Is Automation Helping or Hurting You?

By Jane Garvey

Ijust got off the phone with a fellow landlord who was insisting that his Virtual Assistant (VA) was the right answer for showing his property. Is it?

I think it is time to look at this issue from both sides – housing provider and customer.

they have a repair request? Even if your automation is better than everyone else’s, your first impression will lead people to believe that the standard nightmare will be the norm.

Publisher John Triplett john@rentalhousingjournal.com

Editor Linda Wienandt linda@rentalhousingjournal.com

Associate Editor Diane Porter Advertising Manager Terry Hokenson terry@rentalhousingjournal.com

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As the years have passed, I have witnessed more and more automation of the routine tasks in our business. I have also witnessed more and more automation of everything in life. This supposedly makes things more efficient, saves us time, and allows us to be consistent in our service. But… who is this process meant to benefit?

Old fashioned as I may be, I prefer talking to a human being. When I have a problem with a product or service, I dread the “new normal” process. I place a call to a help line that will run me through 18 automated questions that don’t really fit my circumstances. Eventually, after what seems like an eternity on hold, I reach a remotely located human who asks me the same 18 questions and then tells me that I need to talk to someone else. After 2 hours of button pushing and being placed on hold, I sometimes am disconnected. If I reach a person, they often don’t have answers or authority.

I am thrilled on the rare occasion that I call the listed number and a real person answers the phone. Why not be the service provider that adds the human touch?

If you are trying to rent property, what is the most important thing you can do?

I would contend that you should try to demonstrate great customer service. If the first encounter with your company is a VA with a script, this is what your potential residents will expect. A handsoff, manager from a big company. They will be renting from a computer and a VA. Is this what they are going to encounter when they have an emergency? Is this what they will have to go through when

Personally, I have found that people really respond well to a person answering the phone, the text, or the email. The more personalized the response I can give, the better. I am not talking about violating Fair Housing Laws, but rather a friendly greeting with a list of preliminary questions about their wants and needs, as well as some about their job and income, and potential no-goes from my end. I end with a promise of what will happen once they answer the questions. “I will get you in touch with our on-site maintenance guy to set up a viewing if this looks like it will be a good fit.”

My fellow landlords are going with the “send me a picture of your driver’s license and I’ll send you a code to show yourself the property.” Some of the people follow through and look, but there is no pivot to the sale that happens during their showing. No one is pointing out the great features. No one is talking about how tight the market is. No one is talking about the neighborhood amenities. And no one is asking if they are going to be filling out an application. In addition, no one is making sure the doors and windows are locked, the lights are out, the toilets are flushed, and the faucets are turned off. No personal touch.

In my case if it seems like a good fit based on their answers to my preliminary questions, I send the name and phone number of the person who will be showing them the property. That person ideally has intimate knowledge of the property and the community, as well as being a great representative of my business.

So, how is this working out? To compare apple to apples, I am going to talk about units in a townhome complex. When I have a unit available, I look at what else is on the market for rent. I will look at size, condition, and time on market. I often price mine at or above the top price listed. I find that mine are rented while the others are still sitting on the market. So, I am getting $25 to $75 more per month per unit and have shorter vacancies by several weeks. In my view, that is significant. I am sure that we have less showings since they are usually rented within 1-3 showings, and occasionally with zero showings. This is less wear and tear on the units, and less clean-up required before the move-in. One might wonder if my criteria are more lax than other owners or managers. I can assure you that is not the case. I have discussed this with the HOA management.

Can I scale this business model? This is how people have operated for a long time, so yes, it can be scaled. One just needs to find the right people to help. Is this business model going to last? I think it will. I have many residents and potential residents tell me how refreshing it is to talk to a “real” person. I get it, your VA is supposed to take the place of a “real” person, but they have less latitude in going off script or building any rapport. I want to end the initial interaction with people having them want to like the unit so that they can rent from me or appreciating that I haven’t wasted their time when it wasn’t a good fit. That great first impression is critical.

Overall, I am still happy with the personal contact rather than the VA. Great customer service comes from putting yourself in the customer’s shoes and creating the experience you would like to see.