Allstate

Rent, bundle and save

I can help you save by adding a renters policy to your auto insurance for around the price of a cup of coffee each month.* Call or email anytime for a quote.

Gomes Insurance Agency 844-966-5178

gomesinsuranceagency@allstate.com

Call today to set up the perfect policy for you.

*Premium based on national average net cost of about $4 when added to a standard Allstate auto policy. Discounts and coverages subject to terms, conditions, availability. Savings vary. Allstate Fire and Casualty Ins. Co., Allstate Ins. Co., Allstate Indemnity Co. & affiliates: 2775 Sanders Rd Northbrook IL 60062. © 2019 Allstate Insurance Co.

Virtual Leasing: Tips for Product Excellence

Prior to recent events, most of us would likely have said we knew the ins and outs of product excellence. The “sparkle bucket” has been a part of our vocabulary for years (decades?), and the use of cleaning wipes and handheld vacuums is second nature. We’re savvy in the use of the Internet for an ever-growing list of odor remedies, and we haunt Pinterest for ideas for WOW fridges.

It’s a new, virtual world, and product excellence has taken on a different form. How do we appeal to all of the senses, long considered critical, when the prospect cannot smell or touch? We can’t put them at ease and begin building rapport over refreshments. How, then, do we achieve an excellent product?

Tip #1: Unpack Your Adjectives A core principle of leasing is to sell benefits, not features. A feature is boring, and something a prospect can see themselves: a stainless-steel fridge, or new carpet. Benefits tell a prospect how their life will be better as a result of the feature.

With virtual touring, we’re often in the position of having to do both. The prospect might not be able to see how deep the fridge is; they can’t feel how plush the new carpet is. Achieving virtual product excellence starts with making sure the prospect understands what the product is in the first place. Use descriptive words, so that if video isn’t available or isn’t good quality, the prospect still sees the picture you’re painting.

Tip #2: Test Your Technology A virtual community tour means that we’re relying on what the prospect can see and hear, so a strong, high-quality connection is critical. Test the devices you plan to use: if you have a choice, which device gives you the best connection? Most of us are used to low-quality audio from cell phones. If you must choose between good audio or good video, choose the device with the best video. The prospect is going to shop with their eyes first, so as long as the video works well, the audio can be less important. That being said, you should still test your connections, and change devices if an audio connection experiences feedback or other significant issues.

Tip #3: Practice Makes Perfect Virtual touring has been used before in multifamily, but never as widely as it is today. All of us are learning a new skill, and as with anything new, it takes practice. Each person on the leasing team should take turns giving virtual tours to others. Provide constructive feedback:

• Could you hear and see well? • Did the leasing professional use descriptive terms? • W as the leasing professional prepared and organized? • Did the t our flow naturally? • Ho w did the community appear? Was the apartment show-ready? Did anything catch your attention that needs to be remedied before showing this unit again? Tip #4: Product Starts with People One aspect of product excellence hasn’t changed: the need for an equally-excellent professional to present it. First impressions still matter, and now the first impression of the community may very well be a video call with a leasing agent. Curb appeal still applies: Leasing team members need to follow dress codes and appear polished and work-appropriate on any video calls and tours.

by Chrys Vanderkamp

Establish clear standards for acceptable clothing and overall appearance. Team members should not be chewing gum or eating while conducting tours, as the noise can carry.

If team members are working remotely, and conducting tours using photographs or prerecorded video, discuss individual circumstances with each team member to minimize distractions and create the touring environment.

Tip #5: Walk Units Virtually If tours are being conducted virtually, then unit walks should be as well. Punch list items which may not catch the eye in person - paint touch ups, carpet stains - might pop on video, depending on camera quality. Use a device to conduct the daily unit walks and watch the video for what your prospect sees.

Creative thinking has a place in our new virtual world. Instead of offering coffee at the start of the tour, consider alternatives. Are there services in your area where a coffee or snack could be delivered at the start of the appointment? Can you send an e-gift card?

Even after the current crisis abates, many of the changes we’re experiencing in the way we do business and lease our communities may be permanent. Our “new normal” will almost certainly be more virtual that it was, so it’s important for us to adapt: not just for now, but for the longterm. Attention to virtual product excellence will ensure that your leads keep coming in and your community stays leased in this new online world.