We love "set it and forget it" in multifamily housing, don't we?

Whether it's the rise of self-guided tours, automated follow ups, technology that sells, chatbot leases, and maybe even a system that makes coffee for you (Hmm, I could definitely get behind the coffee thing), we do love the "done-for-you" stuff. 

Here's the thing: none of that is bad!  When I first got started in his industry I would've loved the tools that teams use today. But if we're being honest, a lot of us have started treating "done-for-you" solutions like "set-it-and-forget-it". 

And that's where we are missing it ... big time. 

Because here's what I've noticed: 

We're expecting new hires to show up fully baked, managers to lead without being taught how to lead, onsite teams to automatically know how to deal with even more demanding customers, people who are scared to sell to just somehow magically discover the art of selling, and AI to somehow do the work no one wants to do. 

I can't tell you how many times I have heard leadership teams say things like, 

• "They'll figure it out."
•  "The new system takes care of that."
• "I don't have time for hand-holding!!"

But, it doesn't work that way.

I remember the first time I used my Instant Pot, I thought that I could simply dump all the ingredients in, and my food would come out perfectly cooked, infused with flavor, with "fall off the bone" tenderness. 

Rather, the meat was tough, the flavor was "meh" and I wondered, "Why did we buy this??" I learned that although the Instant Pot is a wonderful cooking appliance, it still requires some work (from me) to ensure that it does its job well. Once I figured that out, I could leverage the power of the Instant Pot to make some incredible dishes, in much less time!

So here's the deal...

Just like a pressure cooker (or slow cooker) doesn't automatically do everything for you, you can have all the tools in the world; you can automate, streamline, use AI everywhere (and sure that stuff helps), but you still have to show up. "Done-for-you" gives you leverage, but it doesn't mean "Done-without-you." 

When we start to believe that something else is handling all that stuff, we stop showing up where we're most needed. And that's what we're all seeing today. 

Unanswered emails. Ignored customers. Automated emails that don't match the "IRL" conversations. Lack of effective follow up. Declining levels of service. Burned out employees. Leaders who don't know how to make a tough call or a complicated decision. 

So sure, use the tools. Leverage the systems. Let AI make things easier.

Just don't forget… people still need you to show up, show out, be present and make a difference. 

And honestly? You need them to do the same too!