Zillow : 6 Ways to Increase Resident Satisfaction and Prevent Surprise Move-Outs

Good property managers should have their fingers on the pulse of their community at all times and for all reasons, but particularly when it comes to resident satisfaction. Knowing how your tenants are feeling - be it good or bad - is essential to preventing surprise move-outs and encouraging renewals from long-term residents who really want to make your community their home.

Consider these six simple ways to increase resident satisfaction.

Residents who feel like their voices are being heard are much more likely to stick around, so ensure that you're always easy to reach. Start by clearly communicating your office hours and providing information on how residents can quickly get ahold of someone during an after-hours emergency. When you are in the office, make communicating with residents your number-one priority. Avoid letting calls go to voice mail, welcome walk-in questions with a friendly demeanor, and always respond to emails and social media messages the same day you receive them.

On a similar note, strive for quicker response times on actionable items, like maintenance requests, cashing rent checks, delivering packages and responding to urgent complaints. Pay extra attention to issues that arise within a renter's unit - a broken dishwasher or leaky window may seem like no big deal for a day, but when it goes on for a week, it can be a renewal deal breaker for a frustrated resident. And, always make sure you follow up on every single request until the resident feels satisfied - even if it's something small.

If you want to know how your residents are feeling, just ask! This can be done through formal or informal channels. First, consider sending a survey out to residents twice a year. Ask questions about cleanliness, maintenance, common areas, outdoor space, noise, parking, rent costs, utilities and management. Allow tenants to answer anonymously to encourage honest responses, and consider an incentive for completion.

A more informal way to stay attuned to the level of resident satisfaction is to simply ask your residents how they feel about their experience whenever you interact with them: when you run into them around the building or in public areas, when they turn in their rent checks, and especially upon renewing a lease.

There's more to good communication than waiting for residents to come to you with issues. Be proactive in keeping your residents updated on important information, even - or perhaps especially - when it's not good news. Make sure they know about upcoming community events or new amenities available to them. And, give them as much lead-time as possible on things like rent increases and scheduled maintenance. Good-faith efforts to keep residents in the loop will surely be appreciated, and demonstrate that you value their time and respect their needs.

Residents will feel more at home when they have personal connections with others in their community, including you. Whether you manage a property with just a few units or a large, urban building, strive to get to know as many of your residents as possible and try to remember little details about them. Learning about their families, pets or hobbies gives you good conversation fodder and shows that you're interested in their lives and well-being. When you cultivate friendly, professional relationships with residents, they'll be more likely to come to you with small issues, instead of letting little complaints become big problems that might prompt them to move out.

While you should want to retain as many residents as possible, you should do whatever you can to hold on to the most outstanding ones - those who value the community, always pay rent on time and don't cause issues with other residents or management. For these five-star residents, strive to demonstrate flexibility and understanding whenever possible, whether that means waiving a late fee for someone who's always paid on time, or allowing a resident to paint the interior of their apartment to make it feel more like home. Small allowances can make a big difference in overall satisfaction.

Retaining great residents is always cheaper than finding new ones, and happy residents improve the whole living experience at your community - for you and other community members. Plus, when residents are satisfied, they'll help keep your vacancies filled through positive reviews and referrals. Prioritizing open, friendly communication and responding (promptly) to questions, complaints and feedback are simple but effective ways to make sure your residents love the place they call home.

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