Property management companies provide vital services to tenants, property owners, and landlords alike. By handling the daily operations of rental properties and HOAs, such companies play an invaluable role in the process of collecting rent, filling vacancies, and maintaining safe places for tenants to live. Fulfilling these obligations is no easy feat, though. Property managers are the ones answering middle-of-the-night phone calls, dispatching plumbers when the toilet is overflowing, and handling tenant disputes.
Thankfully, there are a number of useful tools and resources at the disposal of property managers. Property management answering services have quickly become an indispensable cog in the industry. Here are just a few reasons to consider adding such a service to your tool bag:
Provide Back-Up for Your Team
In order to keep both landlords and tenants satisfied, property managers have to spin a lot of plates. An average day on the job might include vendor meetings, apartment showings, and the screening of prospective tenants. While property managers answer their fair share of incoming phone calls, they’re not always available to pick up every time a call comes through.
Some allow the calls to roll to voicemail. Others entrust phone coverage to a small team of employees. When property management teams are spread too thin, though, phone duties may fall by the wayside. That’s where an answering service for apartments can come into play. With calls handled, property managers and their employees will have more time to dedicate to the most pressing tasks on their to-do lists.
Offer Tenants 24/7 Support
There are two types of after hour phone calls: those that demand immediate action and those that can wait. Tenants are going to feel that their call is important no matter what the reason is. And they are right, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you or your on-call staff need to get woken up in the middle of the night.
A good answering service for property managers gives tenants the attention they need no matter when they call. If they dial in an emergency situation, the remote receptionist will follow your protocols to ensure the right people are notified right away. Otherwise, they’ll take care of the caller themselves by providing the necessary information or taking a message for you to follow up with later. Either way, the tenant had the full attention of a representative and their concerns were heard and handled.
Improve Your Customer Service Game
In the property management world, customer service is always important. The stakes grow higher in especially competitive rental markets, though – there’s no second chance at a first impression. Allow a prospective tenant to roll to voicemail and you may have lost a valuable lead forever. Also consider the fact that renters do their homework before choosing a place to live. They read the reviews from current and former tenants to influence their decisions. There’s simply no margin for error when it comes to property management customer service.
A property management answering service can ensure every call is answered promptly and professionally. While your team is busy showing vacant units or performing background checks, a virtual receptionist can cover the phones, addressing each caller with expertise and efficiency. You’ll present a more professional image to callers who may never realize they’re speaking with a third-party! This type of customer service is what attracts great renters.
Dispatch Maintenance Staff Quickly
A burst pipe can do thousands of dollars in damage in mere minutes. A broken HVAC system can have tenants up in arms during summer and winter months. Gas leaks can be incredibly hazardous to the people and pets residing in a rental property. When there’s an emergency, property management staff have no choice but to take quick action – lives and livelihoods depend upon it.
Unfortunately, though, dispatching maintenance staff isn’t always as simple as it sounds. After hours emergencies often mean rousing an entire phone tree of employees from bed. With a property management answering service on hand, tenants can cut through the red tape and get the help they need quickly.
From there, virtual receptionists can make crucial decisions about who to call and when. Highly-trained call center workers can familiarize themselves with your policies and procedures ahead of time, allowing them to make important choices about what constitutes an emergency – and what does not. Discerning between the two isn’t always easy, but making the right call can save your property management company serious cash. When it comes to protecting the health and safety of tenants and rental properties, a property management answering service is a powerful asset.
Maintain a Pipeline of Prospective Tenants
Rental properties and large HOAs are in a near constant state of flux. There’s always someone moving out, moving in, or hoping to make a move one way or another. Maintaining a steady stream of viable tenants is the key to any successful property management company, but it takes a lot of manpower to do so. From marketing available apartments to screening applicants to collecting deposits, there’s always some chore to take care of when minimizing vacancies.
Property management answering services help make this pipeline easier to maintain. Allow a call center team to schedule showings with prospective tenants. Virtual receptionists thoughtfully schedule appointments with a careful eye on your availability. Such resources can virtually eliminate the game of phone tag that so often accompanies new tenants.
Effortlessly Share Community News and Reminders
Some tenants pay their rent on time every month. Others require gentle prodding. A property management answering service can help remind tenants about upcoming payment deadlines. Tenants may not always comply with reminders, but you’ll at least rest easy knowing due diligence has been done.
An answering service for property managers can provide other updates and information to your community, too. Alert residents to changes in policies, upcoming events, and reminders about parking or pet waste. Build reminders into a customized call script and a virtual receptionist team will take care of the rest. It’s never been easier to keep an entire community on the same page!
Try a Property Management Answering Service
Running a property management company that’s both profitable and effective isn’t easy. The job requires careful decision making, practiced leadership, and a team of quality partners. If you’re eager to regain balance in your company’s daily operations, consider partnering with MAP Communications. With more than three decades of call center experience, MAP Communications knows the value of a friendly, helpful voice on the end of the line.
