Banner

Training Trivia

It is wise and acceptable to use a criminal background check to eliminate any candidates with a criminal record prior to getting to final interviews when hiring.
Powered by Grace Hill
 
 
Total votes: 33
Home Insider Blogs Marcylene Esformes's Blog Leasing - There is nothing basic about it, part 1 - The Telephone
Enter your email address for weekly access to top multifamily blogs!

Apartment Blogs


Jan 26
2009

Leasing - There is nothing basic about it, part 1 - The Telephone

 Print

Posted by: Marcylene Esformes on Jan 26, 2009 01:00

In most cases, the customer's first contact with an apartment community is over the telephone.  Therefore, it is crucial that you develop and use top-notch phone techniques that project professionalism, courtesy, and enthusiasm.  You only get one chance to make a first impression.  What is the impression you are giving to your customers?

Selling over the telephone requires practice.  The following list of things should be accomplished when selling over the phone:

  • Paint a picture of your property.
  • Create a sense of urgency.
  • Build value - don't give the price up front.
  • Get their name and use it.
  • Find out how they heard about your community.
  • Establish their needs - what, when, number of occupants, pets, budget, floor, view, special features, why they are moving, etc.
  • Set an appointment.

Important do's of the telephone:

DO . . .

  • 1. Have your tools ready - pens, service request, availability, guest card, etc.
  • 2. Use a greeting - Use a greeting that you are comfortable with similar to, "Thank you for calling (your property's name), this is (your name), how may I help you?"
  • 3. Assume control over the conversation - Always try to be in control of the conversation by asking response generated questions.
  • 4. Ask for the prospects name and use it often.
  • 5. Identify the needs of the prospect.
  • 6. Create interest - Sell the most important features of your community and your apartment homes.
  • 7. Find out the media/traffic source - Your company spends a lot of time and money each year on advertising your community. It is important to know what media sources attract qualified customers to your community.
  • 8. Set an appointment - Try to get your customer to commit to a specific day and time to visit your community.
  • 9. Get telephone number or other contact information so that you can confirm an appointment or let them know of a great apartment that is available for the time that they are looking to move.
  • 10. Offer directions - In order for you to offer directions to your community, you must first know them yourself. Be sure to review several different access roads in your area so that you can give your customer directions from any location.
  • 11. Complete the guest card - In order to keep track of the phone call and the prospect's needs, fill out the guest card while speaking with the prospect.

Within the file bank, under Property Documents, I have added a Telephone Call Checklist  and a Telephone Cheat Sheet  to assist you in answering the telephone.

Remember, a telephone call is not an interruption but the lifeblood of your business.

Next post will be:   Leasing - There is nothing basic about it, part 2 - Meeting, Greeting, and Qualifying.

 


Comments (1)Add Comment
62
written by InsiderBrent, January 26, 2009
Can't wait to see the checklist and cheatsheet! Great post! I want to add one aspect, which is a pet peeve of mine: For the greeting, your leasing team should use a greeting that works for both prospects and residents. Your community is sending a message to your resident when you answer the phone, "Thank you for calling XYZ Apartments, I can help you find a home!" It tells the resident where exactly your office's priorities lie, and always end up in an awkward "Umm... no thanks - I already live at your place."
feedSubscribe to this comment's feed
What Do You Think?


security code
Write the displayed characters


busy

Insider Blogs

Brandon Hollembeak The mobile payment revolution is beginning written by Brandon Hollembeak
  Jim Davoren of Apartments.com buying lunch from a food truck by swiping his credit card on an iPad. Chances are you've either heard of or seen mobile payments happening, as opposed to this time a year ago, when the conversations were just sta ...   (Read More)

Tashina Wortham 21 Ways to Show You’re Social [in pics] written by Tashina Wortham
Social Media is powerful—that’s pretty much recognized across the board. But a massive social following doesn’t just happen overnight (unless you're like Jeremy Lin or Madonna). Which is why it can be beneficial to promote your comm ...   (Read More)

Jeffrey Spanke "Rest in Peace, George Carlin." written by Jeffrey Spanke
Think of the resident that you hate. But I don’t hate anybody! I love what I do, and everyone is my favorite person in the world. I work in Moonbeam Twinkle Apartments, just under the mystical rainbow of Avalon, down the street from the chocola ...   (Read More)

Judy Bellack What does the Satisfacts Research survey on “All That Apply: ... written by Judy Bellack
NAA’s UNITS magazine published a Satisfacts Research survey in their April issue titled “All That Apply:  Residents’ Leading Marketing Sources.”  The web-based survey queried 34,000 apartment residents who had m ...   (Read More)

Brent Williams Fair Housing Does Have “Costs” And Should Be Part Of The Dis ... written by Brent Williams
I have a one year old daughter, so when I think about where I want to live, one of the major elements is simply whether there are other families with young children in the area.  So imagine me touring an apartment community and asking if there a ...   (Read More)

Read More Blog Posts