Working at an apartment community is not for the faint of heart, as onsite leasing associates have so much to juggle during the course of a day.

They have to provide great customer service to prospective renters to keep a steady flow of new leases coming in. They have to take care of the needs and problems of current residents, who are bound to call or come into the leasing office at any minute with matters that need swift attention. They have to make sure maintenance teams are completing service requests, and, increasingly, they have to manage the seemingly never-ending stream of packages that are arriving on site because of the explosion in online shopping.

Today, however, apartment operators are implementing a variety of technologies to give their leasing associates a helping hand. Automated solutions like self-guided tours and other features are not making associates less important – they’re making them better at their jobs.

Powerful PropTech

When apartment operators equip their communities with the right technologies, they help their leasing associates evolve into more efficient team members.

Take self-guided tours, for example. Leading prospects on tours can take up huge chunks of an associate’s day. But when prospective renters are able to take tours without an agent, that gives associates more time in their day to do other important things. Like help current residents out with pressing issues or discuss lease renewal terms with residents. Or help prospects who are on the verge of making a leasing decision.

Smart home technology, access control features and management apps also make the jobs of leasing associates more manageable.

For instance, smart home solutions make it easier for associates to detect water leaks, which can prevent leaks from growing and catch them before they become disastrous. The technology can automatically transfer a unit to “vacant mode” after a resident moves out to save on energy costs and also prevents associates from having to physically visit a vacant unit to turn the lights and/or HVAC on and off. Access control products allow package carriers to enter and leave a property without burdening associates.

Meanwhile, apps for property management personnel can provide site staff with the tools they need to efficiently manage their community’s units, access and work orders, whether they’re onsite or working remotely. These apps provide intuitive interfaces to allow associates to easily view important property, access, work order, unit and leasing information from their phones or tablets.

Looking Ahead

Today’s leasing associates face many challenges. They need something to make their days more efficient and give them the time and mental bandwidth they need to handle their most critical tasks.

Technologies like self-guided tours and smart home systems provide that needed assistance and help leasing associates evolve into the team members they need to be.

 

Demetrios Barnes is the COO of SmartRent.