As property managers we have been told time and time again that a well run department is an efficient combination of process, procedure and people. But with so much streamlining and technology, are we making a conscious effort to “keep it real”? Are we connecting with our clients and personalising our service?
I had an online grocery delivery recently and as the driver carried the last of my groceries into the house, I spotted a watermelon – which I did not order. This prompted me to check the bags further and I discovered three bags of shopping were not mine. I flagged this with the driver, letting him know that those bags were not mine and that someone else was missing their groceries. He looked at me, shrugged and headed off down my driveway. It became clear to me that this was not his job, nor his problem. The packers pack the groceries and put them into specific orders and the driver is responsible for delivery. Full stop, no cross-over over, no integration. It was a Friday night delivery and the other person whose meat and fruit was delivered to my house, would now need to venture to the shops tomorrow, despite making a choice to remove this hassle from their week. I cannot imagine this made for a happy customer.
We can make comparisons to this experience with our day to day property management process. I am a huge advocate of a well run department based on solid procedures, supported by thorough process and templates to suit each part of this process. However, we need to also consider individual clients needs, personal relationships and how our own roles intertwine with the other members of our team.
Next time you are dealing with a client, sending an email or find yourself thinking “this isn’t really my job” think about how you can make sure that the outcome is based around what is best for your client. Engage with your clients and the team internally so you are all focused on not only outcomes, but client experience.
