by Cody Osterman

Touring an apartment community has become easier and more complicated at the same time. 

For prospects, today’s multitude of options has created greater flexibility. For operators, modern-day expectations have hastened the need to provide prospects with the ability to schedule tours in the manner of their choice and on their desired timeframe. 

It was easy—easier anyway—when property teams only had to prepare for traditional agent-led tours. Although some wiggle room existed, it was mostly a cookie-cutter undertaking in which agents would lead prospects on a predetermined tour path and answer questions along the way. And it all happened during traditional business hours. 

Now virtual tours, self-guided tours and remote tours are among the influx of nontraditional options. While many of these were initially necessitated by the pandemic-related shutdown, most are here to stay. Prospects became accustomed to alternative ways to tour a property and operators experienced previously unseen efficiencies. 

So how can properties ensure they are offering an all-encompassing experience to today’s prospects, regardless of the type of tour they take? Here are a few of the ways:

• Start strong. Connecting with the modern-day prospect requires a robust start. More than ever, prospects will move along if things appear disjointed at the outset. Teams must be diligent to communicate at the frontend of the process – whether by text, phone, in person or through tech tools such as AI chatbots – so prospects have everything they might need in the information-gathering process. 

Pre-pandemic, it was easier to rely on building a rapport through face-to-face interactions. Now, the industry oftentimes must utilize technological means to foster that connection. This requires gathering as much information as possible about the prospect to better facilitate the tour experience. When leasing associates are keyed up with the prospect’s preferences, they can better personalize the experience regardless of which type of tour they choose. 

Going contactless for an extended period has shortened the sales process, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can be beneficial for operators in that leases are often closed on a shorter timeline, but teams now must be keenly focused on collecting pertinent prospect information in a shorter timeframe. 

• Use tech to create a seamless experience. Prospects aren’t very keen about having to utilize seven different sources to gather upfront information. To avoid this potentially lease-inhibiting scenario, operators should make certain all channels connect with one another. The property management system should be configured to feed into every website and advertising channel, so that prospects can seamlessly move from channel to channel if they crave more information. 

While it sounds simple enough, this process includes constantly monitoring these channels to make certain all information is current and accurate and that there are no broken feeds. 

Operators also can consider utilizing a CRM to set up early AI triggers for timely follow-ups to guest cards. Some of the current automation tools in this arena are exceedingly humanlike with the personalized texts and emails they pass along to prospects. Properties should also enable prospects to utilize a self-scheduler, much like making a dining reservation. 

Additionally, AI features continue to play a more prominent role in the tour process. Chatbots, for instance, work in something of a valet capacity for operators by gathering upfront information and teeing up leasing associates. When AI is in sync with a CRM, it can immediately escalate any needed handoffs to agents after AI has answered everything it can. It’s a quick process that appears seamless to the prospect. If a live agent isn’t immediately available, the AI tool can alert prospects that a follow-up will occur as soon as possible.

• Don’t abandon traditional means. Through all the tech innovations, the community website remains perhaps the most vital component for prospects. Rather than a complementary entity, it should serve as the primary source of information. It must include virtual touring options, real-time pricing, accurate floor plans, unit-specific features, high-res photos and additional features. Perhaps most notably, the community website must accurately mirror the onsite tour experience. 

Additionally, the ILS still holds value as a partner. While some operators have distanced themselves, ILS’s formulas for driving traffic remain effective and can guide prospects to the community website. The ILS should be viewed more for its assist value than a primary demand driver, however. 

Future of resident tours
Like nearly anything that utilizes a tech-centric approach, the apartment touring landscape will continue to evolve. Moving forward, the industry will need to utilize tech to an even greater extent. The shutdown served as a huge lesson for the industry that prospects crave various options, and that demand will assuredly increase as new innovations become available. 

The pandemic also underscored the already emerging idea that self-guided tours, AI features and automated follow-up communication are all vital. Utilizing tech to further refine the customer response rate will be key moving forward. 

Cutting-edge concepts have proven their worth in the past few years, meaning operators shouldn’t shy away from any upcoming innovations that could provide greater efficiencies. Self-guided tours, for example, have proven to be a fantastic option for prospects who are more introverted or on a short schedule. They help operators capture more volume and cater to the customer’s timeframe. They also free up time for longer showtimes for traditional tours.

While some of the personal touch might have been lost in a contactless environment, the coming years will also help operators rebuild customer service levels and become more of a concierge-type service that tailors to the personal experience. This will help cater to a wider range of prospects, whether they prefer to do it on their own, seek a more traditional  experience or something in between. 

Cody Osterman is the Sales and Marketing Director for Birchstone Residential.