Motivating your Leasing Peeps?!

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12 years 6 months ago #9012 by Gina Darnell
I am looking to get ideas for motivating leasing consultants. It seems we have the most turn over in this area and my company has made certain changes to try and keep the leasing teams motivated and avoid burn out. One of the changes that we made was the leasing gets every 3rd weekend off, and assistant and manager work a weekend(s) to accomodate this. We are definately a company that promotes from with in and cross trains; have a wonderful mentor program. We are just looking at ways to strengthen our Leasing teams and keep them motivated... they are the front lines. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks!
12 years 6 months ago #9012 by Gina Darnell
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12 years 6 months ago #9014 by Nate Thomas
There were some chats about getting bonuses whether just the leasing folks are the whole team. If there is a high turnover, maybe it is the culture they are in which affects this. Maybe the competition is paying more money, or they are finding other jobs out there which pay more.

Maybe the product is not as good compared to the competition. Maybe there is a lot of pressure placed on them to meet a quota. The list could go on. The thing I would do is talk to the team you have and ask them about their position and what are the things they like and or dislike about the job. When they are leaving find out the reason why. Motivation starts with the people doing the job. One motivates a leasing agent on one property may not on another.

As a rule I find high turnovers are a moral thing and people are normally not happy with pay, the conditions which they have to work under, not happy with the management, feel under appreciated. I would look internally first because you should have a feel for the personalities and know what their goals are and if your company will be able to help them reach those goals.

My little two cents on the issue!
12 years 6 months ago #9014 by Nate Thomas
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12 years 6 months ago #9017 by Gina Darnell
Thank you for your input Nate! Our pay is competitive, we have an excellent benefits program and commission structure. Our company promotes from within which is great! We have a lot of employees that leave for "greener grass" but always seem to come back or want to come back. I do like the idea of a bonus program structure individually, as well as a team basis.

I know a lot of the turn over in the leasing is the nature of the industry, I just trying to make sure I explore ideas and see what I can do to cut down on the turnover as much as possible.

What do you think about offering designations in the industry as rewards? Such as the NALP?
Thanks, Gina
12 years 6 months ago #9017 by Gina Darnell
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12 years 6 months ago #9021 by Sandy Martin
How about getting a special board where leasing agents can write their new leases down on. Buy something small, but nice.

Put it in the manager's office, place blue, gold or red ribbon around it to make it look extra special.

Give each person their own color to write with. You can even decorate their pen. Make sure they write down their "sale" just as soon as it's a done.

The manager should make a big deal out of each one. Thank each one individually for the accomplishment.

This is a short-term, daily motivation to get something written on "The Board."

I used to have a bell on my desk that Realtors rang when they brought the check back from the closing. They loved it!

It's fun and motivating.
12 years 6 months ago #9021 by Sandy Martin
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12 years 6 months ago #9022 by Sandy Martin
This is funny...
After reading this post and replying to it last night, I had a dream on the subject.

I was working for my former regional manager on my old property, which is a 64-unit tax credit property.

He hired about 5 other leasing agents and invited us all to a party where he presented us with I-Pads.

We had to set them up with the printers they bought us, too.

The I-Pads had different screen savers, and I spent most of the time at the party try to change mine to something I really liked.

That would be a nice motivator!!
12 years 6 months ago #9022 by Sandy Martin
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12 years 6 months ago #9024 by Nate Thomas
Hello Gina,

The National Apartment Leasing Professionals is one thing to donate to, but the individual may not respond to that. I would give them a couple of options, so they have a choice as a posibble solution:

1. Paid time off for a day for reaching a certain goal.
2. A bonus for reaching a certain goal.
3. Donation to their favorite charity or professional organization.
4. A plaque with their name on it with Leasing agent of the month, quarter, or year.

Those are a couple of ideas and I have had positive results with them in the past. I also took my staff personnel out to a lunch on a one on one and asked them to name some of the things they would like to see to assist them in doing their jobs and would do my best to accomplish them.
12 years 6 months ago #9024 by Nate Thomas
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12 years 6 months ago #9028 by Brian K
I have to agree with the majority of posters. If you are turning that many positions
You have a larger undisclosed problem. A bonus is unlikely to make a difference.

All of our properties operate on strict pre-determined budgets. Bonuses are based off
Of NOI. We have 20% of gross pay available.

The old fashioned lease bonus plans are too full of problems and ways to beat the system.
I have had no owner push back with our NOI plan.
12 years 6 months ago #9028 by Brian K
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12 years 6 months ago #9037 by Mindy Sharp
Every person is motivated by something and it is up to you and your company to determine what that is. It's either internal or external, internal or external. Some people want to do a "good job" because they are wired that way and others want and crave recognition from others, so they want an actual reward, like "Leasing Professional of the Month" plaque. I think when there is a great deal of turnover, it will end up being due to salary/commission structure, hours worked (too many, too long a day, or every weekend), lack of recognition, feeling like their efforts are not getting them ahead (promoted) or there is too much stress on an unattainable leasing goal. For example, if you told me I had to lease 12 apartments in a month on an 87-unit property I would look at you and walk out the door. If you told me the team needed to lease 12 apartments, then that competitive gleam might get ignited, plus it would not be left to me to achieve the total alone.

I always have it be a team goal based on intents, etc., but also on what kind of leasing success should be achievable on the property. Older products with no amenities are much more challenging when the comp a block away has a newer product with tons of amenities. I also have a team meeting and work on ways to achieve the goal. Again, some people can't think on their feet as well as others or lack confidence in a group setting.

Next, look at the total picture. Are the leasing and maintenance teams working well together? If so, are they working well with you as a manager? Make sure no one feels neglected - is there one leasing person demanding all of your attention, or are you always on the phone or in a meeting with corporate? If these are working well on all fronts, I would then be asking your team for their input into the issues. I still bet it is pay, hours worked, and stress.

Make sure your leasing team has the tools it needs to achieve goals and be happy. Bring in pizza once a month, let everyone go home early with pay - have the manager take a Saturday rotation. Take your leasing team on tours of other properties, stop for lunch and give everyone $25 to set up a mini model or use the $25 for outreach marketing - get everyone's creative juices flowing. This breeds excitement, too. Sometimes just writing team members notes of appreciation helps make them feel a part of the team, too.
12 years 6 months ago #9037 by Mindy Sharp
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12 years 6 months ago #9038 by Rose M
Great Ideas!

I want a bell! But since I'm the only one in my office during the week, I'd be the only one to hear it. :P

Where oh where am I going to put my bell? :silly:
12 years 6 months ago #9038 by Rose M
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12 years 6 months ago #9039 by Mindy Sharp
Rose, you should put your bell on the outside of the Office so when all your Residents hear it ring, they will know they are going to get a new neighbor!
12 years 6 months ago #9039 by Mindy Sharp
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12 years 6 months ago #9040 by Gina Darnell
Love this! We use this in my office, just recently we had a leasing contest for an additional $50 Visa gift card (additional to their commission) for the most leases in the month of May and every NTV that they turned around counted as a lease too. Worked great, had a total of 21 leases with the Assistant Manager winning by 1 lease! Good competition!!!
12 years 6 months ago #9040 by Gina Darnell
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12 years 6 months ago #9041 by Gina Darnell
Great input! We are not having a major problem with turnover, we have just seem to have more turnover in the leasing area for the reason of working the weekends. We are wanting to be proactive. We have just recenlty changed to the Manager works the first weekend of every month with the leasing and the asisstant manager works every third weekend of the month so that leasing gets a weekend off and in many cases isn't alone every weekend. This has worked out great thus far for everyone, except now the leasing doesn't get as many leases because the assistant manager and manager obtain some of those leases. :-)
12 years 6 months ago #9041 by Gina Darnell
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12 years 6 months ago #9043 by Rose M
Thanks Mindy! Good idea! I'll probably just settle for Taco Bell for lunch though. :silly:

I'm so lucky my apartments practically rent themselves. I'd like to think it's me but our location and amenities are the best in the area.
12 years 6 months ago #9043 by Rose M