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May/June 2011 Issue
As the weather heats up, so will the traffic in the leasing office. In this newsletter, we'd like to share some tips on training and business operations for executives, as well as leasing office best practices to help site staff prepare for the peak traffic months ahead.
With consumer credit quality declining over the past few years, it is common for applicants to approach leasing agents with questions regarding the property management company's screening criteria, like "Do you accept applicants with a foreclosure?" or "If my car was repossessed last year, can I still live here?" Handling tough situations correctly could be the difference between signing a lease and accidentally turning away a potentially qualified applicant. We recommend developing standardized internal scripts for various leasing scenarios and applicant FAQs. These branded responses will prove valuable tools to help leasing staff tactfully communicate with applicants and avoid compliance issues with fair housing.
Determine if it's necessary to implement new services or upgrade existing services. Ask yourself: "What system integrations could help to further streamline my company's leasing workflow?"
Tough economic conditions in past years have deterred many multifamily companies from investing in new technologies, due either to lack of resources or other priorities. As the industry rebounds, now is a good time to take a fresh look at the technological advances made in the multifamily industry and evaluate your options. There may be new services and offerings available to you that can help streamline your operations, save time and grow your business. Talk with your online leasing company, property management software supplier, and resident screening provider to understand what is available to help you achieve your goals.
Even if your processes feel routine, it is wise to review internal procedures, policies, and fair housing laws with staff members to make sure everyone is up to speed with any new features or changes to your systems. Also, it's a good idea to schedule refresher trainings for both new and existing employees before the peak traffic months so each leasing workflow goes efficiently and smoothly. Contact your account manager today to set up training on your RentGrow resident screening software.
It is important to be able to quickly access any necessary support resources - especially during the busy season! We recommend you assemble your own directory that includes all of your vendors and service providers' contact names, email addresses, and phone numbers that you can reference quickly when questions arise. This way, no time will be wasted looking for the right contact to call when you need your questions answered or issues resolved during this leasing season.
Having to re-run an applicant screening due to an avoidable data entry error wastes time and resources while disrupting the leasing process. Our customer support team receives calls every day from properties trying to resolve incomplete applicant screenings due to incorrect data entry. Even when things get a little hectic in the leasing office, take your time when screening applicants and be sure all data is entered accurately. Avoid this potential setback by carefully double-checking the personal information on each applicant's rental application.
© 2011, RentGrow, Inc., Resident Screening Experts. A Yardi Company. Sign up to receive "In the Know". For permission to reprint this article please send your request to newsletter@rentgrow.com.
If you have additional questions about other aspects of your resident screening strategy you can contact RentGrow at 1-800-RENTGROW (1-800-736-8476) or visit our website at http://www.rentgrow.com. | 
