This is interesting because when I’m doing market surveys 9/10 I’m met with an automated system instead of an actual person. At my leasing office, we answer the phones directly without an automated voice unless we are closed. I find it interesting that a lot are switching over to this

Same here. I do answer quickly when we are short staffed. Part of it becomes a nuisance though when your trying to complete your work and the darn thing never stops ringing!!!Especially if there is more than one of you in the office that is quite capable to answer as well!

I know for our company, we made the switch to automated phones due to our residential technology, RentCafe. We are not a fan of the automated greeting either, but the benefits of traffic entry and accurate marketing source info were the drivers of the decision. Callers can get to a live person by following the prompts; press 1, 2 or 3 and, if the office is available to pick up, they do, just like the old days.

I too get frustrated when a live person does not answer my call but come to realize that I am not the majority renter demographic anymore. I do make an effort to evolve with the rest of the world but for important matters, like fire/flood/blood/HOUSING, I prefer live conversation.

The multitudes of software programs has taken away from the customer service. It is the reason we don’t have time or energy for the very reason we are here- the residents! Take Craigslist, Yardi, RentCafe, MaxLeases, LRO Rainmaker, hundreds of emails, logins, passwords, all out of the equation of your day. Add back in a couple of simple programs to keep track and on budget. What do you have???? TIME. Time to think, pay attention to residents, prospects, vendors, and really LISTEN. I understand the software creates better records and better NOI, but it’s totally overboard!! Managers are chained to their desks and repairs are neglected.

The industry has changed, I've been in it approx 15yrs as well as lease myself... we have noticed as renter's the customer service is horrible... no one answers the phone, emails often go ignored, talking to someone in the office goes in one ear out the other, work orders go ignored for months so we just repair things ourselves... this has been the same each community we live at... I think it's the new millennials coming in. I was amazed how we lived at one community 7yrs and nobody even knew us by name... sad, but on the plus side it teaches me to be better... lol