(#632) TAKE THE CONVERSATION ONLINE

TAKE THE CONVERSATION ONLINE

Daily Dose: Lease online. Party online. Do it all online.

Time Investment: ⏰⏰

Money Investment: Free-$

During times of crisis, there is no such thing as over-communication. People are anxious and idle, both of which can lead to a lot of frustrating requests that our onsite teams will have to field.

ESTABLISH LINES OF COMMUNICATION AT YOUR COMMUNITY NOW with the designs below.

Watch this FOUR MINUTE VIDEO SEE HOW TO TAKE IT ONLINE:

THE RESOURCES YOU NEED TO DO ONLINE (VIRTUAL) LEASING AND EVENTS!

SELECT A DESIGN

Click to Download or Customize

Online RESIDENT COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

EMAIL
- PRO: People are used to communicating this way. It’s fast and effective.
- CON: People are flooded with emails right now regarding COVID. It will be easy for your emails to get lost in the shuffle.
- TIP: Use a consistent subject line to let residents know that emails are from your community. Example: [Sprout Apartments: Community Updates 3/18]
RESIDENT PORTAL
- PRO: If residents are already used to using this, they will automatically go here for updates.
- CON: No con if this is already set-up.
- TIP: Keep notices up-to-date so people don’t stop checking the portal.
SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS
- PRO: For diversion, many people will be turning to social media. This is an opportunity for you to be part of the online conversation. You can also post videos which feel a lot more personal when you can’t have face-to-face interaction.
- CON: Conversations can quickly turn negative, and threads can spiral out of control with varying opinions on how things should be done.
- TIP: Consider setting up a Facebook Group where you can approve comments or respond privately.
CHAT FEATURE ON WEBSITE
- PRO: Residents and prospects may already be going to your website to see how to reach out. Having a quick response will lower phone calls or office visits and increase capacity for your team.
- CON: People expect a quick response time with chat. Make sure it is turned off if you are overwhelmed with requests or if you step away from your computer to go to the bathroom or get a snack…(which by the way...totally allowed!).
- TIP: Reach out to your web provider. This can be an easy added means of communication.
TEXT
- PRO: It’s an easy way to reach your residents on their cell phone, which many will be glued to.
- CON: Many communities don’t have this setup.
- TIP: If you have a third-party service, providing text message updates can be effective in relaying time-sensitive information.
PHONE
- PRO: People are used to calling in.
- CON: If staff is limited, calls can quickly become overwhelming, and you may be responding to repetitive questions.
- TIP: Set up a voicemail that answers some of your FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) or directs them somewhere on your website/portal that answers them. That way if you can’t get to everyone personally, they can still get answers to the most common questions.