Set expectations to improve client relationships

With every quality relationship, these guidelines are in place, often we call them boundaries or

expectations and to be effective must be understood and agreed to by both parties. Once you

have created your service offering and guidelines, you must ensure that not only is it known by

your team but also your clients.

 

Not sure if they know? A few questions will help you find out.

• Do you get complaints in your business about non returned phone calls or emails?
• Does your receptionist receive three calls from the same client in one day chasing the property manager?
• Do tenants regularly call following up on repair requests?
• Is your day taken up with 50% or more reactive activities?

If the answer is yes to any one of these questions then communication expectations have not

been sent, understood or agreed with by your client.

 

In order to reverse this, it’s time to review / create a documented set of communication

expectations, and a communication procedure.

1. Set response time scales – minimum standards of communication that clients can expect
2. Set response methods – what methods will be used to communicate, what proactive communication will occur.
3. Review systems – ensure communication points are dotted throughout every procedure keeping clients advised of activity on their property.

 

Feeling like there's not enough hours in the day?

“Many things aren’t equal but we all have the same 24 hours in a day. 7 days a week. We make time for what we truly want.”

Whilst planning for our next webinar on creating an ideal week for property management I came across this quote. It got the brain ticking and the more I thought about it the truer it rang. How often do we hear the phrases “I don’t have enough time” or “I’m too busy” in our property management world?

In property management we often feel overwhelmed as we battle between our ongoing day to day routine tasks as well as the huge variety of incoming urgent tasks. When these urgent tasks come in and take over our days it can feel like things are piling up in the background while we put out these fires.

While we are putting out the fires we are growing increasingly more stressed at the work piling up in our inboxes and in-trays that is less important. The seemingly less important tasks (that can often lead to further problems) can fall to the wayside, get pushed back or swept under the rug. And we all know what happens when we sweep things under the rug, the cracks will start to show sooner or later.

When the cracks start to show this leads to more urgent issues that need to be resolved and mitigated. Our stress levels increase even more. The busy hours turn into busy days where we are pedalling just to keep afloat and avoid the next angry phone call....

Starting to sound familiar? I’m starting to feel anxious thinking about it. Don’t despair. This is normal... it’s property management but it’s also life! It’s important to come back to this quote when things start to spiral into “I’m so busy” land or “I don’t have enough time” world. We all have the same hours in our day. It’s about how we plan them out.

When things are spiralling it’s time to take time out to create a plan, and figure out how to best use the hours you do have in a day. We are more likely to get more things done if we have a plan to aim for hence why it’s important to work towards an ideal week. Creating an ideal week in property management isn’t just about a fixed week that you’re supposed to stick to each and every week. It’s about continually redesigning the ideal way your days and weeks will run, depending on your circumstances, priorities, distractions and situation.

How do you do this? I invite you to sit with me for an hour next week and I’ll show you some ways to create an ideal week in property management, make time in your day for what matters most, get more done, feel more productive, and be less stressed. We’ll have some great templates to offer to everyone who joins us so don’t miss out.

If you are Real+ member, click here to visit Real TV where you can watch the webinar, 'Creating the Ideal Week for Property Management'

Do you have a learning culture in your business?

Having a learning culture in property management will take you one step beyond simply having the skills you need to deliver a good service. It will empower your staff to achieve dramatically improved results compared to traditional businesses. Because as you are enabling staff to anticipate and adapt to change, as well as grow through innovation, they will also become more energetic, loyal and goal orientated.

Creating a learning culture requires a change in the way you see the traditional real estate model – usually heavily focused on sales training. To develop a company wide learning culture, training must become a key focus in the overall business strategy and it needs to be seen as a long term commitment (not a quick fix). A true learning culture continuously challenges its own systems and way of doing things, ensuring continuous improvement for not just the business but the individuals themselves.

Training can be a strong motivating factor for your staff, for some property managers this progress and development will be more important than money, as it helps them grow and gain new skills. It will help their performance at work and make them feel part of something bigger than themselves. Your workplace can become a business that people strive to come and work for.

On a team management level it will also get everyone functioning together, trusting and complementing each other and through having common goals will be able to produce extraordinary results. To be effective, training needs the full participation and commitment of all staff, at all levels – especially you.

To get started on redesigning your learning culture, we have a great analysis tool that can help you to identify where your company is currently at in regards to learning culture, click here to receive the “Learning Culture Audit” checklist!

If you are Real+ member, click here to visit Real TV where you can watch the webinar, 'Team Management Tools'

Are you switched on?

Are you switched on?

by Hermione Gardiner

Our team was switched on this week along with 3000 of Australia’s best agents at AREC 2014. Inspirational speakers from around the world graced the stage with big concepts motivating us to ‘Switch On’, ‘Own it’, ‘Cut to the Chase’, ‘Overcome fears’, ‘ Improve Productivity’, ‘Get Passionate’ and  ‘Get Accountable’. Despite being a sales conference, we found these concepts completely relevant to our property management world where “complacency can kill” (as one speaker aptly described).  

Within the new business space (like sales), we have to be able to switch on and quickly demonstrate our passion and enthusiasm. If we can show the client we are excited about their business we will be better placed to build the relationship and stand out from the competition.

There are always going to be those days when we aren’t feeling so enthusiastic, and we can’t all go to a conference and get switched on every weekend.  So how can we “Switch On” daily and create an energetic experience for every client?  How do we quickly get into that headspace?

One of the conference speakers, Chip Eichelberger, helped us to consider what actions we are taking to bring that desired energy – what are we doing to “switch on and own it”. His simple physical techniques had 3000 people on their feet, energised and fist pumping the air and cheering “YES!” before 10am! Everyone could feel the energy in the room.

So how do you get yourself on your feet and cheering before 10am? How do you get into a passionate and enthusiastic head space? What do you do to fire up ahead of your listing presentation? Are you listening to ‘Eye of the Tiger’ in your car? Are you visualising the smile on your face as you leave a successful meeting? Are you fist pumping the air with a big “YES” to get yourself energised and excited?

It’s important to know your own “ON” switch so that you can walk into every listing presentation fired up and ready to go. If you can master that attitude and energy, we’ll help out with the rest.  

 What’s your “ON” Switch?

If you are Real+ member, click here to visit Real TV where you can watch New Business Bootcamp 9 - Listing Presentations part 2