Negative tenant feedback is something that managers will often face in the property industry. It is difficult to please everyone - even when you are trying your best. Different tenants have different needs and wants, and you need to take this into account when managing a property.
In this blog post, we’ll explore why negative feedback happens and give you some top tips on how to handle and respond to it.
Why Does Negative Feedback Happen?
First, let’s discuss the reason for negative feedback. Of course, the reason is that tenants are unhappy with the services that you are providing or with the value of the property that they are renting from you. But there are many further reasons that lie beneath the surface.
Tenants may feel as if their needs and wants are not recognised nor addressed. This can be a result of neglect on the part of the property manager or a lack of communication. What’s more, when a complaint or query goes unrecognised, it can lead to poor tenant experience as tenants can feel uninvolved and out of the loop.
So, negative feedback is not just about tenants and their complaints. It’s a cycle that only gets worse the more it is neglected by property managers.
How To Handle & Respond To Negative Feedback From Tenants In Commercial Properties
Encourage Feedback
The best way to handle negative feedback is to encourage it. Letting your tenants know that they are free to speak their minds and air their grievances will allow them a voice, and you may find it eventually leads to positive feedback too.
Establish A Communication Channel
Open up a convenient mobile-first channel for communication. This will allow tenants and property managers to discuss matters in a way that is open and transparent. Communication and the option to do so is key!
Focus On Tenant Involvement
When you receive negative feedback, a good way to respond is to focus on tenant involvement. Getting your tenants involved and engaged in the goings-on of the property makes them feel valued, and often leads to feedback becoming more positive over time.
Allow For Follow-Ups
After you have received negative feedback and communication, and have dealt with the issues at hand, it doesn’t stop there. Make sure that your tenants are able to follow up on the progress of the problem they have brought to light.
Choose The Right Channel For Tenant Involvement
At the end of the day, the ultimate goal in terms of your tenants is to keep them happy. You’ll want to retain your tenants and keep them loyal, so you should focus on picking the perfect channel that involves them as much as possible.
This channel should be easily accessible and allow for the reporting and tracking of observations in addition to two-way communications.
Final Thoughts
Negative feedback is inevitable, but there are constructive ways to deal with it that can put you and your brand on top, all the while keeping good relationships with your tenants.
Always remember that allowing your tenants a voice and the ability to communicate their complaints is vital!
If your organisation is looking for a tool to involve all tenants in property management for better decision-making on workplace and property strategies, have a look at our 30-day free trial:
We are building the world's first operational involvement platform. Our mission is to make the process of finding, sharing, fixing and learning from issues and observations as easy as thinking about them and as rewarding as being remembered for them.
By doing this, we are making work more meaningful for all parties involved.
More information at falcony.io.
