RESIDENT
RETENTION
A Primary Role of the
Maintenance Professional
by Chris Abernathy, Redpeak & Amy Gillaspie, Legacy Partners
A
s the Maintenance Olympics draws
near, we thought it would be important to spotlight the importance of
our maintenance teams to the success
of our communities, specifically in the area of
resident retention.
Our maintenance teams are on the front lines
and interact with our residents as much as anyone
in the office, and their effective communication
with residents is crucial.
Here are six important ways that maintenance
teams can contribute to resident retention:
Decrease Work Order
Turnaround Times
One of the most effective ways to keep our
residents happy is to keep their homes in the best
working order. Obviously, the longer it takes for
repairs, the less happy our residents become. There
is nothing better than working in an office where
you can state with confidence that your maintenance team will get to any non-emergency problems within 24 hours of all requests.
If repairs cannot be completed within 24
hours due to a part being ordered, for example,
communicating the delay and estimated time
of repairs is key to keeping the resident informed and satisfied that the team is making
their best effort. It is such a wonderful feeling
to get a work order response survey where the
resident is shocked at how quickly their problem was repaired!
www.aamdhq.org
Be the First Line of
Communication
Maintenance teams don’t just hear about
maintenance issues, they are often the first members of the community staff to hear about residents
other needs or concerns. If a resident is upset,
they may vent to the first staff member they see,
and that person could be completing a work
order. I have actually had residents initiate renewal conversations with maintenance supervisors
and technicians, whether it’s wondering if they
could get their carpets cleaned for renewing, or
even asking if the rates would increase.
This is a perfect opportunity for the maintenance team to be train Y