I think forums can be used in an effort to gain insight before you launch that new marketing campaign or new resident relations program or frankly anything you are thinking about doing as an enterprise. The neat thing about online apartment forums is that, unlike real life forums, people let their guards down. They give you the real unadulterated truth about it.
I mean think about the times you have let some one have it in an email or you have taken the time to write a letter to the owner of a company who just provided you with dismal service. You let them have it. Why? No fear of reprisal. It doesn’t mean it’s not there, it just means your not afraid of it and thus you type on.
It is the same for online forums. Maybe this is a bad analogy but it is not unlike the person who has one to many cocktails at the Christmas party and tells the boss what he or she really thinks about him or her.
I may be getting off track a bit so the point is this. The online apartment forum is a place where you can get the real skinny on your product but more important, you can act.
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Mike, Great Post, keep pushing this to ease everyone’s fear
Perhaps with a Forum, it IS YOUR MARKETING CAMPIGN; we will soon find out over here and will report back our findings. We are finalizing our plans to broadcast our Forums presence, and a strategy for it to gain some traction. More to follow………
Mike – I agree, but we also provide online polls and surveys to our customers to help them track resident interests/concerns/etc. It’s a great way to cater your service to what your residents are actually wanting, rather than sticking a thumb in the air and taking a guess.
Eric and Brent,
I really want to thank both of you for taking the time to comment. I know the more we build dialog on this subject the more widely accepted it will become.
I really think that it’s not a choice anymore. Companies will need to open up the dialog. And, I agree Brent the polls and surveys are in part critical to the big picture. I view them as part and parcel to providing stimulus for further valuable acts on the part of owners.
Thanks again for the feedback. I think it’s time we put a dent in the property management universe. M