Capitalizing on Repairs and Maintenance
By M. Jane Garvey
One of the least recognized opportunities in real estate is the call for maintenance or repairs. Most housing providers dread it. It usually means getting our hands dirty, working with contractors, and spending money. It is among the main reasons people say they don’t want to invest in rentals – “tenants, trash and toilets.”
What if repair and maintenance calls could be used to build respect, referrals, lasting loyalty and minimize turnover? They are truly a great opportunity if recognized and handled as such.
To take advantage of this opportunity we need to put ourselves in the resident’s shoes. How would you want to be treated if you were renting and had a problem? What would be important to you?
Responsiveness – As a resident I want to make one call, one text, one email, or one online portal notice and have it start a transparent process. If the problem is an emergency, I want to have a way to reach someone who will treat it as such. If possible, having a friendly, knowledgeable human who can take the call, triage the problem, and then let the resident know what to expect would be ideal. In today’s world of unreachable humans, this would make your operation a standout success.
Flexibility – Most of our residents have jobs and other obligations. Flexibility of how and when the service is handled is important. Should the resident need to take off work to wait for the maintenance worker? If they want to, great. If not, can you or your maintenance staff handle it without them being there, or at least work around their schedule? Give them choices. They are already inconvenienced by having some of what they are paying for not working. Make it as easy as possible to get it fixed.
Friendly – Make sure that you and your staff are treating your residents with respect. You can be a wonderful owner, but if your maintenance staff is surly, rude, disrespectful, or anything but friendly and professional you will not get the same results.
Quality – The repairs need to provide a true solution. Cosmetic coverups, temporary patches, and similar “solutions” will not serve you. If they are needed to provide relief while parts come in, make the resident is aware that is what is going on. Let them know what is needed, and what steps are being taken to make that happen.
Care and Concern – If I were the resident, I would want it to be evident that all involved in the process want to make things right. I want to see and hear concern that the repairs are being made. I want them to acknowledge that this is an issue for me that I should not be having to deal with. When it is not a problem I caused, I don’t want people being annoyed with me. If I did cause the problem, I want them to let me know what I need to do differently so that I don’t cause it to recur.
Attention to Details – The best maintenance people I have, keep their eyes open for other issues when they are making repairs. By doing so, we can get ahead of issues, show concern for the property, and keep things running smoothly. This saves money in the long run and bolsters the image of a concerned housing provider. You may need to have a discussion with your maintenance team to shift their perspective.
Communication – You can do everything perfectly, but without the communication piece it will all fall flat. We are living in a world where communication is easy. A text to let someone know that the parts have been ordered and when they are expected to arrive will let them know progress is being made. Checking in with them about schedules, and other concerns is important. If they are having to reach out to you after the initial call, you are falling short on this piece.
Follow-up – After the repairs are made, check in with your resident to make sure they do not have further issues, and that everything went smoothly.
All of these things in combination will make your service stand out. It is a key to long term success. The right attitude about repairs as an opportunity will make the calls easier to take.
Once again, put yourself in the resident’s shoes. What would you do if the housing provider didn’t treat your maintenance requests as a priority? I would:
- Stop reporting minor issues. If I reported something that needed repairs and no one dealt with them, I would probably live with it while becoming increasingly irritated.
- When the time came for a renewal, I would look for a new place to live.
- If it was a major problem, I would make follow-up calls, and document them
- Start using legal means to make the repair – i.e. repair and deduct statutes
- Adopt alternate solutions where possible.
What would you do if the housing provider went above and beyond in taking care of your calls for repairs, provided maintenance on a regular basis, and even asked if there were things you were aware of that needed work? As a resident I would:
- Work harder to keep things clean and in good repair
- Stay longer since I have found a housing provider that cares
- Ask what other units they have available when I need to move.
- Refer my friends
- Reach out about minor problems that could become major
- Alert my housing provider of potential problems around the property
- When possible, give great reviews on websites or social media.
Every time the phone rings with a resident seeking a repair, the opportunity is there for relationship building. Even though you will have an expense for parts and labor, you will have the long-term benefits that come with happy residents. Residents who stay, referrals of new residents, great reviews, less work needed during turnovers since maintenance issues are dealt with as they happen, and fewer if any complaints about rent increases because residents are getting what they are paying for. In addition, when you do have an issue where something doesn’t go as intended, you are more likely to have an understanding flexible resident to work with. This is truly a win-win for treating others as you would like them to treat you.
Jane Garvey is President of the Chicago Creative Investors Association.
