Tips on Effective Landlord-Resident Communication
Good communication is essential for any Grand Rapids rental property business. Open and direct communication between residents and landlords will ensure a successful relationship that translates to long-term residents and an open relationship. Establishing great communication is important from the start, even when someone is still a prospective renter. This Real Property Management Investment Solutions approach will help you avoid stress, make profitable deals, and keep you out of legal trouble. Follow these simple tips to get you started on a path to great open communication.
Be Professional
A resident is essentially your customer. Maintain a respectful, non-emotional communication style when associating with renters. Using “sir” or “ma’am,” asking if another time is better when the background is noisy, or simply asking how the person is doing are all easy ways to be polite. Avoid crossing your arms or showing other defensive or aggressive body language indicators. Smile and show regular eye contact as you listen carefully to your resident. Remember that you get much further with sugar than you do with vinegar – even when times get hard. Real Property Management Investment Solutions knows that professionalism is more than good customer service, it is the gateway to positive communication.
Be Flexible
Communication is not a “one size fits all” element of rental property management so pay attention to the different communication needs of each resident and do not assume that one approach will achieve the same results with all of your renters. If one renter prefers phone calls and another prefers emails, take care to cater to each communication need. If one of your renters doesn’t have the minutes to talk on the phone, consider texting them or visiting with them in person. It may seem like a hassle at first to change a style for one renter, but in the end, for Real Property Management Investment Solutions it’s worth the extra effort to develop those positive landlord-resident relationships.
More is More
Do not hesitate to over communicate. So often, we walk away from a conversation thinking that our message was loud and clear when really all parties made assumptions based on the communication (including words, tone, and body language) that skews the message from its original intent. “More” does not need to be “more complicated,” but regular, simple communication will help ensure everyone is clear about your expectations.
Ultimately, remember that you are working with people and that human-nature element requires a little patience and skill on your part to create effective communication. To Real Property Management Investment Solutions, communication is essential and we take the opportunity to communicate at the time of lease signings and at regularly scheduled intervals. We know what it takes to be a good communicator and with some conscious practices we’ll even help you become more aware so you can get started heading in the right direction.
If you are interested in having your property managed by Real Property Management Investment Solutions, have more questions, or just want to speak to one of our team members, then contact us online or call us directly at 616-419-8880 today!
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
