Return to site

Four Customer Service Mistakes You're Likely Making

broken image

Property management requires a person to wear a lot of hats. You've got to be a jack of all trades, with knowledge of sales, marketing, real estate and maintenance. On top of it all, you also need to present a friendly, helpful face to tenants in need of assistance. Scott Safadi of Cal Bay Property Management encourages other folks in the industry to challenge the status quo and step up their customer service game. Here are four common customer service mistakes you just might be making:

Never Admitting You're Wrong

To err is human, but it's also human nature to dig in our heels when we feel insecure. When you've made a mistake with a tenant, it's often hard to admit that your actions have caused a problem. The best way to handle a mess? Be humble and honest about your role in the situation and don't be afraid to apologize when necessary.

Groveling When You're in the Wrong

There is such a thing as going too far in your apologies. While it's good to admit when you've screwed up, it's never a good idea to grovel and beg for forgiveness from your tenant. Not only is it unprofessional, it makes you look insincere. Even if you might be legitimately upset that you messed up, resist the urge to apologize over and over again. Instead, simply own the mistake and don't let it happen again.

Passing the Buck

You're not a superhero, so why try to solve the world's problems? While this philosophy might ring true to some degree, it sets you up in a potentially dangerous state of mind. Even if something technically isn't your problem, do everything in your power to find a solution for a tenant. Take a look at the Yelp page for Cal Bay Property Management and you'll see the names of several employees who were willing to go the extra mile for tenants. People won't always remember what you said to them, but they'll always remember how you made them feel.

Disappearing in Times of Need

Property managers need to be available around the clock, but they also need to maintain a healthy work/life balance if they're going to be halfway decent at their job. Of course, when an emergency happens at two in the morning, they need to be ready to leap into action. That's why it's important to always have someone on-call, even if it's just a person manning the phones to forward the most important things onto the head honcho. Not only is it a great way to be there for your tenants, it's also a safety net for the property itself!

- Scott Safadi, Cal Bay Property Management