Tenant Customer Service is Paramount

The most successful landlords treat their venture as a business. Like any good business, customer satisfaction must be a priority. Failing to view it as such is a guaranteed way to fail. Customers drive business, period. Like any business, however, you will encounter bad customers. Accept this now, and accept that your job is to manage them. With that said, I’m not encouraging you to allow yourself to be taken advantage of. “Professional tenants” do exist, and their aim is to suck the landlord dry. This is not OK, and I would encourage any landlord to take the necessary steps to evict in these given scenarios. But all too often landlords will treat minor discrepancies as if they represent the end of the world. This leaves them stressed, leaves their tenants unhappy, and breeds a negative environment for both parties.

Making the effort to view your tenants as customers, and understanding the importance of customer satisfaction, will ultimately lead to a more satisfactory tenancy for both parties; tenant satisfaction leads to wilful cooperation on their part. This will make your life as the landlord infinitely easier. The long-term effect is equally beneficial as it is essentially indirect marketing: a satisfied tenant will be more likely to give you less headache, and want to stay on board once their lease is up. If not, they are more likely to bring you future business throughout positive word of mouth. The ultimate effect for you as a landlord, is less vacancy, and better tenant cooperation. This should be the ultimate goal for any successful property manager.

So, what sorts of actions should a landlord/property manager take to ensure customer satisfaction? Glad you asked:

First and foremost, a thorough lease agreement fully outlining your expectations as a landlord must be put in place. I would also recommend spending time to go over the vital details with your tenant either in person or over the phone. Many landlords send over the lease agreement without discussing the terms with the tenant. In turn, many tenants fail to actively read the agreement. This creates grey area, which is a recipe for disaster. Clear communication, on the other hand, will ensure that both parties are on the same page. This will give both parties confidence entering into the agreement, as they understand what will be expected on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. No surprises mean less headache.

Hand in hand with this is ongoing communication. Don’t just fall off the map once your tenant has moved in. This can lead to many unwanted scenarios including tenants slowly easing off lease agreement details because they feel they aren’t being monitored. More importantly, your tenants may need you from time to time. In these instances, it’s important that they can easily reach you. If they feel that you don’t prioritize customer service, they’ll be less inclined to treat your property with respect. Make sure you are easily reachable, and timely to respond to inquiries.

Always remember that you are a professional, and conduct yourself as such. When your tenants see that you are a serious landlord who takes on full accountability, they are more likely to respect you. When meeting with your tenants, be well dressed and well groomed. Be friendly and courteous, but be sure to keep a clear distinction between friendship and professional relationship; most of us have taken advantage of a friend at one point or another in our lives. But how many of us have taken advantage of a superior? Small talk is a nice middle ground that will put your relationship in it’s place.

Lastly, stay organized. This will show your tenant that you are a professional who commands respect. Maintaining a sense of order and organization will give your tenant confidence in dealing with you and living in your space. They will feel that they are in good hands, and will be more likely to adhere to rules and clear communication throughout their tenancy with you. An organized landlord is inadvertently encouraging and promoting easy cooperation from their tenants.

These are just a few key details to keep at the forefront of your mind. By maintaining clear communication, professionalism, organization and clear agreement details, you’re setting up a successful tenancy in both the immediate and long-term future.