RETENTION: 10 Places You Might Be Missing the Mark on Resident Interaction (and It's Costing You)
Losing the personal touch in resident interactions can lead to unhappy residents, increased turnover, and significant financial losses. All of this leads to frustrations within your team and most likely…you bringing your work stress home with you. (A big no no in our world.)
We’re walking you through ten critical areas where you might be missing the mark and expert advice on how to improve them. Because here’s the secret: you’re not alone when it comes to the challenge of resident retention! We hear it from sooo many property managers, which is why we’re on a mission to help!
1. The Lost Welcome Touchpoint
Why You Need It:
New residents may feel overlooked and undervalued without a warm welcome, leading to an immediate disconnect. When you miss this personal touchpoint, you’re starting off on the wrong foot and now have to spend that entire resident’s journey trying to catch up.
Here’s An Example:
Sarah moves into her new apartment and finds no welcome package or note. She feels like just another tenant rather than a valued community member. She’s worried the onsite team won’t have good communication and wonders if her time at the community will be like her last one - full of headaches and frustrations.
How to Do It Better:
Provide a personalized welcome package with a handwritten note, essential items like dish towels or laundry detergent, and a small gift tailored to their preferences. (If the resident has a pet, a little toy for the pet would be a great way to win the resident over and make them feel seen and appreciated.) This thoughtful gesture can set a positive tone from the start. We love not having to play catch-up! 🙌
TOP WELCOME DESIGNS
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2. The Missing Event Engagement
Why You Need It:
A lack of engaging events can lead to a disconnected community and low resident satisfaction. Resident events are a great way to build excitement about your community, generate great social media content, and make your residents feel appreciated and celebrated. Pro Tip: You don’t even have to throw a crazy resident event. A simple grab and go event can brighten your residents’ day.
Here’s An Example:
Tom has just moved to a new city. He’s feeling isolated in his apartment and is having trouble making new friends. He really wishes his community would have events or gatherings, which would make it easier to meet new people. His lease is ending in a few months and he starts looking for a new apartment with a more vibrant social scene.
How to Do It Better:
Plan regular events for residents, such as BBQs, game nights, fitness classes, or pet-friendly events. A well-organized calendar of events shows residents that you care about their social well-being. Not every month has to be a big blowout event, but consistently having events for your residents really improves their likelihood of staying at your community because they feel valued and pampered.
If you just read ‘plan regular events’ and gave the biggest eye roll, followed by a “how in the world am I supposed to do that?!” we have two things for you.
1.) A big virtual hug. We know you’re probably overwhelmed, but you’re doing great. Hang in there, friend.
2.) Events don’t have to be overwhelming for you and your team. We created our memberships specifically with the overwhelmed property manager and onsite teams in mind. Think about it this way: We do all the work for you (pick the theme, create customizable graphics, flyers, invites, put together shopping lists, etc.), and you get all the credit.
Click HERE to view the latest SproutMonthly for 12 engaging resident event ideas for this month!
3. The Communication Gap
Click HERE to jump to our Resident Communication Page
Why You Need It:
Poor communication can lead to misunderstandings and resident frustration. It’s so important to let your residents know about anything that may affect them and, the ultimate key to success, inform them quickly! When residents feel like you’re not communicating with them, they basically take that as a giant billboard that says “we’d like you to move out, thanks”.
Here’s An Example:
Emma doesn't get clear information about a scheduled maintenance outage and is caught off guard when the water is shut off for hours. She's frustrated that she didn’t get a heads-up and considers moving.
How to Do It Better:
Use professionally designed templates for notices and announcements to ensure clear and engaging messages. Timely communication about maintenance, community updates, and upcoming events is crucial. Make sure you’re utilizing multiple forms of communication too - posting notices around the community, post on your social media, send out a message through a resident portal or email blast.
Click HERE for our resident communication page
4. The Overlooked Appreciation
Why You Need It:
We all need a little love sometimes. You know that one person you bump into in the grocery store who gives you a compliment that just brightens up your day? Be that person for your residents. A simple appreciation gift can go a long way, and without it, residents may feel unappreciated and neglected, leading to higher turnover rates.
Here’s An Example:
John has lived in his apartment for four years, but he’s never gotten any recognition or thanks from management. He starts feeling taken for granted and starts looking for a new place. He’d love to live somewhere where he feels valued and appreciated for his loyalty.
How to Do It Better:
Show appreciation through monthly initiatives like small gifts or thank-you notes. Regularly expressing gratitude can create a positive atmosphere and encourage lease renewals. You don’t have to buy residents new TVs or anything; we promise small gestures go a long way!
Get resident appreciation gift and flyer designs on our Resident Appreciation Page HERE
5. The Maintenance Miscommunication
Why You Need It:
Residents left in the dark about maintenance schedules can feel frustrated and disrespected. After all, this can often mean your staff is actually going into the resident’s apartment. If there’s one thing you should inform your residents about, it’s when people are going into their personal space.
Here’s An Example:
Maria's sink in her apartment keeps leaking, but she's rarely informed ahead of time when maintenance is stopping by. The lack of communication and lack of respect for her personal space makes her want to move.
How to Do It Better:
Provide clear, timely maintenance notices using easy-to-use templates. Keeping residents informed helps them feel respected and reduces anxiety about maintenance disruptions.
Click HERE for our Resident Communication Page
6. The Boring Renewal Notice
Why You Need It:
Standard, unengaging renewal notices may fail to encourage residents to renew their leases. There’s a lot being thrown at your residents every day. Make your renewal notices happy, fun, and eye-catching.
Here’s An Example:
David gets home from a long, stressful day at work and finds a generic renewal notice waiting for him. He’s drained from the day and this notice doesn’t make him feel inspired to stay another year. He decides to explore other housing options.
How to Do It Better:
Use creative and fun notices that capture residents’ attention. Personalizing renewal offers and providing incentives can make residents more likely to renew their leases.
TOP RENEWAL DESIGNS
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Click HERE for fresh Renewal Designs & Ideas
7. The Forgotten Community-Building
Why You Need It:
Without organized activities, a weak sense of community can lead to higher turnover. Your residents aren’t able to feel invested in the community.
Here’s An Example:
Lisa loves her apartment’s location but feels disconnected from her neighbors because there are no community events or opportunities to meet people. She starts searching for a more resident-focused apartment complex where she can build community.
How to Do It Better:
Organize regular activities and events to strengthen community bonds. Monthly calendars with upcoming events help residents stay engaged and feel connected to their neighbors.
8. The Social Media Silence
Why You Need It:
An inactive social media presence can make residents feel disconnected and uninformed. When they see a social media account that’s not active, they don’t have a lot of hope that the community will be active or kept up to date either.
Here’s An Example:
Mark feels out of touch with what's happening in his apartment complex because the management doesn't post updates or events on social media. He considers moving to a place with better communication.
How to Do It Better:
Maintain an active social media presence with engaging content like helpful tips, recommendations for local shops, event updates, and community highlights. Keeping residents informed and involved online enhances their overall satisfaction.
Click HERE for a social media graphic & caption for every day of the month!
9. The Ignored Feedback
Why You Need It:
Unaddressed maintenance requests and general concerns can lead to dissatisfaction and increased turnover. Your residents will feel ignored and like their voices aren’t valued.
Here’s An Example:
Rachel's maintenance requests are often ignored or delayed, making her feel unimportant. She decides to find a new place where her concerns will be addressed promptly.
How to Do It Better:
Encourage and act on resident feedback, showing that their input is valued. Teach your whole team the importance of timely follow-ups on maintenance requests and concerns to demonstrate your commitment to resident satisfaction.
Click HERE for our Resident Communication Page
10. The Untrained Staff
Why You Need It:
A lack of professional development for your team can lead to poor resident interactions. Your onsite team is often your residents’ first interaction with your community. It’s so important that your team is trained to make sure every interaction is a positive one for your residents.
Here’s An Example:
Jack has had a few interactions with the onsite lately and they have been unresponsive and unprofessional. His negative experiences make him look for housing managed by a more competent team.
How to Do It Better:
Invest time in resources like our podcasts, webinars, and training sessions to improve your team's skills and knowledge. A well-trained team can provide exceptional service, which means higher resident satisfaction and retention.
Everything you need for Resident Retention… All in one place
(and you have access to all of it!)
Use Sprout’s R E A C H Framework for Successful Resident Retention:
RENEWALS: Check out the latest Renewal Designs
EVENTS: Browse Featured Events (Designs & Shopping Lists included)
APPRECIATION: Seasonal Appreciation Ideas for Residents
COMMUNICATION: Download & edit notices and more
HEART: Sprout Members are reaching the hearts of their residents with successful, consistent retention efforts!