Topic: Pre-Screening Questionnaire by Phone?

Interested in hearing if anyone is implementing a Pre-Screening questionnaire to interested tenants prior to showing the property. Something more than getting a name and setting a time to meet at the prop. My company is in the process of possibly implementing an official pre-screen questionnaire to vet out potentials rather than losing value time on someone who isn't qualified.

Any insight would be great. Thanks!

Paul

While we do ask some prequalifying questions, like number of occupants, why they're moving (moving because they're being evicted tell us right up front they would not qualify) and the like, we would still tour anyone that wants to see the community or model. I certainly understand wanting to save valuable time for only those that are qualified, but just because this person may not be qualified today does not mean that their circumstances couldn't change tomorrow. Moreover, the folks that are not qualified, likely have friends and family that would be qualified, so why not show them your community so you have someone else out there talking up your community?

Every property management company has a set of questions their leasing team and/or call center employs when answering Prospect calls. This allows them to prioritize the leads such as those needing housing NOW versus those needing housing a year from now. Doesn't mean you can't close both, but obviously, the sooner someone needs a place, the best effort will be to get them in the door or close from afar. That being said, in this area (Indiana) there are companies that specialize in renting single family houses and these people are downright rude to callers - telling them to drive by and apply online before they even set up an appointment to show the house. Their qualifying questions are "Do you have a job?"

Please keep Fair Housing in mind as you build your questionnaire. And Mindy is absolutely correct, we all use some sort of script or guidelines when handling phone traffic. Additionally, if you aren't careful with your "prescreening" you may inadvertently hurt future traffic if word gets out that you are trying to qualify people before they even walk in the door.

I use a pre-screening phone questionnaire for it helps to better serve the prospect and weeds out less serious and current needs for rentals. Also helps me know where and what to show based in their criterias and price points for rent and if the qualify to see and rent. No need to waste your and the prospects time if they do not meet your qualification to rent. It is a good idea. Work smarter not harder.

That sounds like a really good idea. They don't waste the gas or the application fee and you don't waste your time showing an apartment they can't rent. A win all the way around.

Pre-screening questions are not supposed to encourage leasing consultants to discourage Prospects from visiting a community or applying for an apartment. All Prospects should be invited to come to your community to tour and learn about the community. We are engaging people and yes, maybe once they get there, they may not qualify right then. However, those Prospects who do not qualify today MAY qualify a year from now and how we treat them on the phone and in person should always be welcoming and warm.

Mindy wrote:

Pre-screening questions are not supposed to encourage leasing consultants to discourage Prospects from visiting a community or applying for an apartment. All Prospects should be invited to come to your community to tour and learn about the community. We are engaging people and yes, maybe once they get there, they may not qualify right then. However, those Prospects who do not qualify today MAY qualify a year from now and how we treat them on the phone and in person should always be welcoming and warm.

But a year from now they will have a home and no reason to move. You already turned them down once. As Groucho Marx once put it, "I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member." To explain: the story goes that Groucho wanted to join an exclusive golf club and was rejected because he was Jewish. After his rise to fame the same club offered him membership and that was his reply. Rejection hurts no matter the reason or how gently done. Of the potential tenants that have been excluded, how many ever walked through your door again?

The mere suggestion that one outright discourage a Prospect from visiting a community is against the whole concept of being welcoming - have you heard of Fair Housing - where the concept is inclusion, not exclusion through a simple phone call. The difference a year makes can be profound! And, yes, over the years, I have had people return because we were very welcoming, warm and nice to them. There is, by the way, no shame in NOT being able to afford a particular rent. I have counseled many a Prospect on properties in the area that meet their price ranges. It is simply respecting the Prospects needs and wants. Being arrogant and judgmental toward Prospects invites a fair housing violation claim.

Whoa Mindy! I didn't mean to ruffle you feathers I'm just trying to be practical. Fair housing doesn't enter into it. We do discriminate but not beyond certain guidelines. Does the customer make enough money? No. So the company says you can't rent to them. End of story. NOBODY rents an apartment because of the management. Price, location, amenities, that's what their looking for. While rudeness will drive people away excessive niceness doesn't do anything. As for people coming back... who? Just answer that to yourself after you've looked over your rent roster please. Why should people make a trip across town to find out you can't do business with them when a one minute phone call will do the same? A logical point only, please don't take it personally.

This is not personal; professionals understand it can become a fair housing issue if you having leasing consultants not inviting everyone to visit your community. As an experienced Leasing Professional and Manager, I have met with many people who said they "don't make that much" and upon investigating their sources of income, they are easily qualified. Following up with leads from a year ago may not net you 20 leases, but that extra step has netted me more than one. It is irresponsible for someone to prejudge a person over the phone. Your pre-screening questions are designed to give the consultant information for the appointment. This forum is a learning environment. There are thousands of new apartment industry employees hired every year who read these blogs and posts to learn how to perform their jobs better. Until an individual comes to your office to apply or applies online, we have no business telling them they are not qualified. That is end of story. Period. It is arrogant to assume nobody rents an apartment because of the management, as there are quite a few residents out there that will develop a trust and faith in the leasing consultant and that is their reason to rent at that community. That so-called excessive niceness certainly can translate to leases and renewals.

Do I sound upset? Don't mean to - however, it irks me to no end when someone makes blatant statements that are simply erroneous. I'm sure there are many times Prospects walk into a Leasing Office feeling intimidated by the process of renting an apartment. Let's make it a comfortable process and see what happens.

"Don't mean to - however, it irks me to no end when someone makes blatant statements that are simply erroneous"

If I thought the statement was erroneous, I wouldn't have made it. But it's easy to check. When your maintenance guys are out and about the grounds have them ask the tenants that they happen to see why they chose those apartments to live in. None of them will mention the management, at all. I've worked in buildings where I was not only the entire management and sales staff, but maintenance too. And we were full. I have also worked at a complex where the office was open about 30 hours per month at random times, and we were full.

Yes, you sound upset, you used the word "irks" which means that you're upset, you're irked. You've used the word arrogant, and opinions cannot be arrogant only the person behind the opinion. You're understandably upset because I seem, in effect, to be saying that the leasing staff doesn't really accomplish much in the long run?... Ah... yeah. Is that going to affect your job? No, not in the least. Until they change the laws and allow folks outside the real estate industry to be in the apartment rental business, there will be no viable competition and nothing will change.

I'm simply suggesting that there is no information that can be legally acquired, that cannot be transmitted over the phone. Save the leg work, if they don't make enough money over the phone, they still won't make enough money in person.