JUMP - SHAKE - PERCOLATE

I wish everyone in the world had to go through Nordstrom customer service training.  The book, The Nordstrom Way, is appropriately named.  Their philosophy is and should be "THE WAY' everywhere.  It does not matter if you are in the shoe, clothing or accessories department, there is always someone eager to assist you.  Notice, I carefully selected the word assist, not sell.  They are so well trained, so polite and so helpful that you almost forget they are commissioned salespeople.  They greet you, they shake your hand, they introduce themselves and they check on you throughout your visit.  And my favorite part, after you buy something and they have it packaged, they step from behind the counter, thank you, shake your hand and give you your carefully wrapped purchases.  Ah, customer service at its finest.

Often in the apartment industry I think we forget that renting a new apartment home should be a pleasant experience, just like shopping at Nordstrom.  This begins from the minute they drive onto the property and walk through the Leasing Center door.

Have your team members been trained on "The Way"? 

So during that first drive in, the maintenance grounds personnel welcomes them with a wave and a smile as they drive by?  The maintenance technician fixing the clubhouse entry light wishes them a good morning before they enter?  And then, the "Prima Resistance", your office team immediately practicing JUMP - SHAKE - PERCOLATE?

No?  Well, maybe it is because they have never attended one of my trainings where I present the JUMP - SHAKE - PERCOLATE strategy.

JUMP - does your staff jump up from their seat, leave their desk and go to greet their future commission check at the door?  Or do they merely sit like and unmotivated bump on a log and ask how they can help? 

SHAKE -  upon greeting the customer, do they provide them with a nice firm professional handshake, welcoming them to their future new apartment home?  Or do they give them a limp wet noodle shake or no shake at all and directly move to the unwelcoming business at hand?

PERCOLATE - during this welcoming process, have they adjusted their attitude and presence to a level of excited sincere perkiness?  Or, have you hired employees absent of personality, somewhat asleep at the wheel of poor closing ratios?

This JUMP - SHAKE - PERCOLATE welcoming style sets an upbeat and positive beginning for the customer as well as the leasing consultant.  And besides, it is just good manners.  So everyone get out of your chairs, shake your wild thing and perk up the next customer that walks in the door.  Good manners leads to good commissions.