Instead of asking yourself the question, “Why are our residents not loyal?”, let’s see the glass half full. Instead of focusing on all of the things that you might be doing wrong, let’s look at what you are doing right. When you identify a loyal resident, there is always a good reason behind their loyalty. Here are five reasons your residents are loyal to you.
You solicit and listen to resident feedback
You ask the hard questions and listen to their wants and needs. By taking the time to listen to their desires and provide them with the things they need or want, you show that you care. Caring builds trust and rapport. This is how relationships develop. The icing on the cake is when you implement changes or improvements from their feedback. This is one of the reasons your residents are loyal.
Here are 3 ways to get feedback from your residents:
- Ask them how you are doing. This can be accomplished through resident surveys, one-on-one conversations, social media, etc.
- Listen to their feedback
- Stay “in the know” whether it is via social media, apartment ratings and review sites, resident complaint letters/emails, community rumors, etc.
You are quick to resolve issues
When there is a problem you listen to your residents and quickly provide the best solution(s). You find success in resolving problems quickly, rather than becoming defensive and taking it personally. You do not let small issues turn into bigger ones.
You have come to realize that your residents will share their customer experience with anyone who will listen. Good, bad, or ugly—it will be shared. You are simply putting out the small “fires” before they become infernos.
You simplify your resident’s world
Your apartments and services provide convenience for your residents and make their lives easier. All policies, procedures and processes are designed to deliver ease and effectively accommodate them. When a problem does arise, you make sure that there are processes in place that will solve the problem and keep life simple for your resident. This ensures they remain loyal and will stay with you for a long time.
You realize you are NOT the only apartment community out there
Unless your apartment community is located in Antarctica, you are probably not the only game in town. You understand that adding value to your product and services helps you retain residents. It is this value that you have shown them that keeps them coming back for more. Additionally, it inspires them to share their customer experience with others.
You understand the power of “WOW”
Satisfying customers is never enough—it never has been. You understand that satisfied residents defect, while loyal residents stay, return, and refer their friends, family, and social connections. You strive every day to create “WOW” moments for your residents – those positive and memorable experiences that create emotional bonds and drive action and loyalty. Be sincere. Be real. Everything depends on it!
At the end of the day, you have come to realize that wowed residents are your most profitable residents. They are happier, stay longer, and are your best marketing ROI in referrals and advocacy.
As you reflect on your own personal experience of being a customer, all of this makes complete sense. You know what products you love. You know what products you buy repeatedly over many years. You know the companies that quickly resolve your problems, and the ones who do not. You know the service providers you would recommend and the ones you would not. You know who you trust, and you know who you would trust with your friends and family.
These five reasons your residents are loyal to you are the same reasons you remain a loyal customer as well.
Maria Lawson
Vice President of Training and Development
Ellis Partners in Management Solutions