Improving online reputation is something that all property managers want to do, and today we have some useful information on how to do that.
We analyzed reviews that owners were leaving on our clients’ Google+ and Yelp pages, and we came up with some interesting data. These eight points of interest surfaced over and over again from company to company.
What are owners noticing when it comes to your services, and what’s leading them to leave positive and negative reviews?
We’re counting down the most important things that owners care about.
Number 8: Vacancies and Tenant Placement
Owners like their homes to be rented out quickly. Make sure you’re keeping vacancy time down and putting a great, qualified tenant in the property to reduce turnover.
Number 7: Professionalism
This comes up a lot from reviewers who switch property management companies. They notice how you run your business, how you communicate, and the service you provide. Owners will mention your professionalism in positive five-star reviews.
Number 6: Maintenance
Tenants and owners care about maintenance, and many of the bad reviews we see are written when maintenance isn’t taken care of promptly and properly. People want an immediate response when they have a repair issue. Even if you can’t get a vendor out to the property right away, keep the lines of communication open. Proactive, preventative maintenance is always appreciated.
Number 5: Be Friendly
Your owners will make personal connections with the people who represent your business. You need to have good employees in place. Five star reviews often mention specific people in your company. So, it’s important to train your employees to give great customer service, from the receptionist to the leasing agent to the property manager.
Number 4: Easing Concerns
Owners care a lot about having their concerns addressed. These owners are doing business with you to reduce the stress of self-managing their property. So, when you can reduce their stress level, you’ll get a good review.
Number 3: Timeliness
Be quick and timely. Whether it’s finding a tenant, making repairs, or even selling the property, everyone likes timely service – especially when money is involved.
Number 2: Quality of Work
High quality of work will reduce maintenance, saving the owner money, and preserving the condition of the property. If you want positive online reviews, you have to do good work. Reach out to your happy owners so they are consistently leaving you positive reviews.
Number 1: Communication
It should come as no surprise that communication is the biggest thing owners care about when it comes to your property management services. Both your happiest and your angriest clients have something in common; they care about communication or lack thereof. Poor communication drives negative reviews. Keep a great line of communication open with your clients so you get positive feedback.
Are you really good at some of these items? Be sure your marketing is highlighting that because these are going to make an impact on your prospects. Are you prioritizing these things in your property management business? Take a look at your own reviews, and see if the things your owners care most about are the same things you devote most of your time to doing well.
If you have any questions about improving your online reputation, please contact us at Fourandhalf, and we’d be happy to help you.
