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Communication and Engagement with Residents During COVID-19 How to communicate with and engage your residents during a pandemic. Also included are fun activities for your residents to do during the COVID-19 pandemic. By
BARBARA SAVONA, Sprout Marketing
A note from the editor: This article was written in late March and edited on the first of April. The situation in Houston may have shifted by the time you read this article. Please consider the tips in this article for resident communication and engagement. Refer to the CDC and NAA for any additional questions you may have.
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partment community operators impact many lives. After all, we are talking about people’s homes. This is our opportunity to step up from a communication and engagement standpoint. First things, first. You need to continue to communicate with your residents. During times of crisis, there is no such thing as over-communication. People are anxious and idle, both of which can lead to a lot of frustrating requests that our onsite teams will have to field. We can't eliminate frustrations, but many can be avoided or reduced by how and what we communicate. It’s crucial during this time to let empathy guide all of your communication regardless of the response from your resident or prospect. When it comes to communication with your residents, you have options, so be selective and pick which ones work for your apartment community.
Various Communication Tools and the Pros and Cons of Each: Phone: Pro: People are used to calling in. Con: If staff is limited, calls can quickly become overwhelming, and you may be responding to repetitive questions. Tip: Set up a voicemail that answers FAQ and/or directs them to your website and/or resident portal where they can find the appropriate information. That way, if phone calls become overwhelming, residents can get answers to the most common questions. Email: Pro: Most people are accustomed to this form of communication. It’s fast and effective. Con: People’s inboxes are flooded with COVID-19 related emails right now. It will be easy for your emails to get lost in the shuffle. Tip: Use a consistent subject line to let residents know that emails are from your community. Example: Sprout Apartments: Community Updates 3/18. Resident portal: Pro: If residents are already used to accessing your property’s resident portal for updates and information, they will automatically go here for updates. Con: There isn’t really a con we could identify. Tip: Keep your resident portal up to date, so people will continue to check the portal. Doing this, may also reduce the amount of calls. Chat Feature on Website: Pro: Residents and prospects may already be going to your website to determine how to reach out. A chat feature allows for quick responses, lowering phone calls and increasing capacity for your team.
www.haaonline.org
May 2020
ABODE
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