Are you saying Tomato while your residents are saying Tomahto?

So if you’ve been following me for a while you know that I love to reference songs when I’m trying to make a point. Today I’m reminded of "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off” by George and Ira Gershwin. Check out the lyrics.

You say eether and I say eyether,
You say neether and I say nyther;
Eether, eyether, neether, nyther,
Let's call the whole thing off!
You like potato and I like potahto,
You like tomato and I like tomahto;
Potato, potahto, tomato, tomahto!
Let's call the whole thing off!

Ring a bell yet? It’s a classic that was written and performed in the 1930’s. One thing is for sure while the song may be old the advice that we can take from it is classic. Let’s think about this….would you want your residents to say this to you? If they did what would your response be?

After working for many years as buyer I learned the importance of learning my niche customer and thinking for them when making my selections. While I may be into one thing I knew the importance of conforming to what my clients were demanding.

This is the very approach that property managers should take when relating to their community. For whatever reason your community has taken on a certain energy and vibe and you can bet your bottom dollar that the vibe your property puts out contributes to the new tenants that are attracted to it daily.

While I realize you’re managing the property and you’re there day to day I wonder if you’ve taken the time to really get to know your residents and find out what language they are speaking. Can you imagine the disconnect that’s taking place if they are saying tomahto and you keep saying tomato?

Conforming to the specific likings of your residents is the perfect strategy to gaining their loyalty. We live in times where more than ever people want to express their individuality and most importantly they want to be heard.

Resident Keepers is a huge fan of My Virtual Neighbor. It allows us to connect the residents in a simple, private, online community that encourages consistent communication with each other and us. This is a win-win for everyone. Not only do we really get to know the residents in a relaxed setting we use it as a tool to study their likes, dislikes, habits, etc. This assists us in maintaining effective retention plans that cater specifically to your community. Long gone are the days of cookie cutter fixes and telling people what we’ve created for them. Your residents want to know that their personal desires influence your decisions.

So, my advice for you today is to always remember that there are different strokes for different folk. Go out, mingle with your residents, do some passive research without all of the formality and find out what your residents want. Stop spinning your wheels and throwing so many things at the wall to see what sticks. Focus on their emotional needs and social desires and I guarantee you will see a rewarding increase in your retention rate.

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