We all know the apartment leasing industry can get pretty hectic sometimes—and this may even be an understatement. Between the callbacks, fulfilling maintenance requests and marketing, the communication loop has a tendency to rupture at certain points every now and again, leaving some tasks to unfortunately fall by the wayside.
Considering that communication is critical to success in apartment leasing, property managers must find that perfect solution to ensure that all the proper interactions are being made to the right people at exactly the right time. Well, understanding how important good communication is to business, Google decided to launch a chat messaging feature as part of the Google My Business platform. The new feature allows businesses the opportunity to chat directly with customers who stumble across their business listing on Google Search.
This chatting feature is pretty revolutionary for the apartment leasing industry. It has the potential to permanently alter the way communication occurs between prospective residents and leasing agents online.
How it works:
Any apartment community with a Google My Business page can take advantage of the chat feature. Simply look for the “Messaging” card in the home menu and include a phone number that can receive SMS messages. This number should be available to agents who can handle high volumes of customer communication throughout the day. Also, similar to the Facebook messaging chat feature, the Google My Business chat function will allow customers to see your average response time when they message you, which means that it is important for you to ensure that you have the adequate resources in place to handle large volumes of responses daily.
Particularly during your posted business hours, you’ll want to guarantee that your replies are always prompt and responsive, as you will be setting the tone for your entire community. Used appropriately, this chat feature can not only help to answer questions about your property, but create a memorable first impression and/or connection with these prospective residents who may have never interacted with your property prior, right from your SERP.
Ensure your communication is up-to-par.
If you choose to take advantage of the Google My Business chat feature, you will also want to ensure that your prospective and current residents have alternate ways to reach you. Supplement your communications efforts with an effective, responsive website that supports the information your customers receive through the chat. A thorough website can be easily referenced in the Google conversations your leasing agents are having with customers. Not to mention, you will need a supportive medium for your prospects outside of the posted business hours.
Track your results.
Once your website is up-to-par and the Google My Business chat feature has been initiated, you can begin tracking your results. Leverage Google Analytics to determine where the bulk of your online traffic is deriving. This will provide you with greater direction when it comes to investing your marketing dollars.
Rentbot can help.
Given Google’s new chat feature for businesses, it becomes even more important for your website to stand out above the rest. That’s where Rentbot comes in. In a matter of days, our dedicated and experienced account specialists will work with you to design and develop a unique and responsive website that tells the story of your property to current and future prospects in a way that will drive them to want to learn more. You’ll enjoy online maintenance request features, online rent payment and gorgeous page layouts that are guaranteed to work on any device. Paired with Google My Business chat, you will be well on your way to more conversations, better tenants, and increased leases in no time.
Open up your streams of communication with Rentbot, and take the apartment industry by storm!
About the Author
Jonsette Calloway joined the Rentbot team in 2015. With a background in public relations, advertising and copywriting, she has helped a multitude of clients achieve their marketing and communications goals within various fields, but she particularly enjoys working with the apartment industry.