As you may remember, in Part I of the blog “How SPMs Become Fireproof,” I described the instances where I had been fired and my realization that I wasn’t doing all that I could do to stand out. I wasn’t claiming my greatness. My guess is I’m not alone.
As property managers, we work really hard at keeping our properties—and our clients—looking good. And yet, we have this belief that our results should speak for themselves. Yet, somehow, they don’t speak loud enough for us.
So, here are five keys on how Smart Property Managers boost their relevance––and their value––without bragging, bravado, or belittling others.
Key #1: Keep an Accomplishments Journal
Many of our clients are expecting the answer to the question, “What have you done for me lately?” Or else why would they continue to keep us on board, right?
Caught off guard, we often stumble and our minds go blank. Any substantive answer may be a distant memory.
To avoid such embarrassing and uncomfortable moments, it’s best to keep an Accomplishments Journal. Whether you keep a spreadsheet, a paper journal, or track them online*, you simply write down your recent actions for your client. Then, when an inquiry comes your way, you simply relay the information, in a very subtle, natural way.
Doing this will keep your value high and keep your information relevant to the stakeholders you serve. Be sure to be describe any difficulties that arose and how you overcame them.
* I’ve begun using an online tool called IDoneThis that gives me daily reminders. I see what’s been crossed off and my completed tasks in Outlook and I record them there in under five minutes. I keep one for my team and one for my personal achievements as well.
Key #2: Daily Gratitude
You have numerous stakeholders:
- Your clients
- Your manager
- Your team
- Your vendors
- Your tenants
They all want a little piece of you.
Without them, you have no job. So embrace the opportunity to express your appreciation for all the reasons why you’re there. Thank them for entrusting you with their issues.
Remember:
You’re there to serve them and make them more valuable in their roles so they can serve their customers better.
Key #3: Your Customer’s Customer
This isn’t the way we usually think about things. We normally go through our daily tasks figuring out how to keep the property up and it ends there. Ultimately, we need look beyond our client and see who really is the recipient of our actions.
To do this we mentally step into the shoes of our customer—whether they be our:
- Residents
- Tenants
- Manager
- Owner
…and understand how we can help them serve their customers. Without this, we’re not maximizing our contribution.
It’s our job to understand our what our customers do. That’s how we can identify ways to support them better. That’s what’s going to increase our value in this industry.
Key #4: Increase Service Levels
We just discovered that serving your customer’s customer is a key to elevate value. Now, it’s time to do a little group think.
Meet with your team and brainstorm creative ways to improve what you’re doing now and increase the level of service you’re currently providing. Be sure to also solicit feedback from:
- Your tenants
- Your manager
- Your colleagues
- Your owner
Take their perspective and increase the level of service for them.
And, while you’re at it, give your team the credit. It’s your leadership that’s motivating them to produce at these new levels. And when you do so, your value will increase in the process.
Key number five is a big one…
Key #5: May I Quote You?
You may be on the phone with a customer, a tenant, or the owner of the building who just expressed what a great job you’ve done for them.
Ask if you can quote that person. This elevates your value without having done any bragging on your own.
Keep those quotes in your Accomplishments Journal so your “relevance rights,” (aka “bragging rights”) are all in one place.
And then you can pass that along to your boss, to your company––and actually increase your relevance and get the recognition you deserve.
Use these keys to help you stand out and shine––as you deserve to! And remember, by acknowledging your successes, you’ll feel better about yourself, and naturally do a better job––without worrying about how to prove your value to your clients.
You’ll know your value––and there will be a spiral effect that will elevate your presence and your and relevance as a property manager.
