There's no doubt that automation is at the next level these days, especially in the multifamily industry. With the technologies emerging, there is no shortage of options. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to automate your daily functions. Certain aspects can be automated, and others where the user experience may fall short. Automation can save your team's hundreds of hours when done right. Here are some of the worst practices so that you can avoid these in your everyday workflows.  

Not Defining Clear Objectives

Identify how you want to automate and what areas are essential to keep the human element. When you don't have clear objectives, you can choose the wrong things to focus on. Of course, tours will remain in the hands of a human. However, are there other areas you may be able to simplify for your teams? Are they spending too much time on follow-up or on entering guest cards? Consider these questions when setting goals for your team.

Neglecting Tenant Experience

It's impossible to please everyone…but you can get pretty close with the right tools on your property website. It's essential to balance efficiency with a great user website experience. One pitfall that disrupts the tenant experience is having too many widget buttons when the user lands on your home page. This can be disruptive because it leaves the end user overwhelmed with choices, and it doesn't funnel your traffic directly where you want. If you have a specials pop-up, cookie policy, a chatbot with too many options, and a form…well, that may be too much. Consider consolidating to provide a cleaner experience.

Another poor user experience can be within the chat. When the tenant is inundated with questions to complete, only to be left with a form to submit. Prospects want information on their terms and don't want to wait. When the user answers questions, they expect they will be led to the answers they're looking for as soon as they've completed the survey. However, when they are led to a form instead, it causes significant drop-off rates and often causes lost traffic. Identify tools that create a user experience that allows the prospect to find information quickly and efficiently to ensure they have the best conversation flow. 

Failing To Invest In Quality Data

The Role of data in automation is pivotal, serving as the lifeblood of efficient, effective, and intelligent automated systems in the multifamily industry. Accurate and high-quality data provides the foundation upon which automation processes rely to make informed decisions and execute tasks. Poor Data Quality, on the other hand, can have severe consequences, ranging from incorrect decision-making to system failures and tenant dissatisfaction. Data errors, inconsistencies, or outdated information can compromise the entire automation framework, leading to costly mistakes and inefficiencies. To Ensure Data Quality, multifamily industry professionals should implement robust data management and quality assurance strategies. This involves regular data cleansing and validation procedures to maintain data accuracy and reliability. Additionally, creating data governance policies and ensuring data sources are trustworthy are critical steps to mitigate the risks associated with poor data quality and support successful automation implementation.

Underestimating Training and Adaptation

Automation is created to make life easier for humans, not more difficult. It's essential to provide training for your team so that they understand how automation makes life easier for them. For instance, show them how much time they save by making the most of their new workflows. Of course, there can be resistance to change. It's normal for your team to feel this way. However, when proper training is provided, it ensures that the adoption of automation happens as smoothly as possible. It's vital to offer a regular cadence of training to ensure everyone has the information they need, especially when there is turnover.

Choosing The Wrong Technologies

As stated previously, there is no shortage of options for multifamily automation. That being said, it's important to avoid choosing the wrong one. How do you know you're making the right choice? Do your research. It may be time-consuming, but it's better to take the time now rather than take even more time to re-train your entire staff later on. Plus, this will save your team critical hours, which, in turn, saves money. Some things to look out for include:

• Proper Reporting
• Response Time
• ROI
• Functionality

Do your due dilligence upfront. If you're unsure, ask about doing a 90-day pilot. This will allow you to test a few communities on your automation platform and see the experience from onboarding to implementation. 

Conclusion

Consider these worst practices before making any permanent decisions. Once you are locked into a choice, it can be difficult to undo later. That's why looking out for red flags before making commitments is essential. Of course, there are tons of best practices regarding automation. Consider these when researching your automation choices, and always embrace automation wisely when it comes to leasing.