People Skills Still Rule!!!

It is so fun reading the blogs from all the pros, and I am excited to add my two cents worth.  My speciality is, and always has been developing people skills.  It is so great to learn all the ways to get traffic in the door, and to track it accurately...especially loved Toni's pointers.   I stand my ground on this; too many front desk team members, those who answer the phone when all the technology makes it ring, who converse via email with our customers, just haven't been taught, or don't practice good people skills.  Making people like you, quickly, upfront is the answer.  For at least 30 years I have preaching this sermon...and still the customer is treated with nonchalance, or "we are too busy" or some other perceived indifference.  Studies indicate that 68% of our customers "go away, don't buy, don't renew,"  because of the way they are treated by the person they dealt with.  I am sometimes asked why I keep hammering on this....BECAUSE we still aren't doing it!!! So, I'm BAAAACCCKK!!  And I will keep talking about it until common courtesy and interest in the customer becomes the norm.  We spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on the technology, we track traffic, we count leases, we get frustrated with low occupancy, not to menton poor NOI...only to neglect, even disrespect, the current resident who is a pain in our rear.  This person pays their rent, and on time, but we just get sick of the complaints, the attitude...forgetting that this customer is our paycheck, just like the easy ones.  Then someone new walks in the door, or emails, or calls...and our behaviors have become such a habit we forget to be nice to them.  Just think on these things...people like us quickly based on:  1.  How we look and how we move...smiling, groomed, energetic would be nice! 2. What we say and how we say it...have product and area and industry knowledge...know the legal documents and be able to pleasantly explain them...communicate with excitement and interest in them 3. They like you based on how they feel in your presence...do they feel important, special, cared for?  Do they feel that you have time for them?  Simple common sense...your Mama probably told you "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!