So, who are we kidding ... the lease application is one of the most important parts of our business. We have carefully collected resumes, thoughtfully interviewed and conscientiously hired leasing specialists to represent us on a daily basis to aggressively secure lease applications. The questions is, are they doing it well?
I often refer to the apartment lease application as a "Disposable Floor Mat". Leasing Specialist's offer them as tour parting gifts. Community Managers direct their teams to use them as marketing collateral material, requiring they staple them to brochures. You can find them brilliantly fanned out on display next to the empty candy dish on the cocktail table in the community lobby. You can often find them in the after-hours brochure box at the clubhouse entry.
I can't help but wonder, if by making them so readily available, if our Leasing Specialists have stopped recognizing the importance of securing the completed application at the tour.
I think the lease application should be available by request or invitation, the latter being the most important.
A few years back I had to do an intense market survey in the Raleigh Durham, NC market. I visited 13 communities, showing great interest to the Leasing Specialists regarding renting, because not only was I shopping the market, I was also shopping for leasing consultants. I wanted to see who was going to go for the gold. Out of my 13 visits only two leasing consultants invited me to sit down and fill out an application, the other 11 offered me what I call the "Lease Application 2 - Go". I was so disappointed that these Leasing (Not So) Specialists completely ignored my positive buying signals, chickened out and didn't ask me to sit down and fill out the application.
What part of "THIS IS YOUR JOB" did they not understand? What part of "YOU JUST LOST COMMISSION" did they not understand? What part of "THEY SUCK AS A SALESPERSON" do their supervisors not understand? The Leasing Specialist needs to realign his or her sales thought process. They need to own that their job responsibility is to consistently motivate the prospective resident to fill out the application before they leave. Get the commitment!
I once was discussing this expectation at a public speaking engagement and a community manager piped up in the audience to inform me that it was against Fair Housing. Here we go, my favorite topic, "Fair Housing Paranoia". I asked her to explain, she quickly told me that if one of her Leasing Specialists forgot to ask someone to fill out an application, but had asked everyone else, then they could be sued. And went on to say, it is just like if you forget to offer someone a cup of lemonade but offer it to everyone else, that's why we just have it out with a sign that says serve yourself - that way everyone is invited. OMG! REALLY? Has Fair Housing paranoia made us this STUPID, not afraid, not overly cautious, STUPID! I shared with her that actually they would be sued if her Leasing Specialist consistently forgot to ask prospective residents from one of the protected classes to fill out the application. I further told her that I personally wouldn't worry about it if she worked for me, because if she were to forgot to ask anyone to fill out an application, she would have the opportunity to remember the importance of it on the way to the unemployment line.
So again, are our Leasing Specialists aware that their main job is to motivate the prospective resident to fill out the application before leaving. The question becomes, have we given the leasing consultant the tools to be motivational. Do we have an impressive product, well landscaped, well maintained and well managed? Do we have an organized Leasing Center, home to appropriate employee behavior and a conducive professional environment? Do we have outstanding make-ready or model units for show, that are clean and pristine in appearance? If we have equipped our Leasing Specialists with these tools there is no reason why we would not hold them accountable for being able to motivate the majority of prospective residents to fill out the application on the spot.
So which are you? Lease Application carry out? Or, Lease Application dine in?
Bon Apetit! I hope you are having a rich desert of Occupancy A La Mode!
