Snap Session Blog Series Part 1: Engage Residents With Multifamily Emergency Texting

Over the past year, COVID-19 has drastically changed the way that every business operates, from manufacturing and distribution to retail sales and property management. For property managers in particular, a primary challenge has been maintaining communication and resident engagement while working remotely or within limited office hours. Fortunately, technological advances in digital communication have provided property management professionals with the tools necessary to surmount these obstacles. 

In this Snap Session “Resident Communications While Working Remote,” Michael Baker, software sales executive at Notifii, offers unique insights into the benefits of a digital communication strategy tailored to meet the specific needs of your community. In today’s environment of high stress and social distancing, it is more important than ever to have reliable digital communications to resolve issues and ensure residents’ peace of mind. Baker outlines the ways in which digital communications enhance residents’ experience and improve their confidence in the management team. 

In Part 1 of his panel discussion, Baker focuses on the importance of engaging and focused communication between property managers and residents. Whether you are sending an email newsletter with community events or multifamily emergency texts to warn of an unexpected event, it is important to be able to communicate with your residents in a clear and timely fashion. 

With the increase in mobile and email marketing during this time, how can property managers stand out in a crowd?

The first thing you can do to make your communication stand out is to personalize it. Your residents know who you are, and that connection will give you an edge over unknown companies and entities that may want to steal your audience. To add a personal touch, be sure to use verbiage that is relevant and specific to your community. This could be the name of the community or the names of team members that the residents may have interacted with.

Consider using messaging that shows that you care, such as “Hope you are staying healthy” or “Hoping you are well.” It may sound like a cliche, but it adds a much-needed personal element that will make your communication more engaging.

Finally, set a routine by sending messages on a set date and time every week. For example, consider publishing a weekly or monthly newsletter that discusses COVID-19 and acknowledges its impact on your on-site operations. This will help residents get used to seeing messages from you on a regular basis, so they will be prepared to look at the message. 

What kind of conversations are you seeing on your platform since the beginning of the pandemic?

I’d like to start by saying that we don’t view any message content. We respect the privacy of our property managers, but I can tell you from discussions with our clients that they are experiencing more conversations regarding non-payment, late rent, payment schedules, health guidelines, rising tensions between residents — all of these very important, but often stressful topics. So we tell them that it is very good to be calm and collected when dealing with these issues because a lot of tension is raised due to the current circumstances. 

What if residents aren’t following COVID guidelines? How would you address these complaints, especially if you’re not there to see it?

The most important thing is to address it as soon as possible, or as soon as it happens. The sooner you are seen trying to fix the problem, the better off you will be. The last thing you want is for an upset resident to fester, especially if it involves a relationship with two or more residents. So, address it quickly and professionally. Secondly, consider sending out a community-wide reminder regarding COVID procedures and the penalties for not following them. You can use the same kind of penalties as you would use for excessive noise complaints, not picking up dog waste, and other violations.