Improving the Resident Experience with Prompt Maintenance Assistance

The perception of maintenance is a much discussed topic in the industry today. Because maintenance personnel are frequently on the grounds, they have become the face of apartment communities. They are often more visible than the front office staff. According to Satisfacts, a multifamily industry provider of resident surveys focusing on retention and reputation management, maintenance teams can significantly impact your resident’s decision to renew their lease and recommend the apartment community to friends and family. Promptness and professionalism are among four drivers that Satisfacts identifies in which maintenance can maximize the resident’s perception of value on the living experience. “Residents want to know they are receiving the VIP treatment and feel they are the maintenance’s number one priority,” the firm notes, and they expect maintenance to be professional in communication. “Residents feel professionalism builds their trust and meets their needs.” When maintenance issues arise, residents want action fast Simply, when a maintenance issue arises, a resident doesn’t want to be put off. Someone needs to know so the issue can be addressed quickly. Having to leave a voicemail or enter a callback number may aggravate the problem. “One of the key reasons that people move to another community, even if it’s down the street, is the quality of maintenance support that they get from the community, and the timeliness and the comfort of knowing that they can talk to somebody and that their issues are going to be resolved,” said JoAnna Lloyd, Senior Director Product Advocacy for RealPage Contact Center. Whether dealing with routine or emergency situations during or after business hours, residents want and expect their problems to be resolved as soon as possible. An empathetic, re-assuring voice at the other end of the line shows the community cares, which puts residents at ease and helps establish...