If you work in the property management field, you likely know firsthand that dealing with tenant complaints can be a major part of the job. The way in which your team handles complaints on a regular basis can often affect the “tenant experience” in a multitude of ways – with the potential of having detrimental consequences to your business! By training and educating your team on how to communicate with tenants, you’ll be able to use tenant complaints as an opportunity to introduce more positive engagement among your resident community.
Here are some of our top tips for how companies can best handle complaints in the property management industry:
Establish communication protocols.
Every property management company should have a strict set of protocols in place regarding tenant communications. A communications strategy should include policies about how to engage with tenants (i.e., via email, text, etc.), as well as which members of staff should address certain issues. For instance, you might assign a property manager to handle maintenance complaints while a leasing agent may oversee paperwork or leasing inquiries. By establishing a sound communications policy, you’ll be consistent with how you respond to tenants, adhering to a strict set of practices.
Acknowledge tenants’ issues.
Ignoring or hoping tenants’ issues simply go away is not a reliable strategy for resolving problems on a regular basis. Once you receive a complaint, it’s important to acknowledge that you understand the tenant’s concern and will work to rectify it. If the tenant is unreasonable in their requests, you can provide a polite professional response without being rude or dismissive. At a baseline level, providing acknowledgement of complaints will show you respect your tenants’ opinions and feelings.
Invest in management training.
Your approach to training and development can often make or break tenants’ perceptions about their residential experiences. Comprehensive training should focus on many critical factors of effective management, including but not limited to, customer service skills; conflict resolution; emotional intelligence; strategic thinking; delegation; and planning. Making training and development a core part of your company culture will provide management staff with the tools and knowledge to constructively resolve a variety of tenant issues.
Currently seeking a new position in the property management field? Contact The Liberty Group and start exploring new job opportunities with our team!