How do you think your residents see you? What role do you play in their lives? Have you thought about it? In the hustle and bustle world of property management, it’s hard to stop take a breath and really think about things like that. 

I manage the social media for all our properties, and see a lot of different requests coming through Facebook. Posts like, “I can’t reach the office, can you help me?” and “my neighbor is making too much noise, do something.” You know, the typical requests that come in through the leasing office every day. It’s just another format for them to ask. I always reach out to our teams to follow up.

Last night, I received one that read, “Can you get me a TV guide? I looked on the provider’s website and I can’t find it.” I’m not going to lie, that request did make me chuckle. When I sent an email to the Community Manager, her response to me was, “we are not just managers and leasing agents, we are everything from cable repair men to therapist.” I thought that was a great attitude. You’re doing it right. You go girl!

I started my marketing career in commercial real estate. When I first started, one of our VPs sat down with me and explained his job was like being a waiter. (Hmmmm, this should be interesting, I thought). He said his one and only job was to find out how his clients liked their coffee and give it to them that way. He got it how they wanted it and when they wanted it. His priority was to never forget to get them what they needed, whether it was cream and sugar, or a 10,000 square foot office space. Then he made me get him a cup of coffee. Just kidding, he didn’t do that.

That is a great philosophy to take with you everywhere in life. Everyone is your client; your boss, your coworkers, your subordinates. You will never go wrong if you find out how people like their “orders” and make sure that you get it to them how they like it, and on time.

This can be especially relevant to those of you onsite. Your residents need coffee, they need it now and they all need it differently. When nothing stops you from getting your resident what they need, when they need it, and how they like it, it will shine through. The good leasing teams help with everything. The great leasing teams realize that they are everything to everyone and embrace it.

So go out there and remember, be everything to everyone. You get them that TV guide. You listen to them about what’s going on in their lives, and care about doing it. Get them their coffee how they like it and they will appreciate it.