Lisa Trosien

Two essential considerations: 1. Residents should always have time to review their lease, in full, before move-in day. Move-in day should be reserved for key pickup only. All other documents should be reviewed and signed prior to move-in. This keeps the resident from being distracted with a typical move-in day time crunch. 2. Apartment staff generally know which portions of the lease are most often misunderstood by their residents. These should be discussed ahead of time with the prospect so there is less chance of confusion on the part of the resident. Things like late fees, courtesy quiet hours, amenity use, utilities, and more can be areas of concern. Make sure your incoming resident understands their responsibility.

First off, let's call them 'partners' because that's what they are. Their job is to help you succeed and make money along the way. Viewing your relationship as a partnership begins the value creation of the affiliation you have. Be honest. Be clear. Always put everything in writing so there are NO misunderstandings. Be fair. Pay your bills on time. Let them know your expectations upfront and find out what their expectations are. If giving them your business requires them to contribute to a yearly conference or event, let them know that. Don't wait until after the contract is signed to tell them. If you're not getting the service you want/need, let them know. Allow them to make it right. If they can't, then move on to another company.

Completely depends upon the mistake. Different issues dictate different responses. Mispronounce a word? Restate it correctly and move on. Notice a typo in your slide? Ignore it. Have a tech glitch that basically stops the visuals or the audio? Ask the audience to turn to the person next to them and discuss their favorite idea/point/concept so far. This will give you or the AV time to address the issue. Have a questioner who won’t relinquish the floor? Tell them they’ve reached their question limit and you’d be delighted to catch up after the session. Wrong slides pop up on the screen when you start? Hopefully you have a flash drive and a SIM card with your presentation on it for backup. Stay calm and be prepared for contingencies.

Do your homework. Know everything you possibly can about the event itself, from the the profile of the typical attendee down to the venue. Little things can make a HUGE difference in your presentation. Check out event reviews from the previous year. Talk to speakers from the prior year(s). Make sure you’ve been to the room the day before you are set to speak so you know exactly what it’s like. Introducing yourself to the AV team (and tipping them) is invaluable as they are an a large part of your success. Make sure you know how late updates to your presentation are handled. Late breaking news on your topic happens; if you can add it, you’ll have even more credibility. Pre-conference homework is essential to a flawless delivery.

"Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated". Truer words were never spoken! If residents only hear from you when they've broken a rule, they will soon tune out anything you have to say. And the majority of our residents are not rule breakers. Surprise residents with small treats left with completed service requests. Have balcony decorating contests. Showcase the artwork of your residents' children in the leasing office. Offer opportunities for your residents to meet one another as well as your team! Residents who know the names of staff members are happier and want to stay longer (JTurner Research results). Keep the property clean. Remember, it's your workplace, but it's THEIR HOME. Respect it.

Managing your own stress in the workplace is essential these days. With property takeovers, layoffs, hiring challenges, and more, it's easy to become overwhelmed at times. A strong support system is extraordinarily helpful. When I was on-site, we had sister properties who supported us wholeheartedly. They would take our phone calls and brainstorm solutions or simply let us complain. Sometimes, you just need to VERBALIZE what's bothering you to feel better. These fellow employees were such an amazing support for us! And we offered the same back to them. Property management also gives you a great opportunity to get out and about. Walk vacants, market-readies, the building/property or go shop your comps. Get away from the 'stress zone'.