Retaining your Residents’ Trust Amid Utility Outages, Odors, and Other Crises

When a “crisis” occurs in your apartment community, how do you respond? To be clear, a crisis does not always have to be something catastrophic, like a violent crime or an extreme weather event. A crisis can develop when day-to-day operations of the community are affected—such as those caused by a water shut-off, recurring fire alarms, or broken gas pipeline—that impact your residents’ quality of living. These tribulations can range from minor annoyances to highly limiting inconveniences, and the last thing you want is for panic to ensue.

The key to maintaining order and ensuring these situations do not spin out of control is to COMMUNICATE – keep your residents informed. ?Amid a crisis, clear communication, details, facts, and timelines help to offer reassurance that you have a game plan to restore normalcy as soon as possible. And some predicaments require you to rely on city officials and local resources for complete resolution, so it is imperative to share this with your residents.

Crises such as these affect all communities and industries. My colleague shared a story about a new facility that is being proposed in her residential neighborhood. The local school district planned for the development of an early childhood center to be placed between an existing elementary and middle school. Problems occurred when the plan was ultimately shared with residents who realized this would increase traffic dramatically in an already-congested area where students walk to school due to decreased bus service. Because the school district did not communicate transparently, a crisis ensued with resident protests, media coverage, and emotional push-back from all sides.

So, when your community faces a crisis, how can you best meet the needs of your residents? Consider the following 5-star feedback for guidance on how to ensure your crisis communication retains your residents’ trust.

Tip #1: Provide proactive, consistent updates and offer helpful solutions.        

"We have been without water for over 24 hours. We have gotten several emails about this fix needing to happen, so I understand that no one on property is at fault. They have also had Plumbing Trucks and [City] Public Works Trucks there trying to fix the issue this whole time. When I went to talk to the Office about the issue it was closed because it had flooded, not because they didn’t want to deal with residents. From my knowledge half of the staff live in the building without water too! What they did do is leave the amenity spaces open so people could use the bathroom and fill up water jugs."

In this example, the on-site team communicated about the water shut-off before it ever occurred. The reviewer calm, because they understand why this is happening, have witnessed progress being made, and have been offered solutions from the staff. The idea of leaving the amenity spaces open so residents could use the bathroom was brilliant! Err on the side of over-communicating with your residents when crises like this occur.

Tip #2: Once the crisis is resolved, follow up with your residents to ensure they are content.        

“Recently we had an issue with an odor in our apartment that was not a pressing issue, but was very annoying. When we brought it to management’s attention, they were on it and willing to provide multiple solutions to get to the bottom of it. After a few attempts to solve the problem, we finally got to the bottom of it and the apartment is better than new! I can’t say enough for the attention that we received through the process—from the willingness to find a solution, the follow-up calls to check if the solution was successful, and the overall experience. This is a great community with great residents and a super staff! We were only planning on staying a year and we have been here for over 2 years now and are so happy here we may renew for another year after our current lease is up! FIVE STARS!”

Once a crisis has been resolved, your work is not done. Continue to keep an open door of communication by checking in with your residents to ensure their needs are met. Make adjustments as needed and impress upon your residents that you will continue providing solutions to make their experience the best it can be. And as seen in this case, you might just earn a renewal!

Unexpected crises do not have to result in widespread disapproval and negative reviews online. In fact, residents tend to be understanding and forgiving when they receive clear and consistent communication from the team. While they don’t require perfection from those in leadership, they do seek reassurance, so the steps you take to communicate, problem-solve, and follow up will go far in earning your residents’ trust.

About The Extra Mile

The Extra Mile is an online column serving the multifamily industry that features tips and testimonials for providing exceptional service for your residents. Reputation management expert Priyanka Agarwal will share exemplary customer service examples from inside and outside the industry which can enhance a property’s reputation and, ultimately, encourage new leases, referrals, and renewals. For questions and/or comments, contact [email protected].