Relationships, whether personal or business, are what motivate us each and every day. They motivate us to do things that make us feel good. How many times have we completed something because we knew it was important to someone that we like.  Don’t you want your tenants to feel the same way about you?   Now I’m not saying that your tenants will do anything just because they like you, but showing them that they are important to you will transform your relationship from one that is “strictly business” to one that last for the long term.   An online operations management system can give you the power to do just that.

For example, take the simple “too hot or too cold” request.   While a request to turn the heat up in a space may be just another work order when it comes through, it has much more meaning for the person who submitted it.  They are not only uncomfortable, but also they want to know that someone (a)  knows about their problem, and (b) is doing something to correct it.  Is there anything worse than not knowing what is going on?  You may take a step back and think that seems a bit extreme, but not knowing can be both annoying and disruptive.   I recently took my car in for a repair and was told that someone would get back to me with an estimate that afternoon.   I waited and waited for a call and got more annoyed and unfocused as the morning turned to afternoon and then evening  without a call.  When I finally called in, I was told that person was unavailable and would have to get back to me. I didn’t hear back until the following afternoon. There was nothing wrong and they were indeed looking at my car, but I had no way to know this and was very upset about it.   All I needed was an update, be it by email or phone, to let me know the status of my car.

How does this translate to streamlining expenses?   If I had been contacted and informed about the status of my car in a timely fashion,  I wouldn’t hesitate to bring my car back to that repair shop.  As it stands now, if there is another repair shop available, I’ll take my car there first.  Your tenants are the same way. They want to know what is going on.  In such a fast paced, over-worked world if you can find a system that keeps your tenants informed, it will create the kind of loyalty that translates into long-term retention.  You may be working just as hard and just as quickly as you can, but unless your tenants know that you are working on their problem, your good work is worth nothing.    Let your tenant see what you are doing for themselves.  That will set you apart.  The ability for a tenant to go online and see the status of their service request gives them the visibility they need to feel that they are being well served.

So it’s all about relationships.  If your tenants feel that their building manager both acknowledges their needs and is working to meet them, then you’ve got a tenant for the long-term.   Responsive, visible service leads to happy tenants and lower turnover.   Even tenants hate turnover. After all, now I have no idea who will be repairing my car.  

In an effort to enlighten myself this past weekend, I decided to attend the British Picture Show at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. The exhibit featured a vast array of art reflective of pre and post World War I British life. As I strolled through the exhibit, I learned that Britain’s Bureau of Information had actually commissioned many of these artists to depict the extensive effort associated with the war. As such, much of the art illustrated the work and daily minutia associated with the mass industry necessary to prepare for, support, and sustain the war. The images detailed the processes of the people. It was amazing to see the wide array of systems and people functioning independent of one another, yet ultimately working towards the country’s common goal. Each image made me realize how much work had gone into the war and how hard each person had worked. Many of the pieces seemed isolated and unrelated, but collectively conveyed a sense of team work when viewed as a collection.  Although a seemingly abstract method of cataloguing this effort, the exhibition was a great success. It was clear to me that the collective goal had been achieved and that the complex system and “parts” behind it all were able to come together in unison.  

One image that struck me in particular was a lithograph by C.R.W Nevinson entitled Making the Engine (see right).  I thought that this image was very representative of the aforementioned concept. I began to think about how all organizations rely on many people and processes working in harmony with one another. The strength of the organization as a whole is only as strong as that of each of its moving parts. If the parts and processes are weakened – so too is the whole. Likewise, if they are fine tuned and streamlined, the organization becomes stronger. Efficiency and process are paramount.  They act as the lubricant that enable an organization to operate fluidly and effectively within its market space. 

Strong process development and support are also extremely important in the Real Estate Ownership and Management space. Regardless of the status of your organization - growing-shrinking-maintaining - it is imperative for its processes to continually adapt to the current landscape if it wants to survive.   As the organizational structure and market forces ebb and flow, so too must its processes.  An organization cannot be stagnant. Establishing processes and protocols and then following them is instrumental and essential in success in any market economy.  So do not sit idly by.  There is a cost associated with doing nothing. Make sure that your processes are not only defined, but cataloged and followed. A process is wasted if created and then forgotten. Be strict about adhering to the rules you’ve outlined and if they are not working – don’t be afraid to rock the boat. It may take more work in the short term to correct, but it will ultimately make your life easier, make you more valuable, and make the organization you work within more powerful. 

 So go ahead. Fine tune your process. Make YOUR engine. Succeed.