We make an effort to thank our residents every chance we get...from right off the bat...when they turn in an application, I send a thank you note letting them know how much I appreciate them applying to my complex...when they move in, I have a thank you move in gift waiting for them in their apartment...When they come to do their paperwork, I thank them...I try to have a cold bottle of water in the summer or hot water for coffee/tea/cocoa in the winter that they can drink while doing their paperwork...Once they sign a new lease with us, we give them a thank you gift...the last Wednesday of every month we have a customer appreciation day...we set up an area in the laundry room with drinks (lemonade/tea in the summer - hot drinks in the winter) and snacks (individual size treats...chips, Little Debbies treats, etc)...If a resident participates in an activity we have, we send them a certificate of participation with a little post-it that says Thank you for coming to our activity...we send out birthday letters, anniversary letters, newsletters, etc. and all of them say thank you...I even say thank you to them when they move-out...when I send their security deposit disposition letter, I hand write Thank you for making your home with us for the past "so and so"...
I do the same with my staff...I thank them all day long for whatever they are doing, etc. Every now and again, I will leave them a little thank you note that lets them know how much I appreciate their hard work...when it's hot out, I will buy them a soda or gatorade as a thank you...
It is amazing how something so small and simple can mean so much to someone...