Wednesday 16 December 2015

15 Lessons I've Learned this Year

Instead of the usual goal setting blog I’d usually write for the year ahead, I thought I would ponder on the lessons I’ve learned this year.

Lessons from across not just my own life (personal and professional) but also through the training I’ve conducted and the client’s I’ve been lucky enough to work with this year. These lesson’s have helped me and many property managers, BDM’s and business owners alike get through the year, grow and set an incredible platform for a successful year ahead.

Once you’ve read through my lessons, take a moment to think about what lesson’s you’ve learned this year? What has worked well for you? What hasn’t worked well? And what do you need to change?

1. How we treat our existing clients breeds our future business
Self explanatory really, and by client’s I do not just mean the landlords, I have done a lot of work this year in conveying the importance of taking care of our tenants, they are our future customers, they know our future customers and are the ones talking about our business well after their vacate date. In the words of Jim Rohn - “One customer well taken care off could be worth more than $10,000 worth of advertising”

2. There are no mistakes, only lessons we learn
A mistake, a complaint, a royal stuff up is all okay, as long as we learn from it. Sweeping it under the rug or not taking ownership of our errors will not be good for ourselves or our business. Every time something goes wrong think, what can I learn from this, what could I have done differently, what could we change so this doesn’t happen again.

3. Our attitude towards life will determine life’s attitude towards us
If you think every day is unfair, that bad things always happen to you, chances are that life will treat you unfairly, and you will always have many reasons to complain. On the other hand, if you think life is a gift, that wonderful things always happen to you, life will give you all of those things and even more. Just how there is a law of gravity, there is also a law of attraction, and based on this law, you attract in your life that which you think about all day long, you attract that which you are, because you see, like attracts like I like to think of it simply, think about when you get a new car, and then suddenly you notice that car everywhere!

4. Be Kind, Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about
We assume we know a person, a client, a colleague – we assume we know they are just a grumpy cow, or why they are angry or stressed, but chances are we know nothing of what is going on beneath the surface in that person’s life. We see one dimension of that human, one side, one face. But take a moment to think what could be causing that reaction, stress so we can have greater empathy and understanding.

5. Stress is the perception that everything has to happen right now
Whenever I am overwhelmed or my client’s feel overwhelmed, I break it down. Whilst it appears that all of the things need to happen right now and it creates a feeling of stress and overwhelm, when you break it down in writing, map out what is urgent, what is not urgent and do some prioritising and planning, you can remove the stress as you’re allowing your mind to see there is a time and a place to deal with it all. When you feel like you do not have time to take 5 minutes to break it down, that is exactly when you NEED to do it.

 

6. Being busy, may actually just be the way life is
In our office this year, we banned the word busy as a response or complaint. In property management we hear this word all the time, however the more I think about it the more it’s apparent that life is just busy, work is busy. We are a generation of busy people who fill our days with work, play and everything in between. If we can accept this it can revolutionise our attitudes. How we prioritise and stay efficient that becomes more important – “working hard doesn’t always mean working smart”. And too important is how we prioritise and schedule in our down time or me time.

7. Fit your own oxygen mask before helping others
If you are not in a fit, happy and healthy space (physical and mind) it will be very hard to help those around you, both in personal and professional life. What do you need to do to ensure you are fit, willing and able to help those around you and your clients? Are you eating well, exercising, and getting enough sleep? What support and help do you need to get you into a better space? A counsellor or mentor? I know number 1 for me when I am getting my cranky pants on is that I haven’t exercised, that is then my first port of call to ensure I can deal with and react whatever client’s throw at me.

8. There is no one size fit’s all approach..... to anything really
Whether it is in the advice I give my coaching clients, or whether it be the way to deal with an angry tenant, or whether it is implementing a system into a business, what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. We need to be constantly learning and adapting to meet the needs of the situation – if you think you know it all, you are wrong. Also when receiving advice in general, be careful to recognise that it may not always be the best and appropriate advice for you.

9. People will disappoint us
Behaviours of clients, silly requests from tenants, actions of those around you, they will disappoint and frustrate you. But it is just part of life, not everyone reacts the same way we do, not everyone knows the same things we do, not everyone wants the same things you do. Acceptance of this will remove the stress of expecting everyone to be the perfect human (i.e. you) and resilience to “let it go” will keep your approach fresh and stress free.

10. Escape the comparison cloud
There will always be someone with more money, a more (perceived) perfect relationship, someone with more listings, a person a flatter stomach, a larger business, a (perceived) less stressed life. Comparing yourself to others however, is a game you will never win; you may be comparing apples with peanuts.  In the words of Oscar Wilde – “Be yourself; everyone else is taken”

11. The importance of self awareness
How are you perceived? Is your confident assertive nature that you feel is one of your strengths, actually perceived as pushy and bossy by others? Creating a greater sense of self awareness and how we are perceived, can not only allow us to adapt our attitudes and actions, but also allow us to see that we may be perceiving a side of someone that they do not realise they are projecting – giving us a greater understanding and improving relationships and communication.

12. Prioritise tasks based on urgency and impact
What tasks can you work on today that will have the biggest impact, which will be the most dollar productive, which will provide the best result to the clients? Prioritising these days rather than letting our day be run by the small and easiest tasks, or the ones we like doing, or what has come into our inbox – will ensure we go home each day satisfied and accomplished.

13. Remove Distractions
Escape the pop-ups, the notifications, the dings, the bings, the flashing and the sounds. This year I turned off all notifications and I can tell you this one has been a massive winner for my stress levels, mindset and productivity. It means I am in control of when I check my emails or face book and I am not letting my day be run by anyone else. Avoid distraction and stay focused on the task at hand, or at your time you’ve dedicated to relaxing. It feels scary but try it.... Things can, surprisingly, wait.

14. Understand the WHY
When the motivation is waning and we are getting tired, we need something to help us regain focus, re-energise us and get us back on track. This is where it is vitally important to understand WHY we are doing what we are doing. What will it mean for you to achieve that goal, what will it feel like to accomplish that task or what does going to work each day allow our lives to look like. When you start to slip of the track, rather than focus on the goal, you focus on the why, it will be much easier to get back on track and keep pushing through. It is also important to understand the WHY of our client’s. Why do they need us, what is important to them and why did they chose to use us, so we are able to sell to and deliver on their needs.

15. We are good at going fast, we need to practice at going slow
      Taking time out, relaxing, unwinding, being offline, is vitally important to our health and         wellbeing, however it is so hard  for so many of us who are always trying to jam one             more thing into our already fully packed days. Without getting too hippy hippy  shake on       you, this is why practices like yoga, mindfulness and meditation are so important, as            they help us slow down and connect to our authentic selves. This is why the most                  successful people in the world start their day with silence, exercise, gratitude and                  planning. How you start your day will set the tone for the rest of your day (week....                  month... year...... years....). 

Happy Pondering........

Hermione Gardiner 
Real+


What are your PM squad goals?

As we are rapidly screaming toward the finish line of 2015, it can be all too easy to start to sit back on our laurels and enjoy the festive cheer that the season brings. This time of year while full of parties and frivolity, also can bring out some of the more challenging personalities that life can throw at us. They don’t call it the silly season for nothing!

While most start to slow down come that Christmas Eve deadline, use this time to power on to the finish line before you take a break (if you are one of the lucky ones to do so over the New Year). This is a great time of year to tidy up loose ends and reflect on the year that was as well as begin to think about what you may like to achieve in the coming year.

With this in mind, have you thought about what you might like you #PMsquadgoals to be in 2016? We spend almost more time in our waking hours with our work comrades than we do with our own partners in family. This is your squad, and thinking about your squad, how ambitious are they and what would you all like to achieve, not just personally but together as a team into the coming year?

Some areas when looking at this goal setting may include:
  • Systems – are they up to the challenge to help you achieve your goals? If not, what needs to happen to ensure that they are ship shape?
  • Technology – there is a myriad of technology at our fingertips. Is the technology in your office working for you or is there something out there that may help to achieve less stress and give you back more time.
  • Training – maybe you would like to step up the training for your team for the year. It’s a good time to set out the training calendar for the year and find a solution that works for your team.
  • Growth – do you want to grow this year? Silly question I know, but what steps do you need to put in place to achieve real growth.
  • Reporting – are your team reporting on all areas that they need to so that the department is ticking along efficiently and profitably?

On a personal level you might like to look at the areas of relationships, health, financial, learning, travel and career which can help you in evaluating if you are on track to be where you want to be. Or, it may be that you need to make a few changes to reach that goal.
If you are a little stuck with where to start, the team at Real+ can help with coaching, consulting and are running a few webinars in January to get you goal ready. Click here and we can help you get started.


Whatever your #PMsquadgoals may be procrastination won’t assist in making those goals become reality. Use this time wisely so that you can kick into 2016 fresh, energised and ready to hit the ground running and be the head of the pack with achieving success, whatever it may look like in your world.

Heidi Walkinshaw
Real+

Tuesday 8 December 2015

Are your tenants who they say they are?

We’ve all heard or experienced the horror stories, tenants starting their own DIY drug labs, visa holders skipping town two months into a one year lease or tenants who just simply can’t afford their rent – but how can you be sure that your applicant is who they say they are without verifying the documents they’ve provided?

How is identity fraud & identity theft impacting real estate agents?
In today’s ever-changing world, technology advances are making it even easier for criminals to commit identity theft (taking over someone’s identity) or identity fraud (creating a fake identity). In fact, one in four Australians claim to have been the victim of identity theft![i]
This poses significant issues in the real estate space as criminals attempt to lease properties to fabricate their fake identity and allow them to do either of two things:
  •          Use the property for illegal purposes (e.g. start a drug lab) or
  •          Use the property as their main address to commit other crimes (e.g. apply for a mortgage, car loan, credit cards etc)

The only real way to make sure you’re avoiding these applicants is to make sure you screen them correctly.

Already screen your tenants with a tenancy database?
Tenancy screening databases are great, however not all of them are made equal and may give you misleading information. This occurs because most tenancy screening databases will only search their own records to see if anyone has checked on that applicant previously.
What this means is that if an applicant gives you a fake name (even by just ONE letter) or purchases a fake identity (fakies.com.au for example), most tenancy databases will lead you to believe the identity is real as they can’t find a previous record in their own system.

This is when it gets interesting! Recent changes to Residential Tenancy Acts across Australia mean that all blacklisted or lodged tenants in a database must be notified prior to lodgement – so if an applicant knows they’ve been listed, why would they provide their real identity when applying for their next property? And even more worrying, who is going to use their real identity if their intentions are to commit a serious crime?

So what can you do to help ensure you’re getting the right tenants?
  1. Screen your applicants using a tenancy database that includes free identity and document verification so you can be sure of who you are dealing with. 
  2. Take care when looking over photo identification as this can be easily manipulated
  3. Always check references carefully ( these can be falsified!)
  4. If still unsure - ask the tenant for additional information.

Part of the Veda Group, the National Tenancy Database has been working with real estate agents across Australia for years, to deliver reliable tenant checking and connection services with real time identity and document verification across more than 22 different databases.





[i] Identity Theft in Australia and Australia’s View of Personal Information Security. Veda Group. Online Survey by The Leading Edge. n = 1,047 Australians aged 18+. September 2015

How to make sure tenants don’t over indulge and underpay rent this Christmas!

Christmas should be a fun time, and it is no fun suffering the stress and worry that comes with mounting arrears over the Christmas period.

For tenants there can be serious pressure to buy gifts and entertain friends and family over the holiday season. Given these pressures, it is an unfortunate reality that some households choose not to pay their rent so they can prioritise other spending. Research from Shelter UK shows that one in 12 tenants are prepared to forgo their rent payments over Christmas, there is a significant risk that your arrears figures could grow.

Everyone takes a different approach to arrears, some taking a harder no tolerance line, some taking proactive steps to help ensure their tenants get their rent paid to avoid eviction. Either way at the end of the day if we can avoid eviction it is better for all parties involved. Whilst the majority of your portfolio may be good rent payers, this is the time that some of them will slip, and this is also a time that a repeat offender is more than likely to re-offend.

Some strategies to combat arrears at this time to minimise our stress include:
  • Sending the standard letters to remind tenants to pay rent on time
  • Running a marketing campaign in the build up to Christmas that aims to deter from tenants falling behind, to see some examples of some unique Christmas arrears marketing campaigns click here.
  • Offer a financial support and advice service through assistance with budgeting plans. Some company’s provide a flyer with budgeting advice, some will go so far as offering a financial planning helpline to call.
  • Implement Rewards/Incentives to ensure all payments are on time:
    • Running a competition for all who keep their rent up to date
    • Offering movie tickets for all who are two weeks in advance over the period
  • Providing special personal warnings to repeat offenders, almost to let them know that we’re going to be watching their arrears very closely over the period to make sure they stay on time.
  • Some agencies even offer the tenants an option to pay extra throughout the year to help them get a bit ahead for these tighter times.
  • Reminding tenants of importance of maintaining positive ledger, instead of threatening termination, let them know you want to help them maintain a positive rental ledger to assist with future rentals (and even mortgage repayments as these days some lenders are requesting this information)
  • Utilise your blog, newsletters and social media to educate and share the message
  • Printing the arrears list in advance to predict problem offenders, issuing them reminders or getting them to come in for a meeting.
  • Setting up some automated reminders to go out to tenants a few days before their rent is due, perhaps utilising something like “delay send” out outlook

There are many strategies, be sure to choose what works for your agency and your brand. Don’t forget to score some brownie points with the owners and communicate what you’re doing to ensure they don’t have missing payments over Christmas! What other ideas do you have for keeping your arrears low at Christmas time? Please share them below!

For our Real+
members be sure to check out our Christmas Letter template on your portal and stay tuned for more Christmas tips in your Daily Training Tips.

Hermione Gardiner
Real+

Wednesday 2 December 2015

Could your client be smiling too?

Imagine how one of your investor clients would react if you could tell them how to receive $3,536 in extra cash flow with little to no effort. With property depreciation this is no longer just an idle fantasy.
Amy’s Property Manager found this out herself when she recommended her client contact BMT Tax Depreciation to find out what depreciation deductions were available for her investment property.
Amy purchased a nine year old three bedroom house in an outer suburb of Sydney for $610,000 just over one year ago. Prior to making her depreciation claim Amy’s investment property was earning a rental income of $495 per week with a total income of $25,740 per annum, while her yearly expenses totalled $41,028. Towards the end of her first year owning the property Amy’s annual after tax outlay amounted to $9,631 or $185 per week.
Amy mentioned to her Property Manager that she was concerned about her cash flow. That’s when her Property Manager suggested she speak with BMT Tax Depreciation to find out what depreciation deductions she could claim for the building structure and the plant and equipment assets contained within the property.
BMT Tax Depreciation was able to complete a thorough site inspection and provided a detailed tax depreciation schedule showing the deductions available for her property for the next forty years, including $9,585 in the first year. The following table provides a summary of Amy’s scenario, both before and after depreciation was claimed.

The depreciation deductions in this case study have been calculated using the diminishing value method of depreciation.

A BMT Tax Depreciation schedule reduced Amy’s annual outlay for the property to $6,085 per annum or $117 per week, a difference of $68 per week or $3,536 per year.
“By claiming depreciation, I was able to significantly reduce the amount of tax paid on my investment property. I can’t thank my Property Manager enough for recommending BMT Tax Depreciation to me,” Amy said.
Recommend an expert
With just a few words you have the power to completely transform your investor clients’ cash flow situation.
BMT also offer a range of additional services and information to help Property Managers add value to their existing service such as face to face or webinar training sessions for your staff and clients, educational brochures and material that you can send on to your clients.  To find out more visit BMT Tax Depreciation’s Property Professionals page by clicking here.
If you feel you have a client who we can make smile, please do not hesitate to contact one of our friendly staff on 1300 728 726 or visit www.bmtqs.com.au.
Article provided by BMT Tax Depreciation.


Wednesday 25 November 2015

Effectively Communicating with your team

Leading a team can sometimes prove challenging and getting everyone on the same page is all about communication and how well you deliver the message to that team. Let’s take a look at some steps that you could look at to keep them all on that yellow brick road:

Align your goals: Set clear expectations for the team so that they know what they can expect from you and themselves and any deadlines that you might have in place.

Check in regularly: Try implementing a daily wrap, where the team send through a quick update of the day that was. This can help to pre-warn of any potential jack in the boxes that might jump up and avoid that element of surprise.

Encourage your team to share concerns: Don’t treat mistakes as a bad thing, they can provide a great opportunity to learn. Encourage your team to share any mistakes or concerns that they may have. It can help with building their morale and allow the whole team to learn. 

Be available, but set boundaries: It’s a great idea to be available to your team and approachable should they have any concerns, however it is also good to set clear boundaries as to that availability. Try quick 2 minute standing or even walking meetings so that you can still keep to your own deadlines and achieve goals.

Questions are key: It’s easy enough to tell someone how to do something, however if they are always relying on you for direction, they will never be challenged to think for themselves. Ask questions like, “How do you think you would handle this situation” or, “What do you think the client ultimately wants?” Allowing your people to think for themselves will ultimately empower them to make decisions and reduce micro-management.


While there can be challenges out there when it comes to team management, keeping the lines of communication open and a level of transparency can make the working environment a more productive and harmonious place to be. 

Wednesday 18 November 2015

Quick Computer Hacks for Property Management Productivity

I love finding better, faster and smarter ways to do things, and recently I’ve realised that some of the better, faster and smarter ways are not something everyone is privy to.

So today I want to share with you some of the nerdy little hacks that I believe can save seconds, minutes, who knows, maybe even hours when you’re working on your computer.... And if nothing else, help you to be a bit more productive which means you can get more done, in less time, and be less stressed!

Interested? Here are my favourite 12 at the moment. You may know some, all, or none, but always a good refresher to figure out how we can save time on the devices we spend so many hours on each day.  Comment with any of your favourite hacks!

1.  Quick Parts

Are you frequently typing the same email over and over again? Or going into templates to copy and paste into your emails? For things like confirmations, reminders, explanations of those repetitive PM questions? In your outlook there is a feature called “Quick Parts” which allows you to quickly dump your frequently used and favourite content into your emails – you can save as many as you like and categorise them too. For a handy guide on how to set it up and use it, click here

2. Keyboard Shortcuts

A few quick keyboard shortcuts that will speed up seconds when working on your computer (they all add up):
  • Alt – M – minimise all windows to show desktop
  • Alt – TAB – flick between open programs/windows
  • CTRL – X – cut
  • CTRL C – copy
  • CTRL V – paste


3. Delay Send

This handy one works on outlook and gmail now has a feature for this too – allowing you to shoot of an email now but select when you would like it to be delivered, great for reminders to tenants ahead of routines, after moving in to return condition reports etc.  The above download will also explain how to delay send emails. 

4. Turn off email alerts

Constant distractions popping up in the corner of your screen will not make for a productive property manager. To disable Desktop Alert in Outlook, simply go to: Options – Mail – disable “Display a Desktop Alert” option. Turn them off on your phone too otherwise the buzzing in the background will keep you just as distracted. (Turn off all your alerts on your phone actually you’ll be amazed at how much more pleasant it is).

5. Work Offline

As above, distractions will derail your productivity. If you’re trying to work on a specific task, or just want to clear out the email clutter without getting new messages in that distract you – select to work offline from your main menu. Some super productive PM’s will selectively use this throughout the day.

6. Shared Calendars

Sharing calendars with your fellow staff members will save time asking who is where and what each other has got going on. It might seem a bit big brother but it can save a lot of time and help others in the office know when not to disturb you, or when you’ll be back in the office. 

7. Format Painter

If you’re ever trying to get some text to match up to how another area of text looks in outlook or word... there is a cheat mode to do so, click on the text you want to duplicate, then click on the format painter icon (top left on the main menu on most versions), and then click on the word or highlight the area you want to past the formatting to. Saving time fiddling with fonts, sizes etc. 

8. Follow up

Sending an email but think, I really need to follow this up if I don’t hear back, but how will I remember? From your draft message you can set a follow up(either a flag to go into your outlook to-do list) or an actual pop up reminder. You’ll thank yourself for reminding yourself.

9. Email rules
Most mail clients can help with this. And they are not too complicated to set up - Even simply by right-clicking an email. Helps if you're organizing emails into folders on a regular basis.

10. Group messages by.......

If you receive a high volume of email, tracking down relevant messages can be a chore. Outlook can group emails into conversations, so that a single click shows all related messages together. You can set this on a global or per-mailbox basis by going to the View tab and ticking “Show as Conversations”. Click the “Arrange By:” bar at the top of the message list and select “View Settings...” from the dropdown menu to configure additional grouping options.
11. Unsubscribe
If you’re wasting time sifting through email newsletters you’re no longer interested in, instead of deleting them each time, click on the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email. Save yourself some seconds and frustration. 

12. Apps
I’m the one in the office that says “oh there’s an app for that” and quite usually there is! So as far as computer apps go here’s a few of my picks
  • Momentum Extension – when using Google Crome, you can add on this app, which means that everytime a new browser tab is opened, the time and your main goal for the day is displayed loud and proud, reminding you to get back to the task at hand and avoid procrastination.
  • StayFocused – The app StayFocusd increases your productivity by limiting the amount of time that you can spend on time-wasting websites such as social media, set your limit to 30 mins each day and you’ll quickly see how much time you really spend online.
  • Forgotten Attachment Detector - Whenever you send an email contains terms such as attachment, attached, enclosed, and more but does not actually have a file attached, it will alert you before you send your email. A saviour for me.


Comment below with your hacks. Happy Productivity!
Hermione Gardiner 
Real+

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Here Comes Christmas!

It’s November, so it must mean that Christmas is right on top of us and panic may start to set in. Rather than thinking of this time as a wind down, try looking at it as a chance to get on top, tidy up and ensure that you get hit the ground running in 2016.

This time of year can provide many challenges on our paths to success as Property Managers. As the silly season kicks into full swing, let’s look at some steps that can help you keep cool, calm and in control in this busy season.

·         Stick to your schedule as much as you can and while the temptation may be there to relax a little, now is the time more than ever that you should stick to your ideal week. This will help to streamline your workload and keep in control amongst the chaos.

·         Don’t forget to keep on top of those rent arrears as the excuses start to flow in as to why rent hasn’t been paid. Stick to your arrears procedure to see you through. Don’t forget to keep your Landlord up to date, remembering that this can also be a stressful time of year for some.

·         Keep on top of those repairs and maintenance. Your schedule should allow time each day to follow up on your repairs and maintenance. Ensure that each repair is attended to and your tradespeople are on top of their work.

·         Leasing should be a priority. You can potentially have some very nervous Landlords on your hands if their properties are vacant over the Christmas period. Make sure you are responding promptly to enquiry and leasing those properties fast. Another tip, when you are signing those new leases, try to avoid them ending over the Christmas period, you might like to sign up 13 or 14 month leases so that you don’t have those vacancies over Christmas for the next year.

  • Communication is key, especially as most agencies will close down over this break. It is important to communicate your trading hours and payment runs to Landlords and Tenants. This may mean a global comment on your November end of month statement or an email or letter to both Landlords and Tenants, and updates on your phone messaging systems. It is also a great idea to have a team member “on call” for this period to deal with any nasties that may arise.

Stay calm and in control and most of all don’t forget to breathe and enjoy the festive season!

Heidi Walkinshaw
Real+


Wednesday 4 November 2015

Why is workplace training essential?


Workplace training and development programs provide businesses with an excellent opportunity to expand the skill sets of all employees and increase the competitive edge of your business. The increasingly busy nature of real estate means that training is often noted down on the to-do list but never actioned. Taking the time to implement a learning and development program for your business can have an array of long-term benefits that make the monetary and time costs worthwhile.

Competitive edge

Implementing a structured learning and development program ensures your employees have a consistent level of training to perform their roles. Providing all staff with the same training experience will align their expectations and the procedures within the company. Consistent customer service can elevate your business and reputation. Ensuring all employees offer a consistent service to your clients can significantly increase your overall business performance.

Raises morale and employee satisfaction

Employees are the foundation of any business and without them, your business would simply cease to exist. Creating a positive workplace culture based on education and personal development will help foster a productive business environment. Employees who are engaged and feel appreciated within their workplace will not only feel greater satisfaction towards their role but are likely to invest time and energy into the business. Investing in training has been proven to increase employee engagement, increase job satisfaction and thus results in increased employee retention rates.

Upskilling

Ongoing learning and development will ensure your team is ahead of the curve and in the top percentage of industry performers. As you will know too well, unexpected situations occur almost daily; a team member is sick for a week or another team member is off on annual leave. Cross-training all employees is not only a great team building tool, but it also provides your team with the skills and abilities to handle unforeseen circumstances.
Investigate ways you can implement a learning and development program into your business. It might be as simple as looking into which of your providers or partners offer training and partaking in that. Many suppliers offer free training or have free online resources which are a great place to start. The benefits of such a program will have far reaching long term benefits to both the employees and the business.

Leesa Sinn | Education Services Manager, Rockend.


Wednesday 28 October 2015

Is your compliance up to code?


For Property Management teams, the landscape on compliance in no longer limited to the all important paperwork like agency and tenancy agreements, condition reports and the myriad of other rules and regulations legislated and governed in each state.

There is also the added responsibility in recent times of factors to consider such as compliance of swimming pools, smoke alarms and blind cords. With these added requirements, have you adjusted your policies and procedures to include all the necessary checks and balances to ensure that your Owners and more importantly, your office are covered and compliant?

 If any of your properties have swimming pools, it is important to remember that they may need to be registered with council and must have the correct fencing and signage to protect any visitors to the property. There are some great pool companies out there who can ensure that your pools are compliant, provide the relevant paperwork and even educate the Tenants on the importance of correct storage of hazardous pool chemicals. It is also a good idea that on your checklists for each new tenancy you include a check box to double check that the pool compliance is up to date.

Smoke alarm compliance is one that has been with us for some time now and like some procedures, it can be tempting to become complacent in our handling of the task at hand. It is a good idea to employ a qualified company to check those alarms each year and ensure that they are up to code. Most trust accounting software will also feature a section for you to include the date tested and a reminder for when the next testing is due. Third party companies will usually send you this information too. It also makes sense to save the certificate to the file each year so that you have it at hand if needed.

Blind cord legislation came into effect in 2010, requiring the cords of blinds and curtains to be secure and out of reach of children and must also carry warning labels. If you are having new blinds and curtains installed, ensure that the company you use is compliant and follows the requirements.

While it can seem a daunting task to keep on top of the changes, and there are more to come, keep in mind you are not on your own. There are some fantastic companies out there who can assist with ensuring that your properties are meeting the requirements and covering your office and Owners for any potential liability.  


Heidi Walkinshaw
Real+

Are you really listening?


In the fast paced world that we are living in, great communication can sometimes be left on the sidelines as we are screaming through the day to day that is life, often a victim of the modern world. The downside of this is that it can rear its ugly head in the form of frustration and complaints when the needs of the individual have not been met. Something to ask yourself, when you listen to a client’s needs, are you actually listening?

Have you thought about what type of listener you are on a daily basis?

Non-Listener

          Preoccupied with own thoughts
          Not paying attention


Passive Listener

          Hear words but don’t absorb meaning
          Provide vague answers
          Only takes meaning from areas of interest
          Differing views mean they cease to listen and simply provide their own ideas

Active Listener

          Best listeners
          Listens with patience and open mind
          Completely focused on speaker

Active listening is a skill that is invaluable and can really help you with some of life’s little challenges when you have actually understood what the client wants.

Some steps that you could implement in active listening:

          Commit to attention
          Remove Distractions
          Clear your mind of preconceived ideas & emotions
          Give your time and focus on the client
          Listen for  the message not  just  the words
          Wait for the message to finish before formulating a response
          Allow the speaker to communicate without interruption
          Wait for the speaker to conclude before jumping in or responding
          Acknowledge to the speaker that you're paying attention
          Confirm your interpretation of what was said
          Allow the speaker to clarify
          Ask questions  to identify further information
          Repeat until you are satisfied  the message was amply conveyed and has been received

As a species we are highly social and the most valuable thing that you can give someone is your time. 

The next time you are in a conversation with someone, really listen and you may be surprised with what you find.