    Absence of Trust - due to invulnerability
·    Fear of Conflict - artificial harmony
·    Lack of Commitment - ambiguity
·    Avoidance of Accountability - low standards
·    Inattention to Results - caused by individual status and ego issues

In the absence of trust, morale is at its lowest and self protectionism becomes the rule. It doesn’t take a PhD in Psychology to realize that this will limit productivity and make work a lot less rewarding for both employees and their managers. This “every man for themselves” attitude destroys teams and makes it impossible to optimize goal setting and achieve corporate objectives in a timely manner; if at all.

By learning to communicate more effectively based on honesty, consistency, vulnerability and respect, your teams will be able to focus unselfishly on common results. This in turn keeps individual egos and agendas in check.

Suggestion #5 - Make it Real
One of the first things to stress with your management team is what’s called “Making it Real”. This means to be genuine and believable in interacting with their people. Employees tend to fall into some common negative habit patterns that employees experience when they feel underappreciated. When your managers understand how to be more open and vulnerable with their staff they work towards trust, respect and improved communication.

“Making it Real” is the answer to the question, “What is the root cause of low employee morale?” Maybe it’s because it’s so simple that it is so often missed, but without your people believing you are genuine, honest and practicing high levels of integrity, any efforts you make to improve morale will be suspect. If you keep this in mind in your dealings with your people, you will be surprised how easy it is to improve morale, so you can enjoy the benefits of higher productivity, better retention, lower costs and an overall happier, more satisfying workplace.

About the Author:
John Schaefer is a Consultant with more than 20 years of experience helping companies realize and react to what he calls the Employer/Employee Disconnect. John is the author of “The Vocational Shrink - An Analysis of the Ten Levels of Workplace Disillusionment,” as well as The Vocational Shrink The Game and Manager Training Program “Why Should Supervisors Care?”
which gets to the bottom of what they’re really thinking, “what’s in it for me?” www.VocationalShrink.com

Tags: Apartment Employee Performance, Apartment Management, Apartment Operations, Apartment Training, Multifamily Management, Multifamily Mentor, Multifamilypro, On-site Management, Property Management
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Part Five: Multifamily If I Knew Then What I Know Now

January 26th, 2010

Always remember and never forget - invest in your people - train, train, train!!! You are only as successful as the people who work with you!

I wish I’d known the key to resident retention is giving your residents what they want and expect and then going a step further. An example would be: a quick response to a service request and then a follow-up call to be sure everything is to their satisfaction. If you go out of your way to make sure they have been “wowed”, you’ll win every time!

Never quit continuing education! Our industry changes daily. New marketing strategies and leasing skills must be implemented. Education and training are imperative to the success of any community. Emphasis must be placed on resident retention; sales; traffic tracking; product knowledge (your community and your competitors); and knowledge of city/community benefits. On-site personnel have to realize they are Leasing Professionals, not professionals.

I wish I’d known to get everything in writing. Document everything. Also, realize how important it is to give deadlines when you want things done.
I wish I’d known about the Annual Multifamily Housing Brainstorming SessionsTM!

I wish I’d known that you develop a more durable stream of ROI by spending more to keep properties in exceptional condition and retaining exceptional managers. Energy is better invested in maximizing revenues than in minimizing expenses.

I wish I’d known that working in this industry is not about apartments. It’s about being a part of someone’s life and offering them a home for their family. Renting an apartment home is not about getting the lease and receiving a bonus check. It’s about knowing the laws, being a good listener, being empathetic - it’s about much more than just renting a place to keep your stuff.

I wish I’d known how to lease new residents on large rent increases. Understanding the difference between sympathy and empathy.

I wish I’d known it’s best to just be yourself, no matter how quirky you are. Do the best you can. Accept your rewards graciously and look at your defeats as opportunities for growth. Have fun.

I wish I’d known how the owner/management company thinks - “the Big Picture” regarding finances, NOI, budget, and ultimate goals.
I wish I’d known to brainstorm ideas with everyone on-site. Regardless of the issues or challenges, sometimes the porters and maintenance staff have the most creative ideas or suggestions. Use your people.

I wish I’d known training. Make learning fun. Go to as much outside training as possible.

I wish I’d known to always have fun while leasing.

I wish I’d known that a list of things to do today might have to be done tomorrow. I had always been used to completing everything in one day. It’s okay to take a little longer to do it right.

I wish I’d known IREM produces national/regional averages for key industry statistics. They also have many other resources available, including a list of CPM’s across the country.

I wish I’d known just what a “small world” this is. How industry professionals continue to run into one another or work together.

I wish I’d known the importance of follow-up in all aspects of our jobs. Thank you notes, follow-up calls, maintenance calls, etc.

I wish I’d known when you give praise and recognition to people when they do a great job, you will have a committed hard working and dedicated employee (and staff).
I wish I’d known three years ago how rewarding this industry is. Seeing how happy a new resident can be in their new home makes it great!

I wish I’d known that a property under your control would always be a reflection of your personal standards. Take charge, have confidence, and never stop learning.

I wish I’d known that the best way to handle a confrontational situation is to de-escalate the situation.

I wish I’d known how much fun you can have in this business.

Tags: Apartment Employee Performance, Apartment Management, Apartment Operations, Apartment Training, Multifamily Management, Multifamily Pro, Multifamilypro
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Multifamily: If I Knew Then What I Know Now, Part Four

January 25th, 2010

We asked the attendees of the Multifamily Brainstorming Sessions to complete the sentence “If only I knew then what I know now…,” and the wisdom and insight that they had to offer was simply amazing. Here is some of what they had to share!

I wish I’d known that it’s okay to say to a resident “I’m sorry, I was wrong.” The manager doesn’t always have to be right or have a fear of admitting she or he made a mistake.

I wish I’d known that everyone has a different view to a situation. Corporate policies and procedures are important, but listening to your residents and solving their challenges is the key to success!

I wish I’d known what a “small” industry this is. Everybody knows everybody. Never say anything negative about anyone. It will get back to them. This industry has many thousands of people, and believe me, the all know each other!!!

I wish I’d known the importance of follow-up and how easy it is to develop relationships with people you know for only a few minutes. There are so many different kinds of people and each person can teach us something valuable. Always look for a common bond, and do your best to make a difference in life.

I wish I’d known all the different aspects involved in property management. This includes the marketing, training, recruitment, and vendor services that as a property manager you are often open to. There are so many areas to explore, once you conquer your current position, move on to another challenge.

I wish I’d known the value of brainstorming with other great minds. As you progress in your career, you will be charged with more and greater responsibilities. You might feel that unless you are the “Shell Answer Man” on every issue that you are letting your associates down. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you will learn early the concept of “synergy”, you will be a lot happier, well-rested, self-confident, and more productive than if you try to do it all by yourself.

I wish I’d known the why! I wish I’d been told the reasons for the importance of following specific leasing presentations, techniques, tracking traffic, and Resident service!

I wish I’d known you can’t be friends with anyone you charge for damages in their apartment after they’ve moved out. You can’t always believe in what your residents tell you regarding past due rent, and when they are going to pay. No matter how hard you try to be fair, some resident thinks you are not - to them only. When you try to collect what is due you, they think you’re mean and taking something from them.

I wish I’d known that you must always have an open mind and expand your network. There is always something new to be learned and to teach someone else. Property management is a great field to be in. It will always exist, and there are so many people you can get to know and no two days are alike. There are a lot of different aspects to property management form leasing, marketing, financial, building structure, etc.

I wish I’d known that no matter how much you know, you never, ever know it all. This business is a day-to-day learning experience. If you get upset because you never seem to get it all, forget it. Look at it as a new learning session every day. That’s why it is such a great career - never the same day.

I wish I’d known that “perception is reality”. How others see you is the framework within which they work or deal with you.

I wish I’d known that everyone - residents, staff, etc. - has something to teach you. Patience and sincerity and doing what it takes to get the job done - always takes extra effort.

Never underestimate the general public. They will always surprise you, both good and bad.

I wish I’d known how important it is to start resident retention programs at the time the new resident first moves in. Also if only I’d given one more call-back to the prospect, I might have been able to close on more people, making myself fresh in their minds at all times.

I wish I’d known that listening is the very best communication skill.

I wish I’d realized the importance of learning from one another. Never be afraid to ask!

The one thing that I would like to offer, the one thing I wish I had in the beginning of my career, was the ability to really listen and learn from others. I have been in the business for sixteen years, and have lost the valuable opinions and experiences of my peers early in my career by not learning form their expertise.

I wish I’d known that by a lot of hard work at the start, people do notice what you have contributed to the team, and you can advance up the corporate ladder rather rapidly.

Tags: Apartment Employee Performance, Apartment Management, Apartment Training, Multifamily Management, Multifamily Mentor, Multifamily Pro, On-site Management, Property Management
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