How important is email to leasing agents?

How can emails be important to leasing agents?

It's always great to have a written paper trail of communications, in my opinion. It's also helpful when leasing to people who are relocating from out of the area.

Each Leasing Professional should have his or her own email address. This is important to build a sense of "ownership" in the relationship-building portion of leasing. When she/he responds to inquiries, it gives that person a way to communicate without intrusion, a sense of privacy. Some companies utilize one mailbox, and that is another way of assisting in building rapport with Prospects. Additionally, those who perform Outreach Marketing need a way to correspond and develop those relationships as well. The email address should be on each person's business card. Prospects may need information sent to them, such as emailing Applications, Pre-lease paperwork (pro-rata sheets and welcome letters), and area info prior to showing/leasing appointments and their move in dates. It is also a way to make Leasing Professionals feel encouraged to contribute ideas to their managers and marketing supervisors. Everyone needs to feel included and valued. Having one's own separate email address is one way to show this.

I guess my question would be; how can a leasing consultant effectively do their jobs without email. Even being a senior’s community 30% of my traffic originates online with contact made via email. If you can't respond quickly there's a good chance you could lose that lead.