Mike Brewer
Comments Closed
Happy New Year!I was sifting through Google Reader this morning trying to catch up my blog reading when I came across the following words:
Comments are closed. They wer at the end of this well written post.
It bummed me out as I really wanted to add to the conversation. It also made me wonder why a blog would not allow comments. Maybe there is a very good reason that I am just not aware of and in the same respect I have a hard time thinking it’s a good thing.
If anyone from ApartmentSearch by Cort is reading please let me know the thought process behind the decision to close off the comments. I am just curious.
apartment blogs, blogs for apartments, apartment blog comments
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2009 A Year of Opportunity
I came across the following quote on the blog Customer Experience Matters today. The quote originally came from the Harvard Business Publishing site where they were showcasing a book called “The Forever War”
extraordinary in itself, and next to it a man named Juma Khan Gulalai.
The field was bright and green. Gulalai was a butcher and he’d set up
his table there, his apron and knives at the ready. Every day, Gulalai
explained, a goat would wander into the green grassy field to graze for
its meal and step on a land mine and blow apart. Gulalai would walk
into the field and retrieve the carcass–braving the mines himself as he
did–throw the old goat up on the table and carve up its meat for sale.”
What will it take to grow revenue in 2009
I tend to think about things from 30,000 feet and many times miss or overestimate the logistics of ripping off a cool new idea. In that respect I tend to do better at visualizing things as opposed to hammering out the details. I say all that to say this. 2009 will be the year of innovation in the multifamily space. I think we will see a number of new and exciting technologies come to fruition one of which will be that our various property management systems will finally talk to each other. Hats off to the MITS initiative. Moreover and really where I am looking to stoke up some conversation is innovation around the various social technologies we employ today and how we can use them to add value and subsequently more revenue.
As it stands each of us are trying to find our way with social technologies. Some of us are doing better than others while many are still sitting on the sidelines waiting for the right time to participate. I applaud those who have at very least put their toe in the water. Conversation is really the premise of our uses today. We are looking to engage our residents, prospects and vendors in conversations that add value to their experiences and more importantly their lives.
What will tomorrow bring
How do you see the use of social technologies bending the way we lease apartments, serve residents and stay in touch with vendors? I am looking for ideas beyond the conversation. What will each of the aforementioned parties add to the multifamily space or your community specifically? Innovation will be key and it will be collaborative by the nature of the technology we employee. So, what will it yield? Will each of our communities have its’ own specific rating structure built into its social mediums? Will we each have our own [communityname] rating link built right in? Will it be video driven and text supported? Will we see instant interaction with the raters? I think the possibilites are endless.
In closing I think 2009 will be an absolute amazing year to be alive and involved in the multifamily space. I look forward to participating with each and every one you. And, like Juma Khan Gulalai, let’s find the opportunity in an otherwise bleak circumstance.
M
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Video Chat and the 24-Hour Call Center
As we adopt what will likely be the next wave of customer-centric tools, time and attention must be paid to what we do after hours.
There is a lot to be said about the leasing experience and enhancing it as a point of differentiation. Moreover using it as a strategy to create new and untapped markets. Video chat will certainly do it and if done really well it will move the consumer experience to the next level. Outside of a face to face interaction, it is likely the next best thing. The advent of the internet made apartment shopping a 24/7 experience and video chat will certainly enhance that but what do we do after hours? Even the most dedicated full time apartment maniac must sleep. Who takes over at that point?
I think this is a real opportunity for call centers that cater to the apartment industry. That is not to mention the major ILS’s. I have to believe someone out there is working on an offering. Are you aware of one? If so, please share.
Have an amazing Christmas week. M
Call Centers, Apartment Video Chat, Apartment marketing
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Multifamilybiz.com
Interesting site I just ran across a couple days ago. I plan on digging into it this weekend to find out a little more about it.
In the mean time here a little bit about them:
Who We Are
MultifamilyBiz.com
is the next generation platform on the Internet for the multifamily
industry, designed by professionals for professionals. Our team of
builders, developers, publishers, managers, marketers and Internet
specialists has created the place to be for just about everything
touching multifamily housing, from a robust vendor directory to blogs
and video galleries. More information on MultifamilyBiz.com businesses
and services is available on the Web at: www.MultifamilyBiz.com
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Aptratings.com soliciting information on negotiating rent
You and I are part of revelation that is not only happening on a global level but on a local level as well. The nature of our business is changing and transparency, authenticity and integrity, I believe, are chief in the movement. Yesterday I observed the following Tweet over on Twitter;
@aptratings: Need ideas for an interview about how renters who are in a financial pinch can approach their landlord to re-negotiate rent.
My gut reaction was less than ideal and filled with expletives. It hit my value system. The first question out of my mouth was, where did accountability go? Does, honor your word carry no weight in the world? And, to have a company like aptratings.com solicit information on negotiating rent rates is just appalling to me.
Jeremy, why should owners/investors/operators renegotiate rent? Why should that burden fall on the stakeholder? What is your underlying premise? Why would you advocate such an idea? I am really trying to understand this one from your perspective.
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