And that's where things bog down.

AI isn't going anywhere. As its capabilities continue to increase, it's going to become more infused into how multifamily companies manage leads, communicate with prospects, and handle the entire sales process. 

The real question is:

Are your people equipped to sell in this new era?

Because if they're not, (as a leader) you're going to keep feeling frustrated, stuck and wondering, "Why doesn't this get better?"

Here are some (very general observations based on my exprience working with many) on what high-performing teams do that allows them to leverage the power of AI, while not forgetting the power of humans:

One: They use AI to enhance (and not replace) human to human conversations

What I mean by this is they use their AI systems to gather information and book the tour, and the human uses the information gathered to make the tour feel valuable in the eyes of the prospect. They use their AI to assist with follow-up (and even the close), but they also personalize and customize the follow-up and closing strategies as necessary, depending on the client. 

Two: They've given their people specific tools on how to handle the handoff between AI and the human

Have you had a client walk into your office saying, "So, I spoke with "Andy" on the phone about apartment 204" or "I've been emailing with Kim about apartment 555" when you know that "Andy"( or "Kim") is really the name of your AI partner? A lot of multifamily pros I've spoken to are unclear on how to deal with this issue (because if we're honest, it can feel WEIRD!!) which can lead to a lack of the confidence they need to close the sale. Or they might reveal the information in a way that erodes the feeling of trust between your prospect and your associates. 

Three: They train for the new reality, while not ditching the old

Today's leasing professional doesn't just need to know how to sell, they need to know how to manage the lead through the entire process. The two big mistakes many companies make is not equipping their people with the tools they need to thrive in a tech-driven sales environment or not providing their people with the tried and true ("old school") skills on how to build a human to human relationship with prospects, so that they will WANT to buy from them. 

Closing Thoughts

AI is here to stay, and it's an incredible tool for efficiency.  But it's just that—a tool. 

If your team is relying only on AI to do the selling, then they're probably losing leases they could be getting! But, if they learn how to use AI to be more efficient, they can then focus on the things AI doesn't do well (yet), like (truly) connecting, building authentic rapport, and being the "x-factor" that motivates a prospect to choose your community over someone else's.

And these are powerful steps everyone can take to manage your leads, instead of your leads managing you.