Virtual Leasing in Today's Environment

COVID-19 has forced management companies to think differently about their leasing process.  With some leasing offices closed or operating on reduced hours, they have had to embrace a new normal – the virtual leasing experience.  This means leveraging technology to engage with prospective renters around the clock and virtually.  

Just like there is a new normal for leasing teams, there is also a new normal for today’s apartment hunters.  Social distancing and work from home guidelines have conditioned apartment hunters to choose convenience and instant service for all their essentials.  They get their groceries, dinner and pretty much anything they need delivered right to their door in sometimes minutes.  

Think about the type of experience you offer rental prospects at your property.  Are you available around the clock?  We know it is impossible to answer every call, in fact the average property misses nearly 50% of their calls.  So, you need to make sure you have a solution in place to capture those valuable leasing prospects.  

You may be thinking a call center is the answer, but make sure you do your research.  Call centers come with their own set of challenges.

Call Center Challenges

Cost Prohibitive

Many call centers charge by the minute and many of the calls are not even actual prospects looking to rent an apartment.  A virtual leasing assistant gives the caller complete control of the conversation to quickly answer questions and set the appointment.

Lack of Consistency

It takes time for these agents to be properly trained about your properties, and until they are, it’s likely that these agents will relay incorrect information or appear uninformed to your prospects. Remember, they are not assigned to your property or portfolio like a virtual leasing assistant would be.

Limited Flexibility

It is not easy to make changes to your property details or specials when working with a call center.  Who has time to submit a request and wait for updates to be implemented?  A virtual leasing assistant gives you the power to instantly and easily customize your property details.

The Virtual Leasing Assistant

Staying open to prospects around the clock is now a necessity.  Over 87% of callers will not leave a voicemail if your property does not answer the phone.  A virtual leasing assistant is a cost effective and consistent solution that gives your prospects what they want, instant answers.  

Consider an omni-channel virtual leasing assistant that engages through voice, chat and text.  Check out ACE, LeaseHawk’s virtual assistant, that engages with prospects to answer over 170 leasing questions, collect guest card information and set appointments 24/7.  ACE leverages artificial intelligence to have human-like conversations with prospects over the phone, via text messages, or in a chat window on property websites.  Unlike most chatbots, which try to guide prospects through a maze of menu selections, ACE communicates with prospects like a human would—through natural and interactive conversations.  This drives a better customer experience by allowing your prospective renters to communicate on their terms, using their desired communication channel.

ACE enables properties to provide a consistent experience to prospective renters around the clock.  Check out the success MC Companies has had with the addition of ACE.  “In order to successfully operate in this new leasing landscape, you need to leverage technology to connect with prospects on their terms,” says Ken McElroy, CEO of MC Companies.  “As an extension of our leasing team, ACE converts over 51% of prospect calls to appointments.  In just the last 30 days, ACE created 988 guest cards and set 480 appointments."

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"As an extension of our leasing team, ACE converts over 51% of prospect calls to appointments.  In just the last 30 days, ACE created 988 guest cards and set 480 appointments." — Ken McElroy, CEO of MC Companies

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Take your leasing strategy to the next level by adding a virtual leasing assistant to your team.  Give ACE a try and see the benefits of offering a superior customer experience that is responsive and consistent every day of the week. Call or text ACE at (480) 571-1339.