This is the second in a two-part series about improving the resident experience by providing self service options that enable prospects and residents to engage with your properties on their terms and timetable.

It might sound cliche to say this, but the key to implementing a successful self service strategy at your properties is by building it on a strong foundation. In this case, that foundation is your website and prospect/resident portals. A good portal will consolidate your content management system, CRM, and communication solutions in one tool, enabling individuals to navigate seamlessly between self service and site team interactions.

How to incorporate self service into your portal

When building a portal, the most important thing to do is optimize for conversions. The prospect has made it this far, so you want to make it as easy as possible for them to start and finish the application process on their own.

However, not everyone is going to be ready to fill out an application when they first hit your website. Maybe they want to schedule a tour, look at floor plans, or learn more about your property before committing. This is where the design of your portal comes into play. You want to  make sure it’s optimized for conversions. Place the most important content and calls to action either above the fold or in the top line navigation menu.

As with everything marketing related, it’s important to continually conduct A/B tests on content, design, and calls to action to help you identify what’s most effective at driving leads and completed applications to your leasing center. Doing this provides you with the data you need to make informed decisions that will increase lead flow and improve conversion rates.

Another helpful feature that can drive conversions is a chatbot. Even better if that chatbot includes AI to answer frequently asked questions, provide the latest pricing, unit availability, and terms of the lease. Speaking of frequently asked questions, a robust FAQ page is the linchpin of a successful self-service strategy. 

When thinking about what to include on your FAQ, have a broad interpretation of what ‘frequently’ means. Try and answer any question prospects and residents might have. You should also view the FAQ page as a living document. Just as your business is constantly changing and evolving, so too are the questions you might receive.

Have automated workflows in place that are triggered by certain actions in the lead to lease process. These workflows push leads further down the funnel and provide applicants with what they need to complete whatever step they are on without the need for human interaction. When implementing a self service model, site teams and the leasing center should interact when it’s absolutely necessary or the prospect specifically requests it.

What activities are ripe for a self service option?

As mentioned previously, when evaluating what steps in your process could be good candidates for a self service option, identify simple, repeatable tasks that are easy to complete. Below are a few examples of areas where you could incorporate self service elements into your lead to lease flow both before and after the lease is signed.

Self service during the application process

Requesting information. One of the best ways to get started in self service is making it easy for applicants to find or request information about your property and their preferred floorplan, including pricing and locking in a quote.

Scheduling and taking a tour. Next, enable applicants to schedule and take either a virtual or in-person tours of your property. Another way to save time for on-site staff is implementing a property management solution that allows you to automatically generate access codes to a specific unit so applicants can conduct a self guided tour on their own during a specific window of time.

Roommate requests. For those of you who manage student housing, during the application process be sure to include a section where applicants can request specific roommates or provide preferences for what they would like in roommates.

Income verification. Another process that used to be time consuming is tracking down and reviewing documents to verify income as part of the approval process. This is another opportunity for you to put the responsibility on the applicant to provide this during the application process. Applicants can provide banking information that enables your system to review deposit information over a specified amount of time and can be approved or denied based on your policies. 

Purchasing renter’s insurance. Similar to income verification, verifying whether or not applicants have a renter’s insurance policy and if they maintained coverage throughout the life of the lease can be difficult. One way this can be solved is by providing them the option to purchase insurance from inside the application. Doing this not only ensures coverage but provides you with an opportunity to earn ancillary income.

Paying fees. Finally, collecting deposits and deposit alternatives from the application gives applicants the flexibility they want, while eliminating the need to come into the office to drop off a check or make a credit card payment.

Self service after lease is signed

Setting up recurring payments. Technically, this could be set up as part of the application process when they pay fees, but one of the most effective ways to ensure rent is collected on time is by encouraging applicants and residents to set up recurring payments. Other options to consider when setting up online payments is giving residents the option to split rent payments up over the course of a month or between roommates and co-applicants.

Renewing lease. One of the downsides of renting according to residents is having to sign a new lease every year. That’s why you should make it as easy as possible to complete this process. Just like with the initial application residents should be able to initiate the process, get a quote, make adjustments to the quote, and renew the lease on their own.

Submit a maintenance request. Instead of residents having to come into the office to submit a maintenance request and your site teams having to submit a work order, residents should be empowered to submit the request via your app and have that request routed directly to your maintenance department.

Access control. If your property has shared spaces or other rentable items, make it easy for residents to request and gain access to them directly from the app. From there, access codes can be generated and sent automatically on the reserved date.

Learn more 

To learn more about how Entrata can help you deliver self service options to residents and prospects, request a demo today or check out our ebook, The Multifamily Guide to Self-Service.