Communication Tips to Make You a Better Property Manager

As a property manager, you talk to many different people on a daily basis.

From tenants, to property owners, to administrative staff members, and much more, you have a lot of responsibility that falls heavily on your ability to communicate effectively.

If you want your property management company to succeed, you need to hone your communication skills.

And, as a successful property manager, you will need to work continually on your communication skills to better your business, and your interpersonal relationships.

Use these 5 property management tips to become a better communicator, and watch your property management business flourish with more satisfied employees, clients, and tenants than ever before.

1. Mind Your Body Language

Your body language, as well as the body language of those you are talking to, can have a major impact on the direction of the conversation at hand.

It’s crucial you learn to read the body language of the person you are speaking with, so you can gauge how they are feeling at any moment in time.

However, it is even more important to understand your own visual body cues, so that you can get your point across in the right away.

Here are some helpful tips:

• Pose. Hold a power pose, and stand tall to help exude confidence, but not arrogance.
• Eye Contact. Make genuine eye contact, and be sure to smile.
• Gestures. Use your arms and hands to make deliberate, yet natural hand gestures.
• Speech. Use slow, clear, and intentional speech.
• Tone. Speak with a perfect balance – not too quiet, not too loud. Think soothing.

Try to avoid things such as crossed arms, finger tapping, interrupted eye contact, or constant fidgeting.

These behaviors will make the person you are speaking with uneasy, and may cause you to seem unapproachable.

2. Be a Good Listener

Most people will say that engaging in conversation is equal parts talking and listening.

However, to be a good property manager, you should aim to focus on your listening skills.

Make sure to listen to what the other person is saying by really paying attention.

Try to see the other person’s point of view, even if you believe them to be wrong.

Mentally consider each point the other person is making, and pause before responding to make sure you are replying in a professional, friendly, and effective way.

3. Stay Professional

This tip is especially useful when you are dealing with an angry client or tenant, and is critical to maintaining a healthy and productive business relationship amongst those that you communicate with regularly.

Even in the middle of a major dispute, you need to keep yourself together, stay calm, and focus on a solution.

In addition, actively listen to what the other person, or parties, are saying, consider all sides, and avoid judgmental, derogatory, or negative comments.

Otherwise, things will never get resolved, and your reputation as a property manager will greatly suffer.

4. Use a Call Center

Another great way to keep the lines of communication open when it comes to your property management business is to utilize a call center.

Being available at all times, even after-hours, is a great customer service feature that prospective tenants, existing tenants, and clients enjoy.

• Inquiries. Having someone on hand to answer the questions of interested clients is the key to building a bigger, and better, business. This is where your office hours and administrative staff come in handy.
• Clients. Being available to answer your client’s questions and concerns at any time is what will set you apart from the other property management companies in the region.
• Tenants. Prospective tenants should be able to get in touch with your property managers to take the proper steps for placement into your clients’ rental properties. In addition, current tenants should be able contact you at all hours of the night for any of their pressing needs. This includes questions, concerns, complaints, maintenance requests, emergencies, and more.

In addition to having regular office hours with someone to answer the phone promptly at all times, having an after-hours call center to handle additional communication needs is going to make you an even better property manager.

5. Take Advantage of Technology

Property management companies should heed the advancements in technology that are designed to help businesses excel.

One of the best ways to improve your communication with both clients and tenants alike is to have an online portal available.

This gives those involved with your business a quick, convenient, and easy way to get in touch at all hours of the day.

Plus, it gives you the opportunity to communicate information and updates on your official business website for all to see.

In the end, you’ll see that improving your communication skills with both tenants and clients, as well as your co-workers and employees, will help improve your business tenfold.

In addition, you will notice that all of your interpersonal relationships, whether business-related or personal, will become better.

Being a confident communicator is the key to building a top property management company.