Creating a trusting, honest, mutually beneficial relationship with your vendors is easier said than done. These relationships tend to be somewhat confrontational by nature yet, in the long run, creating a partnership with your service providers will be of great benefit to you, as well as to them.

By overcoming the “Us vs. Them” mentality that is so often found between property managers and their vendors, you’ll be saving yourself a great deal of time and emotional energy, not to mention money. After all, most vendors want the same things you do: to grow their business, increase their profits, reduce hassles and costly redundancies. By helping each other to reach these goals, you will go a very long way toward building the type of relationship that can last for decades, to the benefit of both of you.

How to build the partnership with your vendors
Hiring the right vendor for your property can create opportunities to reach untapped potential that at your disposal, but which you have yet to recognize.

To help you reach that potential, here are 5 Tips to Hire the Perfect Vendors:
1. Create a short-list of vendors – too many choices can make it impossible to pick one, or a few. It’s also difficult to build relationships with a dozen or more vendors, while doing so with just a few is easy. By using a “select” few vendors, you’ll be committing to spending more with each, improving their loyalty and service to you.
2. Get to know them – while you may not be looking for a new “best friend” with your vendors, you might want to indulge in an occasional lunch or dinner. Taking some time to meet socially with vendors will help you build relationships that will make your work interactions better. These are short-term investments of time that can lead to powerful long-term benefits to your business.
3. Send more work their way – the quickest way to boost a vendors’ loyalty toward you is to help them grow their business. You can do this by providing them with more, and more regular, work of course but, you can also be a reference for them – and refer other work to them. Most of us have received tips from friends and associates about new business opportunities; provide the same courtesy to your best vendors.
4. Trust them to resolve problems for you – no one enjoys being micro-managed, yet there are organizations that admit problems only reluctantly. By being up-front without being confrontational, you can let your vendor more clearly know your expectations for performance, while providing them the opportunity to resolve problems independently.
5. Make them a part of your team – you goal as a manger should be to foster engagement, not just from your employees but from your contractors too. The sense of commitment to the team’s success can be built among both groups, but only if you treat them equally. If you want “all-hands-on-deck” for the good of your business, make your vendors a part of the team.

It’s the nature of the property management business niche that working with contractors is a necessity. Creating strong partnerships and mutually beneficial relationships with your vendors may be the determining factor in whether or not you reach your business goals.

MultifamilyZone.com | Company Website | MultifamilyZone.com provides a listing of products, services and industry-related companies, technology tools, marketing trends and is a resource for information and news. Our goal is to assist individual owners, as well as fee and national management firms in the operations of their assets by connecting them with professional vendor partners.

Why are so many relationships between property managers and vendors confrontational?
While controlling costs is important to successfully managing properties, whether for yourself or for clients, the long-term benefits of building good relationships with your vendors cannot be overstated – or underestimated. If you seem to be in perpetual conflict with your service providers, someone is doing something wrong. Is it you?

Build a partnership with vendors
There is an old saying in retail that applies to all businesses: “Price is what you pay, value is what you receive.”
If you’re constantly shopping for the “best price” rather than quality service, you’re going to have problems with your vendors. If you focus exclusively on short-term gains, your vendors will have no vested interest in helping you meet your long-term goals. If you expect a reasonable rate of return and profitability for your own efforts, offering the same to your service providers can only benefit both of you.
If you want to build a smoothly running organization that will grow over time, you’ll need to form mutually beneficial relationships with your vendors; partnerships based on mutual respect for each other’s needs and goals.

Like any relationship, there are three keys to generating that respect and creating a partnership that will benefit both of you over the long haul:
Build Trust – between you and your vendors. This is the foundation of all lasting client/vendor partnerships.
Promote Honesty – understanding how necessary it is for both partners in the relationship, so that each of you receives the right answers to the tough questions, even when they’re not the answers you might be hoping to get.
Be Responsive – to each other’s needs, knowing that understanding your vendor-partner’s issues and concerns will foster a long-term commitment to the success each of you are hoping for.

Your most successful business relationships are no different than your personal relationships. Each requires a commitment from both parties to making the relationship work well for each of you. If your goal is to build a flourishing property management business, you must seek out vendors who are committed to helping you realize your goals and aspirations, while showing them the respect of returning that commitment to them. Your business, and your peace of mind, will thank you for it.
Are your vendor relationships confrontational or mutually respectful? What have you done to build partnerships with your vendors? Have they lasted over time, and what are the benefits you’ve realized?

MultifamilyZone.com | Company Website | MultifamilyZone.com provides a listing of products, services and industry-related companies, technology tools, marketing trends and is a resource for information and news. Our goal is to assist individual owners, as well as fee and national management firms in the operations of their assets by connecting them with professional vendor partners.

The horrific massacre by Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik in San Bernardino was a rude awakening. The terrorists rented a house in Redlands and their neighbors noticed their suspicious behavior yet did not report it to authorities. You can never know when or where these events may occur, however they have been happening frequently throughout this year.

On November 13^th, 2015 Paris fell victim to one of the worst acts of terrorism they have ever seen. It was also the day my new wife and I were visiting on our honeymoon. We were only there for the day after taking the train from London, and were going all over the city to see as many of the major tourist sites as we could fit into a 12 hour stay. Our train departed Paris Gare du Nord station at 9:13pm and 10 minutes away the first attack was reported at 9:20pm.

We were exceptionally fortunate that day to have left when we did, but being so close to such a terrible tragedy was a cold reminder of the world we live in; a world where you are welcome to travel and experience life, but must always be aware of your surroundings and prepared to act should a threat suddenly emerge. I would love to reflect on my honeymoon and only think about the good, but the tragedy that occurred will always linger as a reminder of how quickly everything in your world can change.

It is because of this experience, and the threat of others as the San Bernardino shooting, that I choose to remain vigilant rather than simply relaxing and enjoying the moment whenever I am outside the comfort of my home. While profiling a person based solely on race, culture, religion or physical attributes is not the answer, I do encourage anyone who values their safety to pay extra attention to their surroundings. The FBI and the TSA have spent years collecting data and creating systems they believe can improve the chances of minimizing threats.

First and foremost, to protect your rental and neighborhood from confirmed terrorists, take preventative measures by performing tenant screening with the Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC). OFAC is a Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list that includes known terrorists, terrorist supporters and narcotics traffickers. However, if you believe someone currently residing in your community seems suspicious, consider using some of the FBI’s key characteristics to determine if your resident is a threat:

• Suspicious Questioning & Persons

If your neighborhood is near any key facilities (like military bases or government buildings) or if a lot of your residents are employed by key facilities, keep a look out for any suspicious questions asked. Do you know the person asking or have you seen them around the neighborhood?

• Acquiring Supplies

Have you seen your resident in question carrying to their home, garage or car explosives, weapons, ammunition, dangerous chemicals, uniforms, access cards or identification cards? If you have, do you know if they’re stockpiling any of the above?

• Security

Have you noticed any abandoned vehicles or suspicious persons near your community?

• Change in Behavior

A resident’s behavior has significantly changed such as a withdrawal from social interaction and extreme viewpoints that the person did not have before.

While the TSA’s SPOT program has been controversial to say the least, the TSA’s checklist can help to further determine your suspicions. The SPOT program runs on a point system, where actions like “avoiding eye contact” and “excessive fidgeting” are worth a single point each, so you shouldn’t rely upon one or two of these factors alone. Additionally, do not approach someone you suspect based upon the FBI’s suspicious acts list. Use the SPOT program only when approached and in conjunction with the FBI list.

Signs listed on the TSA’s checklist include:

• Exaggerated yawning
• Excessive throat clearing
• Widely open staring eyes
• Wearing improper attire for the location – i.e. heavy clothing on a hot day
• Gazing down
• Exaggerated or repetitive grooming gestures
• Rubbing or wringing of hands.

After analyzing the person in question through these methods, if you’re still wary of your safety and the safety of others, please contact the FBI. You can easily do this online or via telephone or mail.

Even by staying aware of your surroundings and reporting whatever and whoever seems suspicious, the reality is that sometimes it’s not enough. Sometimes someone with no previous terrorist history or suspicion suddenly decides to gun down an office, a school, or a clinic, making it almost impossible to determine if these types of terrorists are a threat beforehand. In such situations, it’s vital that you learn what to do in an active shooter situation because who knows if you’ll be ten minutes lucky, or ten minutes too late.

About ApplyConnect

ApplyConnect seeks to provide landlords and agents with the comprehensive tenant screening service you need, when you need it. Move qualified renters into their dream homes, faster than ever and have peace of mind knowing that ApplyConnect tenant screening reports are backed by nearly 30 years of experience! Active industry involvement includes positions of leadership in the National Association of Professional Background Screeners and the National Consumer Reporting Association.

About the Authors

Ryan Green has been working within the real estate and property management industries since 2005, and presently serves as the Marketing Manager for ApplyConnect. He holds a degree in Business Administration as well as FCRA and Experian certifications. When not passionately educating the industry about tips and trends he enjoys traveling, and visiting craft breweries.

Becky Bower is a writer for the ApplyConnect Blog and a communications intern at ApplyConnect, a consumer initiated tenant screening company. She has also spent several years in compliance and auditing. Becky holds a degree in English with a focus in creative writing from CSU Channel Islands and is a published writer.

Resident Retention is a very important part of property management. Companies that work with apartment complexes know that there will always be residents who don’t stay long. Some of them just moved to the area, or they are looking for a house to buy. Others have a need to rent for a while, but that will change in the future. Still other renters may move from the area entirely. No matter what the reason, it’s not possible to keep every tenant forever. But there are many people who want to be long-term residents, and who will do so if they are treated right, are happy, and have what they need in their rental. How do you give them what they need so they in turn can give your property management company high lease renewal rates? Here are six simple tips for property managers to improve resident retention in 2016.

1.) Be Responsive

Ignoring residents isn’t going to help retain them. They need a property management company willing to listen to them and acknowledge their concerns. Even if the management company isn’t able to make a change for a resident, knowing that the resident had their voice heard may be enough to retain them. Property managers can also be responsive by answering phone calls and messages quickly and making sure maintenance requests are promptly taken care of, so residents will understand that they are important.

2.) Keep Residents Informed

Whether sending out a newsletter, using text messages, or finding other ways of providing information, be sure that residents are informed about anything that is being done in or around the property. The more residents are kept “in the loop,” the more comfortable they will feel with the management company. Residents want to know what’s happening in their home, and a steady stream of information gives them that awareness.

3.) Maintain the Property

A clean, well-kept property means happy residents who want to keep living there. When a management company works to maintain a property, residents understand that they will be able to live in a clean, safe, and comfortable environment for the long term. That reduces the chances that they will move and raises the property management company’s ability to retain them even if there are other concerns to be worked through.

4.) Keep Your Staff Consistent, When Possible

It’s not always possible to retain every employee, but the more a company can keep — and the longer they can keep them — the better off they will be when it comes to resident retention. Residents get used to the people who they see in their management office or around the grounds, and having too much turnover in employees can make the residents feel uneasy or uncomfortable.

5.) Embrace Technology to Boost Resident Retention

By letting residents text, leave messages, and contact the company through the website, there are more options for a resident to reach out and get any help or information they need. Optimizing the website for mobile can help, too, since so many people use mobile devices today. By embracing technology but also keeping older methods for residents who may not want change, residents know they have choices.

6.) Build a Sense of Community

A true sense of community can really keep residents around. If they feel like they belong in their apartment complex and they are friends with a lot of the people who live and work there, they’re much more likely to remain. Property management companies that build a sense of community will help themselves and their residents, so consider hosting meet and greet events for new residents or holiday parties to increase opportunities for interaction.

Appfolio | Company Website | LinkedIn Connect | AppFolio, Inc. develops Property Management Software that helps businesses improve their workflow so they save time and make more money. Appfolio submits articles & blogs including topics of Resident Retention, Improved Owner Communication, Time Management, and more.

The holidays are a festive time of the year. They are a chance to make a long-lasting impression, spread good cheer, and improve tenant relationships. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or another winter holiday, it is the time of year that property management professionals should re-connect with their residents. The following five tips will help you to improve tenant relationships, establish tenant loyalty, and show your tenants that your property management company truly puts their needs first.

Send out package delivery notifications.

Between Black Friday and New Year’s Day your tenants receive hundreds of packages. Take the time to send them a delivery notification. Make sure that the notification is both polite and customized. For example, if you noticed that someone received perishable goods, then take the time needed to tell your renter that their package is waiting in the office refrigerator. Conversely, if a tenant received a particularly large package then let them know that they might need to bring a friend or two to safely transport the package to their residence.

De-ice the driveway, parking lot, and community walkways.

No one wants to take a nasty fall due to slippery ice. Make sure that the property’s driveway, parking lot, and community paths are free of ice. If your properties are home to four-legged creatures, then make sure that you use an animal-friendly product to de-ice these areas. Your tenants will thank you and their pets will appreciate the gesture.

Send a personalized holiday greeting card.

As alluded to in the opening of this post, the holidays are a time to establish new connections and improve current tenant relationships. Customized holiday greeting cards are an excellent way to show your tenants that you care. Take a moment to go beyond simply customizing their name on the greeting card. If they have kids, make sure to include the names of their children. If your tenant has a pet, then be sure to include the name of their pet. Finally, write a message that lets the tenant know that their card was specially created for them and not the product of a mass “copy and paste effort.” If you want to be more trendy, send a personalized e-card, or do something nice for charity on behalf of your residents (like plant a tree or donate to pet adoption centers if a lot of your residents are pet owners.)

Put out holiday treats at the concierge desk and leasing office.

Place holiday treats in conveniently accessible locations, such as the concierge desk or leasing office. Make sure that you don’t put out treats with nuts or other common allergens. Don’t forget to put out treats for the pups too! A little holiday treat can go a long way towards making your residents feel appreciated.

Send a Happy New Year greeting to all of your tenants.

Start the year off right by wishing your renters a Happy New Year. It is a nice gesture that will be well received and can further solidify good tenant relationships. A special greeting card is also something that tenants will remember and might tell their friends and family about if they need an apartment recommendation.

From holiday treats to customized greeting cards, these five tips are designed to help property mangers improve tenant relationships during the winter holiday season. Once good tenant relationships have been established, be sure to continue the trend throughout the year with a few tenant-focused gestures of good will.

Appfolio | Company Website | LinkedIn Connect | AppFolio, Inc. develops Property Management Software that helps businesses improve their workflow so they save time and make more money.  Appfolio submits articles & blogs including topics of Resident Retention, Improved Owner Communication, Time Management, and more.

If you’re a landlord who reaches for a can of Raid at the first sign of a cockroach or spider, prepare to break that habit.

A law taking effect in January targets pest control do-it-yourselfers in the rental housing business. Owners and their employees must begin notifying tenants whenever they personally apply pesticides, as opposed to using a pest control operator. Below, you’ll find detailed information for following the new regulations, as well as links to the forms you’ll need — available exclusively to CAA members.

TO ATTEND

CAA will present information on the new pesticide-disclosure law and other legislation taking effect in 2016 during “New Laws & New Leaders: How will the changing laws in 2016 impact your business?” The presentation is part of a networking breakfast in Ontario on Jan. 20. Click here for more information.

In large part, the new notification rules for landlords reflect the kind of disclosure requirements imposed on pest control operators over the past 30 years.

Since 1984, California law has required pest control companies to provide notice to owner/agents and residents when applying pesticides at the property. If the owner/agent has contracted with a pest control operator for periodic pest control, the owner/agent must provide the pest control company’s notice to all new residents. Additional notice provisions also extend to property owner/agents if they have residents who operate a child day-care facility at the property.

Under Senate Bill 328, owners/agents who do their own pesticide application are required to provide advance notice to residents, effective 2016.

An overview of the new law

Similar to the notice requirements for pest control companies, an owner or authorized agent who applies any pesticide to a dwelling unit without a licensed pest control operator must now provide a notice to residents. A “pesticide” is defined as any substance, or mixture of substances, that is intended to be used for controlling, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest or organism, excluding antimicrobial pesticides as defined by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 U.S.C. Sec. 136(mm)).

Here are summaries of the relevant forms and links to access them:

• Form 61.0 – Notice of Pesticide Application-Dwelling Unit – One-time or periodic (i.e., monthly, weekly) pesticide application to a dwelling unit. CAA Form 61.1 is used to provide notice to tenants in adjacent units when owner/agent is making broadcast applications (more than 2 square feet), or using total release foggers or aerosol sprays.

• Form 61.1 – Notice of Pesticide Application – Adjacent Unit – One-time or periodic broadcast application, or using total-release foggers (i.e., bug bombs) or aerosol sprays. This is the notice to be provided to adjacent units. CAA Form 61.0 is used to provide notice to the tenants in the unit where the application takes place.

• Form 61.2 – Notice of Pesticide Application: Common Area Posting – This sign is required to be posted in a common area prior to a one-time application of pesticides in a common area.

• Form 61.3 – Notice of Pesticide Application: Common Area: Notice to all Units – This form is to be used when the Owner/Agent will engage in periodic application of pesticides in a common area or in the case of one-time application if posting in the common area is not possible.

• Form 61.4 – Periodic Application of Pesticides by Owner/Agent to Common Area Addendum – This form is to be used to notify the incoming Resident when the Owner/Agent is engaging in periodic application of pesticides in a common area.

• Form 61.5 – Periodic Application by Pest Control Operator Addendum – This form is used when Owner/Agent has contracted with a pest control operator for periodic pest control.

Reminder about Existing Requirements for Residential Management Companies – Agents of the Owner

The licensing and registration requirements for residential management companies under existing law differ depending on whether structural or exterior pest control work is to be performed.

Indoor Application – According to the Structural Pest Control Board, a residential management company that handles all aspects of management for a property owner/agent is considered the owner/agent’s agent and is not required to be licensed to do indoor or other structural pest control.

Outdoor Application – The Department of Pesticide Regulation, however, considers the management company to be performing pest control “for hire.” If the management company personnel applies pesticides for landscape maintenance (i.e., outdoors), they must obtain a license from DPR: either a maintenance gardener license, if they contract to maintain landscaping in general, or a Qualified Applicators License if they contract specifically to perform pest control.

Additional information regarding covered chemicals and licensing and registration requirements and procedures can be obtained from the California Department of Pesticide regulation at (916) 324-0399, and the Structural Pest Control Board at (916) 561-8700.

For a more detailed background paper on this new law, click here.

SOURCE: CAA – www.caanet.org

When it comes to customer service and online reputation management, the absolute worst thing you can do is to do nothing at all. Negative feedback is inevitable, regardless of your business and what you sell. Your response to negativity, however, will determine the success of your property management business.

Consider a situation where a frustrated customer writes a bad online review of your business. Responding with a sincere apology and willingness to listen increases customer advocacy in a public forum. Not only will this mitigate the complaint, it will positively portray the level of customer service that your business offers.

80% of Americans trust online reviews as much as they trust recommendations from friends and family, so publicly responding to criticism is crucial.

Negative feedback comes in two forms: public criticism on blogs and review sites, or private messages from dissatisfied customers in the form of emails and phone calls.

90% of customers sending private messages expect a formal response to their complaint while their public counterparts do not expect much.

Currently, ⅓ of all complaints are made on public websites or social media platforms. This number is expected to increase as younger generations grow up immersed in the internet and social media. Respond to any and all negative feedback, no matter the venue or the complaint.

How to “Hug Your Haters” to improve your online reputation management skills:

• Never respond to a “troll” more than twice. Politely end the conversation and suggest they contact you offline.
• Answer every complaint, in every channel, every time.
• When someone posts a positive comment, reward them with a gift card if they bring in a new customer!
• Respond to positive comments as well as negative. Show your reviewers you are listening and appreciate them.
• Reviews impact your search engine results in a major way – the more positive reviews the more visibility you get in Google.
• Don’t take reviews personally, even when the negative reviewer makes it so. Remember, they might be having the worst day of their lives so recognize and empathize.
• Respond fast! How quickly you respond is important in satisfying the “hater” and keeping the thread from spiraling out of control.

View and listen to the webinar here!

Appfolio | Company Website | LinkedIn Connect | AppFolio, Inc. develops Property Management Software that helps businesses improve their workflow so they save time and make more money.  Appfolio submits articles & blogs including topics of Resident Retention, Improved Owner Communication, Time Management, and more.