Name: Cindy Harrison, CAM
Title: Property Manager
Company: Berkshire Property Advisors LLC
Wilmington, N.C.
1. Once in a decade, the dog really did eat the rent check. Just go with the flow and laugh. It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile and God knows I can’t afford Botox.
2. Technology is your friend—but not your best friend. I’ve gone from paper ledgers to DOS-based systems to Internet-based programs that provide updates and information in seconds, but none of the technology can replace face-to-face interaction. Get out and talk with people.
3. Every once in awhile, step out of the box. Be a maintenance technician for a day, plant flowers on a Sunday afternoon, drive to the bus stop on a rainy day and offer someone a ride—just do something unexpected to make someone else’s day a little better. This industry is all about customer service.
4. Trust your instincts. You should never judge a book by its cover and everyone deserves second chances, but as property managers, we are the ultimate onsite check-and-balance system for owners. When it comes to residents, employees and vendors, trust your gut.
5. Take time to stop and smell the chlorine. The pool room is next to my office and after all of these years, I still love the smell of chlorine in the summer. It’s the little things that create wonderful memories.
6. Expect the best from people and they’ll deliver. Employees and residents alike will keep up with the pace you set. If you expect rent on time and communicate it from the beginning of the lease, your delinquency will be at a minimum. Demand quality turns and your vendors won’t need to be called back.
7. Husbands aren’t the only ones with selective hearing. Sometimes you have to repeat your point several times before it sinks in. I encourage my employees to e-mail me, follow that up with a call and leave me a post-it note as a final reminder. I’m tugged in so many directions on every busy day—I’m lucky if I remember the day of the week.
8. Always be polite—even if the chocolates are half-eaten. Residents really do have the best of intentions when they give us gifts of appreciation, regardless of whether or not the cookies are burned, the sweater is three sizes too small or the candy box is half empty. Smile, say “Thank you” and look at the bright side—you’re doing something right if they aren’t coming after you with a pitchfork.
9. Respect your employees’ feelings. I’ve had the same staff for five years—a huge blessing—and we all know each other’s moods, pet peeves and heartaches. Sometimes differences occur but the respect is always there. Celebrate both the big things—such as holidays—and the little things—like the birthday of an employee’s son or daughter.
10. Life doesn’t always happen on a lease term. We are in the business of people’s homes and lives—be understanding when life takes a turn and find the best solution possible for someone’s situation. Marriage, divorce, births, deaths, jobs, school: none of it happens in a neat 6-, 9- or 12-month time frame.
If you would like to be considered for a future End Points column, please contact Lauren Boston at 703/797-0678.