If I were to ask you if your current marketing strategy is centered on your customer, how would you respond? Yes? or No? Well, if the answer is yes, then you’re right on track. If it’s no, then you have some work to do. Despite the fact that we may invest heavily in the greatest digital tools and tactics, at the end of the day, a business’ true success will always come back to how it’s treating its customers.

It is now being proven that the most successful organizations today are operating with a customer-centric methodology and culture, where the customer takes precedence. Trends are beginning to reveal that an organization’s messaging is not as powerful nowadays; rather, it the experiences they receive from the brand that influences their decision to stick with a company.

If you are not currently adopting a customer centric philosophy across your community, it may be time to get on board. Not sure how? You can start by implementing these four tactics:

Prioritize the customer experience.

Customer service should “bleed” from your property—from the administration right on down to the maintenance crew. Utilize your employees as brand ambassadors to advocate for your property. Ensure that your service standards are clear and communicated throughout your entire organization. Reply to your renters and prospects in a timely manner, provide updates on maintenance requests, reduce unnecessary hurdles for simple tasks such as paying rent or reporting an issue, and, most importantly, keep your lines of communication open, always.

Make it personal.

Customers want personalized interaction outside of the typical client-business relationship. For starters, you should use the prospect’s name in all of your communications, including automated emails and letters. Personalization also extends to the content you present as well. Make sure the information on your webpages is relevant and caters to the needs of your prospects. Include the important details like pricing, square footage, amenities as well as the maintenance process up front so that they are not left scouring the site to find it.

Implement your feedback.

You asked for it, why not use it? In addition to creating a consistent personalized experience, listening to your customers ensures that your property caters to the needs of your prospects and renters. By effectively integrating the feedback you receive into your business operations, you’ll have the upper hand with your competitors and will be reaping the benefits of happier tenants no time.

Optimize your metrics.

You already record tons of metrics from the various marketing tools and strategies you’re using every day. It’s time to use this information to enhance your customer experience. Review your website analytics for “red flags.” If a particular page has a significantly high bounce rate, then it may be time to make some changes. Review the amount of referrals you’re receiving and “page likes” to determine how often your renters are recommending your property to friends. It may also be helpful to review your conversion rates in detail to gain a better understanding of the amount of prospects who did not sign a lease despite making contact. Then, you can dig even deeper to try to determine why they ultimately did not choose your property. There are several metrics that you can use to benchmark your customer experience. Take advantage of those that give you the best understanding of what your renters want and need from your property.

Rentbot can help.

Let’s face it, we’re officially in the age of the consumer. They now have more choices and power than ever before and even more open channels to use to speak their minds. It’s time to embrace this ideology to create unique customer interactions and experiences throughout the rental journey—and you can start with a new website. Each Rentbot site is designed specifically with the renter in mind. From the seamless navigation and mobile and responsive design to the online rent payments, maintenance portal and contact forms, Rentbot is sure to deliver what you need and improve your customer experience at the same time. Give Rentbot a try today, and your first 30 days will be on us. Create happier, longer tenants with Rentbot and watch the leases roll in.

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.