Every company needs a mediator. Between who you might ask? Between those who seek service and those who manage the service. Managers and owners aren’t often available to answer every dire question and unless provided with a service that can help the business risks not meeting the satisfaction of their customer. Have you ever spoken to customer service, whether directly in-person or over the phone? The idea of a property management answering service works similarly. Property management answering services work 24/7 while most businesses have a 9/5 schedule, allowing longer help periods. Their main tasks are engaging with tenants’ questions and concerns. So why do you need one, two, or a whole team?
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The Why
Nothing is worse than calling a leasing property only to be put on hold, or met with a computer-generated answering machine, to then be transferred to an automated voice messaging system. That is not professionalism. We understand how busy property management be, but without offering proper assistance to prospective, and current, tenants, you risk losing and even deterring future tenants.
You’re Too Busy
Available is what’s in. Continue to do work on business and allow the customer service team to tend to personal tenant needs. You might have prior engagements, meetings, or just a full schedule, by allowing the answering service to answer calls on behalf of the business it allows you to continue with your duties while answering the questions and concerns of tenants and guests. You’ll have to instruct the service team with how to answer certain questions but that’s the beauty of it. Rather than answering every pressing answer yourself, set up your team to be able to answer questions that you yourself, or your employees, aren’t willing to chalk up time over.
You’re Not Always Available
Remember, availability is what’s in. Unfortunately, you won’t always be available especially after working hours. That’s time you want to spend doingwhatever it is you want and not feel the need to tend to the businessunless an urgent issue arises. Service teams provide you with the ability to have your business available 24/7. Granted, it’s over the phone but not only does this provide customers with the information they’re looking for, but it also provides you with the assurance that business is being taken care off while you’re away from the business. Have a showing coming up and don’t think you’re going to make it due to previous showings that day, allow the service team to reschedule appointments based on your instructions. Owners and managers are never truly apart from the business, but now you can service teams provide you with more breathing room.
Service Team Benefits
Added benefits to having an answering service team will do more than just delegate responsibilities elsewhere. Customers are always a great focus for any business but so are your profits. Instructing your service to set schedules not only keeps your calendar full but it creates potential leasers. Bilingual services are another great way to attract different customers as well as retaining the ones you currently have. Language can be a barrier for man service teams often provide bilingual services to mitigate this issue. Lastly, the cost of time and money spent inhouse may cause you to want to consider an answering service team. Your service team can comprise of one additional member to your business or several, all willing to work under the volume you provide. Save your money, hire out, and pay forthe time they engage with customers and not by the hour. Your money can be better spent elsewhere, the cost of having in person help could take your business back a few steps, especially if their service isn’t being used. Whereas answering services often only account for the time spent doing work.
Build Your Team
You’ve got a business to run and that often means being everywhere at once and the problem is you can’t. Your business is going to cost you more the more inhouse help you get and there’s no guarantee it will transfer into profits. Hire out, free up your time, save money and tend to the things that you need to in order to increase your profits. Your competitors are looking into it, why aren’t you?
