Communicating with residents just isn’t the same as it was ten, or even five, years ago.

More than ever, residents aren’t really coming into the leasing office to talk with the onsite staff. This can be attributed to evolving technology and a generational preference for digital-based communication. 

It’s no secret that millennial and incoming Generation Z residents and their affinity for smartphones and social media have created a shift in apartment leasing and marketing. So how can we open up the dialogue between our onsite teams and residents when residents are spending more time than ever on their phones?

Here are a few different methods that can optimize communication between onsite teams and residents:

• Text Messages
  Communicating via text message is a form of interaction that has become so deeply engrained within our society, it’s starting to replace phone, email and even in-person conversations altogether. Text messages can even replace email blasts. While many residents still communicate via email, a text message goes immediately to their phones where they will easily be able to see it. 
  
  
• Social Media Platforms
  A lot of people get their news from social media platforms today, notably Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. These platforms are a great way to engage your residents online – where they spend most of their time. Social media sites can promote a property's news and information as well as deepen the sense of community that your residents feel with your staff and with each other.
  
  Here at ROSS, our leasing teams will hold resident appreciation events, and we've found that social media is a highly effective way to promote the events beforehand and to share photos with residents afterwards. This pre- and post-show communication gets residents involved with your community and is a great method for fostering camaraderie as well.
  
  
• Snapchat
  Expanding more on this social media platform, Snapchat is where all your Generation Z residents are. Gen Z’ers, as well as Millennials, are very visually oriented, so this photo and video sharing app can be crucial in engaging your residents and communicating information with them.
  
  Residents and leasing associates can communicate visually with this app, as well as with standard text. This is a cutting-edge form of texting. Consider adding a community Snapchat story and geofilter so residents can share their experiences with the community.
   
• FaceTime or Skype
  Instead of phone calling, using a video-chatting app like FaceTime, Skype or G Chat can be a great way to gather feedback from a resident or help them with something. It’s face-to-face communication as well, but doesn’t require the resident to come to the leasing office.
   
• Email blasts
  Email isn’t completely dead yet, but communication is starting to move farther and farther away from it. Some residents may prefer to receive information this way, though, so don’t discount the email blasts.

Leasing associate to resident communication has evolved with technology. Even though your residents want to avoid face-to-face interaction, there are still plenty of ways for operators to keep the lines of communication open and gather valuable feedback while also promoting a deeper sense of community.