The little things are sometimes iconic
When I first moved to Washington state, I went on a quest to find a Mexican restaurant that had decent chips and salsa. It seems like it would be an easy thing to find, but, alas, it took me almost two years to find a place that I liked where the chips didn't have too much salt on them or the salsa wasn't just large chunks of vegetables without any "sauce" factor to it.. Now that I've found that restaurant, I don't stray too far unless I'm outvoted on Mexican dining options. Deciding dinner with friends IS a democracy, after all.
Last night while dining with our friends, Mike, amature philosopher and observer of the human condition, pointed out something about the economy. "No matter how bad it's gotten, they still give you free chips and salsa," he said.
It's true. In a year of record cut backs and trimming of any fat that's visible, there are some icons that, if we're smart, we don't touch. Sometimes it's something as small as chips and salsa.. This place hadn't changed the chips it was using to something cheaper, or the salsa to a less pricey brand (possibly because there were no cheaper options and I just like low grade chips and dip!), and it never stopped giving free refills on the basket. And it didn't raise the price on the rest of the food to compensate for losses this last year either.
Ask yourself what little things are iconic about your property? What do you have/do/provide that others in your area don't? If your answer dances in the realm of, "I don't know," maybe this is a good time to think about what YOU can do to create iconic ideas. Whether it's the way you welcome a resident, the way your maintenance team works with residents in their homes, or even the cookies we put out or the drinks we offer.
Iconic means it's remembered, it stands out and it's recognized. It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be flashy, and it doesn't have to be expensive. It can be as simple as chips and salsa.
Last night while dining with our friends, Mike, amature philosopher and observer of the human condition, pointed out something about the economy. "No matter how bad it's gotten, they still give you free chips and salsa," he said.
It's true. In a year of record cut backs and trimming of any fat that's visible, there are some icons that, if we're smart, we don't touch. Sometimes it's something as small as chips and salsa.. This place hadn't changed the chips it was using to something cheaper, or the salsa to a less pricey brand (possibly because there were no cheaper options and I just like low grade chips and dip!), and it never stopped giving free refills on the basket. And it didn't raise the price on the rest of the food to compensate for losses this last year either.
Ask yourself what little things are iconic about your property? What do you have/do/provide that others in your area don't? If your answer dances in the realm of, "I don't know," maybe this is a good time to think about what YOU can do to create iconic ideas. Whether it's the way you welcome a resident, the way your maintenance team works with residents in their homes, or even the cookies we put out or the drinks we offer.
Iconic means it's remembered, it stands out and it's recognized. It doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be flashy, and it doesn't have to be expensive. It can be as simple as chips and salsa.
Posted by Heather Blume at 12/29/2009 8:58 AM 
Categories: Customer Care, Business business, Things to Think on, Marketing Madness
Tags: resident retention Customer Service
Categories: Customer Care, Business business, Things to Think on, Marketing Madness
Tags: resident retention Customer Service
H,
When I arrived in STL some 2.5 years ago - we charged extra for pool passes and fitness center use. I would heavily caution staying away from stoking up fees.
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Mike-
Ancillary income is great, but not at the very visible expense of your residents. Stoking fees is never the way to go. You bring up an interesting point though. We can be iconic for the bad and irritating things we do just as easily as for the remarkably good. When you waived the fees on your properties, were you the only company that did so in your area? Did you use that as a higher selling point? I'd love to know what your Jet Fueled brain did with the idea!
-Heather
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When I was younger I remember anticipating trips to the bank with my mother because they always had a tray of milk and cookies set out in the lobby. I haven't seen a bank do that lately, but I think it'd be quite cool to, say, stick a plate of milk and cookies in the leasing office. It's a friendly gesture and might help make any potential wait time seem less onerous!
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Sara-
Our county clerk's office did the same thing when I was a kid! I imagine kids can't be nearly as obnoxious with their mouths full of chocolate chip goodness. And it allowed the parents to not have to worry as much about keeping them quiet while they conducted business. Talk about really noticing the needs of your customer!
-Heather
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Great site!
I've recently started giving out cards for birthdays, get well, lease anniversary, etc. and the residents seem to really appreciate this simple touch. I've had several resident say to me that they have told friends, living at other complexes near by, about the cards and they are jealous because their manager doesn't care as much as we do. I can't believe how a simple idea like this has become so important to the residents.
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Christine-
I'm glad you found our site and thank you for the kind words!
As to your cards, kudos to you on that front! I've always thought that more can be accomplished by hand writing 5 note cards a day that really show you care and try to connect with your residents than throwing a huge resident bash. It's a little thing, it takes maybe 20 minutes, but if yours is the only card they get on their birthday...it makes a HUGE difference.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
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