Early in my real estate career, I had the privilege of working for a very well-known and deeply respected national development company. The partner in my office always said that “it’s easier to do old business than new business.” Another business mentor taught me that “It is an awfully thin pancake that does not have two sides.” And the late Vance Miller often asked, “Is it fair and just?”
Throughout my career I have tried to incorporate these three principles into my management strategies. I have always tried to understand both sides of any issue and then I have worked to find a solution that is fair and just to all parties, thereby enhancing our chances of repeating existing business. I have found that emotion, policy manuals, and operational guides many times hinder a property manager’s ability to objectively see both sides and find a fair and just accommodation. I have also found that at times it is nearly impossible to make a resident satisfied—in spite of best efforts of everyone involved in the management of the property.
Unfortunately in today’s information overload environment, situations that are not able to be resolved fairly and equitably many times find themselves on public review forums that, in my opinion, incorrectly portray the service that onsite managers and staff are providing residents.
At our firm, we have instituted two core initiatives with measurable results. One is the P.R.I.D.E program, wherein we ask every team member to take “personal responsibility in delivering excellence” to our residents, vendors, and coworkers. The other is a resident survey given to residents at management touch points—lease signing, move-in, renewal, work-order fulfillment, and at other random instances.
We have been gratified by the positive and constructive responses received from our residents. Supervisors are informed of any negative responses and resident concerns are dealt with timely and efficiently. I am sure many in the property management industry experience similar responses.
I looked at various forums that provide residents “air time” to review their apartment communities in an effort to see how we as an industry are doing at serving our residents. Unfortunately I found that the public forums offer a mediocre view of the managers in the trenches and the communities they manage. I sampled 50 Dallas communities in various monthly rent ranges and found the following:
I think property managers are doing a much better job at serving residents than is reflected by the public review forums. It is my belief that these forums attract a disproportionate number of residents who are demanding solutions to problems that are not fair nor just. Perhaps these forums prove up Arnold Bennett’s quote when he said, “There can be no doubt that the average man blames much more than he praises. His instinct is to blame. If he is satisfied he says nothing; if he is not, he most illogically kicks up a row.”
My hat is off to the dedicated men and women who provide wonderful service, even for those who say nothing.
Ron Taylor is president of Henry S. Miller Realty Management. Contact him at [email protected].
