The "1 employee per 100 unit" rule - is it still relevant today?

I have been in the industry for two years and recently started at a 200 unit as a Manager with the only other office staff. Our hours of operation have normally been M-F 9:00 - 6:00 and Saturdays 10-5. Recently our hours were changed to Include 4 hours on Sunday and one week night closing at 7:00. This schedule puts an extra strain on our already small staff because it ends up with the office being fully covered only 3 days a week. What opinions do you all have on whether this justifies requesting a part time Leasing Agent be added?

Was there a reason for the change? Meaning do you have a high vacancy rate and whoever made this decision wants to take advantage of traffic? Not that this answers your question, but knowing why may help you create a solid justification for help. For example, how much missed traffic is there while you're showing units, posting notices, doing daily routines, processing rent. I would hope that whoever made this decision took into account the impossibility of trying to process 200 rents while fulfilling all the other duties. Good luck!

I don't see how, with the increased customer service expectations residents have now, that a property of 100 could operate successfully with only 1 person in the office.

We have the most demanding, impatient residents I have ever dealt with right now. If they come to the office for assistance, you had better help them right then or it can get ugly (really).

Even at 100% occupancy, and depending on your market, the inquiries are still high and require response time.

The resident portals help with online payments and maintenance requests. But, there are still people who want to "visit" the office to pay rent and put in service requests. Our cookies are not that good, either!! What's up with that?

A part-time leasing agent is a great addition, but work should be organized so the manager will not be bogged down with paperwork and return phone calls when the part-timer is not there.

Get freed-up for prime-time customer service needs of your residents!

It was a change implemented company wide not specifically for our property only. Our occupancy and trend are at 95% and 97%, so leasing is going great. In my opinion the biggest issue being open 7 days a week with a staff of 2 leaves us with only 2-3 days a week with both of us in the office, which can be challenging for many reasons. I love our property and providing great customer service to our residents and prospects, but I wonder if that can be achieved at our particular property by either hiring a part time leasing consultant and keeping current hours or cut back on how many days we are open to make it more manageable for two.

Well, unless I'm missing something, it looks like four hours a week is being added between two people. I have the offices stay open one day late in order to be available to tenants for services - not everyone is home at 5/6. At 95 to 97 occupancy are you really overwhelmed or is it having to work Sunday - and don't get me wrong I'm sure that's a drag.

I am the only person in the office and we have 96 units. Yes, there are times when it is stressful due to high turnover when the local university students are coming and going. This year especially with larger rent increases, additional reports required of upper management and now, a property management company change. I have never requested additional help until my new RM practically twisted my arm to request one. Did I get the assistance.....No. ????? Anyway, I usually put in extra hours and go with the flow. I have a great maintenance tech and porter who round out our Team which helps tremendously.

I once had a 200-unit property where I worked non-stop for months until I found competent, reliable part time help. Once the office itself was stable, then the property became stabilized and the property was then managed with 2-full time employees and 1 part time person who was our weekend Rock Star. She was able to take over during vacations and helped if someone was sick for more than a day. The third person helped with Resident Events, too. This worked wonderfully and helped provide the residents with a great customer service. No one was too tired, too over worked, too busy and those three people worked together very, very well. The hardest part wasn't getting the company to buy in but in finding the right people who could pull it off with skill, teamwork, and effective communication.

I have 330 units at 15 sites and I am having a heck of a time keeping up. All are managed out of the corporate office.

I have 45 vacant and 25 on notice. Two leasing consultants are out doing tours all day, but with all my office responsibilities, answering phones, taking tenant calls, setting tour appointments, property bills/accounting, creating rent rolls, meeting with brokers for the for sale properties, preparing & posting notices, (all over town,) I am having one heck of a time keeping up and I am letting everyone down.

Are the expectations set too high? Will I be able to get caught up and manage everything eventually? Or do they expect too much? On top of that, there isn't any existing policy, so I have to either wing it or create it as I go and make time to document some procedures. I'm trying to put some systems in place and create some policies, which aren't going over so well with some of the staff, who are used to just doing things their own way.

I should add that this is my dream job and I do love the people, the company, and the work!

I wondered where you have been. Thanks for the input!!

Great question. The more we layer on supporting corporate employees for centralized processes or to manage our new initiatives in the industry (revenue management, capital services, reputation management, marketing, surveys, customer service depts and collections, IT, ancillary services) the more our Executive leadership expects that the headcount on site should be reduced. Anyone that spends time on site knows that it is definitely not easier and I would argue that additional headcount is needed. Customers demand more service and expect it to happen sooner. The impact of the on line ordering has been huge. All we need is for these Execs to spend a day in the life of the Community Manager. I think they'd come to the same conclusion.

I've been working working working, 80 hrs a week... I actually have 17 properties up and running now. It's my dream job so I'm not complaining, but I sure wish I could get caught up! I still have 63 vacant and 19 on notice.