Like so many of you, we have been forced to rapidly adjust nearly all aspects of our business in the wake of Covid-19. Many of these changes have been difficult - but here’s our take on four changes that we believe are here to stay.
#1: Leasing is now Virtual
Tenants are able to perform self-guided showings after verifying their identity. This eliminates the need for face-to-face interaction and allows prospective tenants the freedom to tour properties on their schedule. Agent-accompanied showings are down around 60%; while self-guided activity is up over 30%. We believe that the desire to be more ‘socially distant’ will remain a trend for the foreseeable future.
#2: Working Remotely
The stay-home order meant an adjustment to working from home without the structure of an office environment. This took a few weeks to get used to! We had our office telephones installed as an App on our cell phones and enrolled our few remaining check-paying tenants in electronic rent collection. For years our team has been paperless, so this pivot to working remotely was a lot easier for us.
#3: In-Person Meetings are now Digital
Our clients are no longer requesting face-to-face meetings. Instead, we’ve moved to platforms such as Zoom & Facetime. This adjustment took a while to get used to, but the amount of time saved for all parties is undeniable. Not only do virtual meetings increase productivity & efficiency... but they also accommodate a more flexible schedule, provide more effective means of communication, and save money & time!
#4: Maintenance Operations
Tenants are very cautious about who enters their home and require extra assurance that all possible efforts are being made by our team to properly sanitize. Also, to avoid contact with a vendor in their home, tenants are much more inclined to trouble-shooting smaller maintenance items with our team over the phone.