Customer Service

I’ve talked a lot about giving gifts to your residents and your new move-ins and the things you can do to make your property a little different than your competition, but is that enough customer service?  I don’t think so.  I think customer service doesn’t have to cost much, if anything, but it can bring you return customers…The bank that I deal with has a customer appreciation day on the last Friday of every month.  They have a table set up with hot dogs and water/sodas and the customers can come in and enjoy the fixings for lunch.  This idea doesn’t cost them much but their customer really love it.  They get to interact with other customers and joke around with the tellers.  There is always laughing going on.  I asked them once if they ever get any new customers from doing this and they said not many, but that wasn’t what they are trying to do.  They just want their customers that they have now to know how special they are.

So here’s my question for you…Do your resident know how special they are to you?

Here are a few things that you can do to increase your customer service:

1. Give each staff member a post card that has lines on it and let them know that they have to ask 5 to 10 residents if there is anything they can do for them.  If the resident says no, have the staff member write down their name and if the resident says yes, have the staff member write down their name and the problem. Let the resident know that they will let the office staff know…this will let your residents know that you and your staff care and it will help keep the work orders to a minimum…a little at a time instead of all at once during inspections.
2. Make sure you follow up with each work order.  Was it done to your resident’s satisfaction?  Was the staff member courteous?  If there was any mess was it cleaned up?  If the answer to any of the questions is no, then you need to find out what will make the situation better for the resident.  And then let the staff member know what was wrong, so they can improve the next time.
3. When you or your staff are out on the property, wave at your residents and say “hi”…
4. Have a coffee/tea/hot chocolate table for your residents and customers to come in and get a cup of something hot during cold weather.  Let them know you appreciate the fact that they came out in the cold to see you.

Sometimes it is the simple things that mean the most.  Keep you and your staff accountable for giving the best customer service that you can.